The longer the day went on, the more the points piled up for the ‘Iolani boys on the way to a second straight victory in the Chevron/HHSAA Wrestling State Championships on Saturday at Blaisdell Arena.

The Raiders began the day in a heated battle with Campbell and Kamehameha, but individual championships by four wrestlers kept them ahead to stay with a final total of 164.5 points. The Sabers (145) took second, with the Warriors (139) in third.

KJ Pascua and Dane Yamashiro earned their second individual state titles for the Raiders. Pascua did it at 170 pounds, getting a takedown late in overtime to defeat Campbell’s Noah Respicio 7-5. Yamashiro pinned Baldwin’s Feitosa Laite at the 1:53 mark in the 285-pound class.

In one of the closest matches of the night, ‘Iolani’s Kainoa Torigoe fought back from a two-point deficit to get past Waipahu’s Hunter Nagatani 6-4 at 106 pounds. Sai Fautanu was the other Raiders individual winner, and he broke down crying happy tears after dispatching Moanalua’s Damien Agao Casabar 3-1 at 195 pounds.

“It was tight,” said ‘Iolani coach Walden Au after wrapping up the school’s 14th state crown. “We came into this tournament with nine wrestlers, a little bit behind some of the other teams. In all the time I’ve been coaching, I’ve never seen a final round like we were able to pull off. It’s a testament to our captains. Sai started it off and then Big Dane kept the momentum before KJ took us home. Kainoa Torigoe’s state championship was huge for us. Everybody picked up their share. You could see the look in everyone’s eyes. They fought for each other. We are humbled to take this great honor this year.”

Campbell stayed in contention until near the end. The Sabers finished with three individual winners, including two who grabbed their second state crowns — Micah Tynanes (220) and Triston Santos (126).

Zayren Terukina (132) won the other title for Campbell, his first, but he didn’t do it before his brother Kysen Terukina (113), a freshman, got his championship for Kamehameha. Now, six Terukinas have won at least once at states. Their father, Darryl; their uncle Ben; and brothers Shayden and Blaysen are previous state winners.

Click here for more images.

“He has a chance to be the first one in the family to win it four times,” Zayren, a junior, said about Kysen.

The Cooper family’s all-time haul also increased on Saturday. Makoa Cooper captured the 152-pound class to join Raynald, Blake and Baylen as state winners.

One wrestler, Saint Louis’ Corey Cabanban, tucked his third state title into his pocket by getting past Moanalua’s Logan Garcia at 120 pounds.

“It’s another accomplishment toward my goal,” Cabanban said. “I’ll be trying to get that fourth and go on to college.”

Aiea’s Brandon Burgos made some history for his school with his pin of Baldwin’s Laakea Joy in the 160-pound final. He’s the first Na Alii wrestler to win a boys championship since Frank Pascua (152) in 1990.

“We haven’t had a state champion in 27 years,” Burgos said. “You know how much pressure that is? I went in there knowing I was going to win. Taking second wasn’t an option.”

Leilehua’s Brett Barefoot made big strides for his 182-pound title. He upset top-seeded Lincoln Mussell of Hawaii Baptist in the semifinals before getting a pin of Campbell’s Alize Wright in what had been a close match.

“It’s a long season, a long grind. I never thought I’d make it here. I saw that it was open for a reverse cradle, so I had to take a shot. Anything for the win.”

State wrestling 2017 by Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Scribd