All Nanea Estrella could do in the four or so hours between the first final of the day and her turn was wait.
As a result, the Lahainalua freshman turned in perhaps the most impressive performance of the day, a 14-1 victory over Taryn Ichimura of Punahou.
“I tried to spend my time alone, but I realized I couldn’t do that, so I spent time with my team,” she said. “It feels good. Really good. I’m really happy because my team is always there for me and always will be.”
GIRLS TEAM SCORES
1. Lahainaluna 191
2. Kamehameha 146
3. Pearl City 135
t4. Roosevelt, Baldwin 106
6. Waianae 87
7. Leilehua 84.5
8. Moanalua 84
9. Kahuku 78
10. Kaiser 58.5
11. Farrington 56
12. Kapolel 54
13. KS-Hawaii 52
14. Campbell 50
15. Kealakehe 40
16. Mid-Pacific 37.5
17. Punahou 33
18. Keaau 31
t19. Kalani, Radford 26
21. Mililani 25.5
22. Konawaena 24
23. Aiea 22
24. Castle 21
t25. Damien, King Kekaulike 20
t27. Maui, Nanakuli, St. Francis 16
t30. Hawaii Baptist, Waipahu 15
32. Molokai 14
t33. Iolani, Kauai 12
35. University 10
t36. KS-Maui, Sacred Hearts 9
38. Kapaa 7
39. McKinley 6
40. Lanai 4
t41. Assets, Hawaii Prep 3
43. Waiakea 2
Estrella’s victory in the 117 division, along with three other individual medalists for the Lunas, propelled the Maui Interscholastic League school to its second girls state title in three years.
“It all started on Friday. That first round, we were 10-for-10. I think we had eight or nine pins and it kind of started from there,” Lahainalua co-head coach Todd Hayase said. “We felt that the tournament would be won on bonus points. Having five in the finals and winning four, it’s pretty incredible.”
Iverly Navarro, ranked No. 3 in Hawaii Prep World’s Pound-for-Pound rankings, was the lone Luna in the finals who didn’t come away with a state title after a 7-2 loss to Kamehameha’s Ashley Gooman at 107.
Kahuku’s Teniya Alo, the top-ranked wrestler in the P4P rankings, pinned Kaiser’s Roselani Ikei for her second state title. She won at 122 in 2015 as a freshman at ‘Iolani. A shoulder injury hindered her ability last season, though she still finished third.
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“It feels good to finally redeem myself. Going through three surgeries, I finally got healed,” Alo said. “Nobody knows that I re-tore it, but I have surgery again in two weeks. I tried to hold it off for states and it was all worth it.”
Maintaining the ranking meant just as much as another state championship to Alo. The junior said that she took weight gainers to move up to face Radford’s Angela Peralta on Jan. 7 at Mililani. At 145, Peralta was No. 1 at the time until Alo’s 5-4 victory.
Peralta became the first Radford girl to win multiple state titles after willing her way to a 7-4 overtime victory over Waianae’s Kaleinani Makuaole. Like Alo, the senior was not at full strength because of an ankle injury that has bothered her all season.
As some worked to prove their reputations on Saturday, others went out to show that they’re forces to be reckoned with for years to come.
Estrella’s margin of victory was the largest of the matches that lasted three rounds. Another Maui freshman in Baldwin’s Jahnea Miguel won the 127 division over Waianae’s Anuhea Hamilton in convincing fashion.
“She’s one of the girls, along with Jahnea,” Hayase said of Estrella. “They got seven to eight years of wrestling experience as freshmen. It’s all in the youth program, getting the kids ready for this moment. It’s nice to be a freshman.
“Nanea couldn’t have cared less who she wrestled. She was just relaxed and calm. Just really proud of our boys and girls. Hopefully we can continue this.”
Lahainaluna compiled 191 points, with Kamehameha finishing second with 146.
State wrestling 2017 by Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Scribd
