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The most recent battle of champions goes to Kapolei’s Branden Pagurayan.
Pagurayan turned back fellow OIA and state champion Boltyn Taam of Moanalua by a narrow 5-3 score on Saturday night at Leilehua.
It was Pagurayan’s third OIA championship and Taam is still sitting at one after winning an ILH crown as a freshman.
The juniors were scoreless through the first period before Pagurayan earned an escape and takedown while yielding an escape. He took a break in the middle of that to throw up into a bucket near the mat.
>> PHOTOS: OIA wrestling championships
“I think it was (Leilehua’s) doughnuts in the cafe,” Pagurayan said. “I couldn’t resist a couple of hours ago.”
The match featured plenty of heavy hands, with both wrestlers left with marks on their faces. Taam narrowed the gap with an escape to begin the third period but suffered a takedown for the final margin after Pagurayan stuffed a few escape attempts.
The wrestlers could meet each other again at the state tournament in two weeks if they can get past the ILH’s Kanai Tapia and Stone Franczyk in what will be the most stacked bracket.
“Like I said before, I want to beat the best to be the best and Boltyn is one of the best,” Pagurayan said. “I don’t take him lightly, he is a possible finalist in states. To get the third state title, I am going to have to get through him.”
Moanalua’s Elijah Asuncion joined Taam with his third OIA title after a tight battle with Waianae’s Bronson Magsayo. Magsayo kicked Asuncion out of the state tournament last year and Asuncion has not forgotten it.
“I went into a deep depression for a little bit (after losing at states last year),” Asuncion said. “I didn’t even want to wrestle. But I got off my bed and told myself ‘I have to go get that gold again.’ ”
Waianae’s Nicholas Cordeiro and Aiea’s Weiyi Zheng repeated as champions on the boys side.
Makana Cooper of Pearl City was the big winner for the girls, beating rival and fellow OIA champion Emily Paulino of Kalani to earn her third OIA championship. Alizeih Villalpando of Campbell, and Moanalua’s Lana Perez repeated, while Jazmyn Enriquez of Campbell fell to Erin Hikiji of Mililani in her bid to repeat and Waianae’s Tiare Carlson saw her repeat chances fall earlier in the day.
Moanalua won both the boys and girls team titles.
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