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The Kamehameha boys are in prime position after Day 1 of the two-day Texaco/HHSAA Wrestling State Championships.
After the quarterfinals and one consolation round Friday, the defending champion Warriors were up to 103.5 points.
Punahou (77 points) and Saint Louis (69.5) are Nos. 2 and 3 in the standings.
Individually, Kamehameha’s Kysen Terukina is on track for his fourth state championship. He advanced with two victories and faces Lahainaluna’s Dawson Nolasco in the semifinals today. Terukina is No. 1 in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s pound-for-pound rankings.
>> PHOTOS: Boys state wrestling championships: Day 1 at Blaisdell Arena
“We have the horses, we have the work ethic,” Terukina said about his team’s chances. “Our team has that. If they lose a match, it’s OK … let’s get pins to get third place and if they don’t get third, let’s get pins to get fifth place. Everybody has that mind-set. At the end of the day, we want to be the team on top so that we’re happy and we know we did everything. We don’t want to be the losers at the end of the day.”
The Warriors’ Kanai Tapia (No. 4 p4p) at 152 pounds won a showcase match against Moanalua’s Boltyn Taam (No. 6 p4p). He was down 3-2 at one point, but won 6-4 in overtime with a single-leg takedown. Taam was wrestling down to where the action was after winning states at 160 a year ago.
“I was really tired and my body was sore, but when it comes down to it, you gotta just dig deep and it comes down to whoever wants it more,” Tapia said. “In that moment, I wanted it more. It could change next time, but right there, that was pure heart.”
If Tapia can win in the semis, Kapolei’s Branden Pagurayan (No. 2 p4p) could be waiting for him in the final. Pagurayan, a two-time state champ in the division, also did his job Friday, winning twice.
Four other Kamehameha wrestlers are through to the semifinals, including Brant Porter (No. 5 p4p) at 126 pounds. He is going for a second state crown.
Legend Matautia (No. 7 p4p) and Zander Manuel (No. 9 p4p) lead four Punahou wrestlers into the semis, hoping to do some scoring to make a move in the standings today. Manuel is the reigning 182-pound state titlist and is going for the top prize at 195. Matautia, who won states at 220 last year, is going for 285-pound supremacy.
Baldwin’s Coby Ravida (No. 3 p4p) is out to get a third state crown. He rallied back from a three-point deficit in a quarterfinal match against Waianae’s Brandon Magsayo for a 14-4 win to advance.
“I have to go out with a bang,” Ravida said. “It is really important for me to finish all the way through. To show that I can do it. That I’m here. To prove I’m capable of wrestling in that league.”
Moanalua’s Elijah Asuncion (No. 8 p4p), the 113-pound state winner two years ago, is still in the chase at 120, and Waianae’s Nicholas Cordeiro (No. 10 p4p) is through to the semifinals, going for a first state title at 106 pounds.
Reigning 132-pound state champ Ansen Ursua of Saint Louis, who is not in the p4p rankings, advanced to the semis in the 138-pound division.
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