History was made on the final day of the Texaco/HHSAA State Wrestling Championships as the Kapolei Hurricanes closed the book on a storybook season with the first state wrestling championship in school history.

The Hurricanes were led by seven medalists, with senior Brycen Pagurayan taking home the 170-pound gold and Rodstan Salangdron claiming the 220-pound gold.

In the 170-pound final, Pagurayan took down Kalaheo’s Tyler Shields by major decision in the 15-3 final bout. He got off to a strong start with nine points in the first period, then capped the win with six more in the second and third. Pagurayan wins his second consecutive state title at 170, and third career state tournament medal.

“I feel great,” Pagurayan said. “The match just finished, so I’m focused on supporting my teammates, in this match, and the next one, and the next one, and the next one.”

Pagurayan had history with Shields. His title defense this season began with a loss to Shields at the final of the preseason Officials tournament, when Shields pinned him in 23 seconds. Pagurayan rebounded to win an OIA title, before finally getting his revenge on Shields in the state final.

“I’ve thought about it every single day, morning and night,” Pagurayan said about the rematch with Shields.

His support reached his teammates. In the 220-pound final, Salangdron pinned defending state champion Vanderlei Yong of Waianae a minute and a half into the second period to claim the gold medal.

Salangdron put in his bid for the title of OIA’s best at the Officials tournament, where he pinned Waianae’s Johnny Sailele in the final. But Yong wasn’t at that tournament. Salangdron finally got his chance against Yong at the OIA final, winning 3-1 to earn the top seed at the state tournament. Now with the state gold medal in hand, Salangdron finally stands at the top.

Parugayan and Salangdron were joined on the podium by silver medalists Elijah Pinales (182), Maika Kahele Akea (195) and Zairyn Ramos-Semana (106). Ryker Shimabukuro took home a bronze medal (126), and Mayhem Woolsey claimed fourth (138).

Reigning state champion Mikah Labuanan of Kamehameha-Maui beat Mililani’s Jaren Kimura 5-4 for the 132-pound title after trailing 4-2 through two periods. Labuanan closed the gap with an escape 10 seconds into the third period, then won his second straight state title with a takedown in the final minute.

Labuanan’s title defense got off to a rocky start at Officials when Labuanan and Kimura met in the final. Labuanan tried to protect a lead in the third period, and lost the bout — and the No. 1 seed — on penalty points for stalling and misconduct.

“I think (this win) beats last year’s, especially with everything that went on during our first preseason tournament of the year. A lot of things happened with the refs, and we didn’t really agree. But ever since that day, I just kept working harder and harder to improve. Because I knew, I might be a step behind right now, but if I keep working every day to improve myself, I’ll be that much better, for myself, and compared to everyone else.”

Starting as an unseeded wrestler in his previous state tournament run, Labuanan faced a different challenge en route to another state title this year.

“I think the mindset was the only major difference. I still worked hard every single day, giving as much effort as I can until the very end,” Labuanan said. “Last year, going unseeded was very tough. I had to go against the OIA champion, the ILH champion, and eventually in the final, the MIL champion. All odds were really against me. But that really fueled me. Compared to this year, everyone knows who I am, I have a fat target on my back. Everyone was trying to knock me out and take the top of the podium. The thing that drove me was, I’ve already won once in front of everyone. If I slow down for one second, someone’s going to take a step forward, either in front of me or next to me. So consistently taking steps forward really helped me improve myself.”

Labuanan becomes the first wrestler in school history to repeat as state champion.

“It feels really good, especially with the legacy of Kamehameha-Maui, and Kamehameha in general, all the campuses,” Labuanan said about the milestone. “Being cemented in our history just feels so great. The power of everyone that came before me, it really empowers me.”

Moanalua’s Tyger Taam also defended his state title with a 4-3 win over a Waianae’s Hakuilua Paaluhi in a rematch of the OIA final. Tied 2-2 after two periods, Taam clinched the win with a reversal 15 seconds into the third period.

“It means a lot. Ever since that OIA tournament, I felt like everyone wanted to see me lose. I just kept my head straight, look forward, and try my hardest out there.”

Taam’s brother, Boltyn, was also a state champion back in 2019. Tyger, still just a sophomore, has just one-upped his big brother with his second straight state title.

“I’m gonna flex on him when I go home,” Taam said with a grin.

The other gold medal winners were Saint Louis’s Hunter Berger at 106, Kamehameha’s Evan Kusumoto at 113, Mid-Pacific’s Logan Lau at 120, Punahou’s Brendan Sekulich at 126, Kamehameha’s Akoni Kaaialii at 145, Hanalani’s Xander Erolin at 152, Mililani’s Adrian Lee at 160, Moanalua’s Jonas Baekkeland at 182, Lahainaluna’s Keawe Kane-Keahi at 195 and Kamehameha’s Scotty Dikilato at 285.

Dikilato, Kusumoto and Erolin defended their state titles from last year, while Kane-Keahi won his first state title after a runner-up finish last year.

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Boys

106

Championship: Hunter Berger (StL) def. Zairyn Ramos-Semana (Kapo), fall, 5:34

Third Place: Caden Guevara (Mil) def. Jayzon Sheldon (Camp), 9-2.

Fifth Place: Irving Bicoy (PC) def. Colt Kalaukoa (Cas), 12-2

113

Championship: Evan Kusumoto (KS) def. Eli Suan (StL), 16-1.

Third Place: Marcus Marinas (Bald) def. Joshua Estabillio (Moan), 3-2.

Fifth Place: Khairyn Vilavong (Camp) def. Blaze-Kekoa Amano (ULS), 4-2

120

Championship: Logan Lau (MPI) def. Kulika Corpuz (Mil), 6-4.

Third Place: Diesel Del Rosario (Lanai) def. Joshua Frias (Iol), fall, 1:52.

Fifth Place: Andre Gantala (Kona) def. Jona Dudoit (Mol), 4-2

126

Championship: Brendan Sekulich (Pun) def. Koen Shigemoto (Mil), 3-1.

Third Place: Ryker Shimabukuro (Kapo) def. Happy Nitahara (KS), 4-2.

Fifth Place: Rylen Gonda (Wain) def. Noah McKenzie (KS), fall, 4:07

132

Championship: Mikah Labuanan (KSM) def. Jaren Kimura (Mil), 5-4.

Third Place: Tyler Yoshiyama (Hilo) def. Gavin Buelow (Pun), 6-4.

Fifth Place: Kanoa Iwankiw (KK) def. Damon Gasilos (Far), 17-7

138

Championship: Tyger Taam (Moan) def. Hakuilua Paaluhi (Wain), 4-3

Third Place: Zion Amerson (StL) def. Mayhem Woolsey (Kapo), 2-0.

Fifth Place: Ryder Baptista (Aiea) def. Daniel Tauyan (Lei), 5-3

145

Championship: Akoni Kaaialii (KS) def. Kaihi Cobb-Adams (StL), 5-2.

Third Place: Bransen Porter (Wain) def. Gabriel Grilho (Aiea), fall, 2:47.

Fifth Place: Akea Cariaga (Hilo) def. Connor Furuta (Pun), 12-4

152

Championship: Xander Erolin (Han) def. Keegan Goeas (Cas), 6-4.

Third Place: Justyce Mercado (Pun) def. Bryson Adric (Bald), fall, 1:43.

Fifth Place: Kahiwa Augustiro (Mol) def. Zayvien Balisacan (StL), fft.

160

Championship: Adrian Lee (Mil) def. Nai Hasegawa (Bald), 6-2.

Third Place: Ikaika Gonzales (Lah) def. Boyd Durand (Rad), 7-3.

Fifth Place: Steinar Tanaka (Kais) def. Kai Simmons (Moan), 7-4

170

Championship: Brycen Pagurayan (Kapo) def. Tyler Shields (Kalh), 15-3.

Third Place: Jensen Tanele (Camp) def. Johan Machida (Iol), 3-1.

Fifth Place: GXXR Young (Wain) def. Tauatina Tuikolongahau (KS), 8-6

182

Championship: Jonas Baekkeland (Moan) def. Elijah Pinales (Kapo), 11-0.

Third Place: Ethan Ito (Pun) def. Dorian Payton-Sherman (PC), 2-1.

Fifth Place: Jackson Hussey (Lah) def. Jerusalem Jackson (Mil), 10-9

195

Championship: Keawe Kane-Keahi (Lah) def. Maika Kahele Akeo (Kapo), 3-2.

Third Place: Malakai Holland (StL) def. Toa Mata’afa-Grove (Bald), 3-2

Fifth Place: William Gaucher (Kais) def. Johnny Sailele (Wain), 8-1

220

Championship: Rodstan Salangdron (Kapo) def. Vanderlei Yong (Wain), fall, 3:29

Third Place: Kainoa Gonzales (KS) def. Joedon Kapihe (PC), 3-1

Fifth Place: Setu Setu (Waip) def. Nehasi Faleofa (Keal), 5-3

285

Championship: Scotty Dikilato (KS) def. Caleb Lauifi (Waip)

Third Place: Kanale Coelho (Lei) def. Gabriel Aiona (HBA), 3-1