Pearl City outlasted Kamehameha’s surge to keep the team title in the OIA at Saturday’s Chevron/ HHSAA Girls Wrestling State Championships.
"We worked our butts off for this," 105-pound champion Breanne Takaesu said. "We have come so close so many times, but this was the year we did it. It is just an awesome team."
The Chargers had finished in the top five in each of the previous four years but never sealed the deal. Their most disappointing finish was probably last year, when they had the numbers but not the ability to overcome Aiea, and finished third.
Now, for the first time in school history, they can call themselves champions. And they beat a loaded Kamehameha squad to do it.
"They are a lot more mature this year," Pearl City coach Mike Lee said. "It is a great thing for our girls. I’ve known (Kamehameha coach Bill Venenciano) for a long time and he is a great coach and that makes it even more special."
The Chargers had three individual champions — Takaesu at 105, Xandria Ford at 113 and Janelle Fuamatu at 155. Fuamatu’s win over Kuuleilani Lankford effectively clinched it.
Freshman Asia Lien Evans lost her championship match but scored plenty of points to get there and Sarah Grace Alegria, Joen Tominaga, Kaimiloa Evans all wrestled well enough to compete on the second day.
"Oh my God," Pearl City’s Kaimiloa Evans said. "This year our team has been tight and everyone has been dominating. This has never been done in, like, ever, and I think it is because our girls are really close this year."
Pearl City scored 158 points to Kamehameha’s 151.5. Lahainaluna was third with 141. The Chargers beat Kahuku’s 153.3 points from 2004 for the most points scored in a state tournament, but the HHSAA added three weight classes this year.
In most years, it is about a team not doing enough on the final day, but not so with the Warriors this year. Kamehameha got three wrestlers into the finals and all three of them took gold. Bree Rapoza started it off, and Harmony Pacheco and Teshya Alo followed. Rapoza said it didn’t feel like a state championship until she hit the mat for her title match, but once she got there she had good reason to feel a little bit of déjà vu. She won her third state championship, and second in a row, but walks away without the team crown that she dedicated herself to this year.
"Everybody knows about her exceptional wrestling," Venenciano said. "But what I will remember most about her is off the mat. She really followed through with being a team leader and I couldn’t be more proud of her."
The Warriors vow to rebuild without Rapoza after their first top-three finish since 2010. But they better do something about Pearl City, since both lose senior leaders but have a talented freshman to build on.
"This is a good thing," Venenciano said. "Pearl City earned it, both teams did what they had to to win and neither made a mistake. We will use this as fuel."
Thai Ha Sloan’s win over Malie Gonsalves ensured that Punahou’s girls would have a state champion for nine straight years. The last time they were shut out was 2004. Zoe Hernandez gave the Buffanblu two golds this year, but Punahou could do no better than fourth as a team.
Lahainaluna was the only other school with multiple champions, getting golds from Carly Jaramillo at 135 and freshman Lalelei Mataafa at 220. Eight different schools claimed individual titles.
[ 97 POUNDS ]
Championship match
Thai Ha Sloan (Punahou) def. Malie Gonsalves (Waianae) 12-3
Match recap: Sloan blew open a tight match at the end of the second period when Gonsalves tried a judo throw but Sloan held on and nearly pinned her.
Quote: "It is an amazing feeling. I practiced with her all summer and she has improved so much, that I am thankful I got to wrestle her."
Third place
Maia Phanthadara (Roosevelt) pinned Malia Refamonte (Lahainaluna)
Fifth place
Samantha Wong (‘Iolani) def. Kiana Soloria (Kamehameha-Maui) 6-1
[ 101 POUNDS ]
Championship match
Kaelynn Canyete (Kapolei) def. Kimberly Mesick (Punahou) 9-2
Match recap: Canyete repeated as champ and improved to 108-10 by being aggressive from the start.
Quote: "This year was kind of tough because I took two losses, but those two losses actually made my mentality grow stronger and I started training more and more and it was all for this tournament."
Third place
Alanda Nguyen (Farrington) def. Diamond Freitas (Lahainaluna) 2-0
Fifth place
Ashley Lawhn (Kalani) def. Ann Marie Andres (Maui) 11-4
[ 105 POUNDS ]
Championship match
Breanne Takaesu (Pearl City) def. Kailaoe Cabating (Molokai), pin 3:42
Match recap: Takaesu caught Cabating in a chicken wing that she tightened until the referee slammed the mat with 18 seconds left in the second period.
Quote: "I just wanted to win, but a pin is great because it will help out my team a lot. This feels great; it was totally worth it."
Third place
Kelly Rivera (Mililani) pinned Kyla Aruda (King Kekaulike)
Fifth place
Miranda Oda (Punahou) def. Marissa Hamakawa (University) 5-2
[ 109 POUNDS ]
Championship match
Aarica Barcina (Kahuku) def. Nakia James (Leilehua) pin, 5:16
Match recap: Barcina avenged a 1-point loss to James in the OIA tournament with a pin. James nearly stuck Barcina with a cradle at the end of the second period and led 3-1 before the Kahuku junior rallied.
Quote: "It feels amazing; being the underdog in the competition makes this that much better. I just did what I had to do."
Third place
Angela Enos (Moanalua) def. Sarah Grace Alegria (Pearl City) pin
Fifth place
Ashley Dilliner (Kailua) def. Karley Kaulili (Molokai) pin
[ 113 POUNDS ]
Championship match
Xandria Ford (Pearl City) def. Janae Lynn Oliver (Farrington) 2-1
Match recap: Ford caught Oliver on her back with a minute left to take a 2-0 lead and rode it out. Both wrestlers finished second at states last year.
Quote: "I finally worked hard enough to be a state champion. I really have to thank my team. They are always the ones who help me push through the pain every practice."
Third place
Desiree Corpuz (Molokai) def. Kaylin Castro (Mililani) 5-3
Fifth place
Angessa Newman (Waianae) def. Kylan-Jo Tanaka (Kamehameha) pin
[ 117 POUNDS ]
Championship match
Bree Rapoza (Kamehameha) def. Amber Tantog (Waialua) pin, 2:27
Match recap: Rapoza dominated Tantog throughout to become this year’s only three-time state champion. She led 8-1 after the first period, then threw Tantog to the mat and turned it into a pin.
Quote: "I’m not going to just pin her right off the bat because I kind of wanted my last one to last longer. Three feels great. This one is kind of surreal because my head wasn’t in it until I saw the cameras."
Third place
Joen Tominaga (Pearl City) def. Devin Desha Vierra (Waianae) 2-1
Fifth place
Erika Takase (Punahou) def. Kayla Guillermo (Castle) forfeit
[ 121 POUNDS ]
Championship match
Angela Lee (Mililani) def. Asia Lien Evans (Pearl City) pin, 2:52
Match recap: Lee, a junior in her first year of wrestling, caught the OIA champion in a headlock on the out-of-bounds circle and earned the pin.
Quote: "I just wrapped my leg around her and I squeezed, because that is what a champion would do."
Third place
Precious Jaramillo (Lahainaluna) def. Anela Wasson (Kahuku) pin
Fifth place
Taylor Rabara (Baldwin) def. Rebekah Johnson (Castle) pin
[ 125 POUNDS ]
Championship match
Harmony Pacheco (Kamehameha) def. Keira Baker (Moanalua) 7-4
Match recap: Pacheco, a junior who was disqualified at the ILH tournament because of a slam, didn’t shy away from her favorite move and got six of her seven points on double-leg takedowns.
Quote: "It’s amazing. I feel like all of my hard work and double practices and training were all worth it."
Third place
Rizpah Torres Umi (Molokai) def. Kori Kunioka (Punahou) pin
Fifth place
Maria Garcia (Roosevelt) def. Ashley Mercado (Leilehua) 14-9
[ 130 POUNDS ]
Championship match
Teshya Alo (Kamehameha) def. Breanna Dudoit Vasquez (Lahainaluna) pin 0:35
Match recap: Alo caught Vasquez from the opening whistle and squeezed until she got the pin. Alo, a freshman, swept the ILH and state titles.
Quote: "I felt like everything I have been working for since like sixth grade came true. I just do what I normally do, just get my grip and go."
Third place
Kristin Yamasaki (Maryknoll) def. Kaimiloa Evans (Pearl City) 7-3
Fifth place
Lhyca Joy Butac (Leilehua) def. Phairin Hicks (Mililani) 9-6
[ 135 POUNDS ]
Championship match
Carly Jaramillo (Lahainaluna) def. Shannon Paaaina (Mid-Pacific) pin, 5:56
Match recap: Paaaina had Jaramillo in serious trouble, but the sophomore reversed it and earned a pin with four seconds left in the match.
Quote: "It feels great, especially since she is a defending state champion."
Third place
Tanalei Louis (Konawaena) def. Uilani Freitas ( Kahuku) pin
Fifth place
Leah Mello Waiwaio (Ka’u) def. Lokelani Ching (Hawaii Prep) pin
[ 140 POUNDS ]
Championship match
Zoe Hernandez (Punahou) def. Kanoeala Nakoa (Kaiser) pin, 4:33
Match recap: Hernandez threw Nakoa all over the mat and led 13-1 before pinning the OIA champion with 1 minute, 27 seconds left.
Quote: "My goal has been state champion for as long as I can remember. It is amazing that my family was in the audience to share it with me."
Third place
Kaylan Kanakanui (Hilo) def. Kari Okubo (Aiea) 8-6
Fifth place
Cendall Manley (Molokai) def. Ilihia Herrod (Kamehameha) 3-1
[ 155 POUNDS ]
Championship match
Janelle Fuamatu (Pearl City) def. Kuuleilani Lankford (Campbell) 6-3
Match recap: The OIA champion scored two points with 30 seconds left in the first period and never trailed.
Quote: "There are no words, I can’t explain it. My family is up there and my team is around me and there was no tomorrow."
Third place
Erin Scheidt (Kamehameha) def. Jasmine Iuta (Waiakea) pin
Fifth place
Megan Amby (Lanai) def. Tangi Cook (Waianae) 6-1
[ 175 POUNDS ]
Championship match
Welina Tong (Kamehameha-Hawaii) def. Jocelyn Tabion (Kapolei) pin, 1:25
Match recap: Tabion tried to trap Tong’s head to the mat, but the senior drove forward and quickly pinned her.
Quote: "I don’t know how I pinned her, I don’t remember; it all happened so fast. It’s an amazing feeling, what you put in is what you get."
Third place
Hailey Namauu (Baldwin) def. Alexandra Fautanu (‘Iolani) 8-0
Fifth place
Ryanne Somala (Waialua) def. Leilani Naone (Kamehameha) 11-6
[ 220 POUNDS ]
Championship match
Lalelei Mataafa (Lahainaluna) def. Kaydie Lynn Tehotu (McKinley) pin, 1:33
Match recap: Mataafa grabbed the top seed by the head, and once she had her on the mat it was only a matter of time before she pinned her.
Quote: "It feels great. It’s not going through my head right now, but it will come out later. State champ. Wow."
Third place
Aimee Shiraki (Konawaena) def. Shavon Mello-Waiwaiole (Ka’u) pin
Fifth place
Sarah Miner (Aiea) def. Sydney Ibarra (Baldwin) pin
[ GIRLS STANDINGS ]
| 1. Pearl City |
158 |
| 2. Kamehameha |
151.5 |
| 3. Lahainaluna |
141 |
| 4. Punahou |
119 |
| 5. Molokai |
91 |
| 6. Mililani |
78 |
| 7. Waianae |
71 |
| 8. Kahuku |
60 |
| 9. Kapolei |
55 |
| 10. Baldwin |
53 |
| 11. Konawaena |
52 |
| 12. Leilehua |
51 |
| 13. Farrington |
46 |
| 14. Campbell |
45.5 |
| 15. Moanalua |
44.5 |
| 16. KS-Hawaii |
39 |
| 17. Roosevelt |
37 |
| 18. Aiea |
33 |
| 19. Mid-Pacific |
32 |
| 20. Waialua |
30 |
| 21. Castle |
29 |
| t22. Ka’u |
28 |
| McKinley |
28 |
| t24. Hilo |
27 |
| ‘Iolani |
27 |
| 26. Kaiser |
24 |
| 27. Lanai |
20.5 |
| 28. Maryknoll |
20 |
| t29. Hawaii Prep |
19 |
| Radford |
19 |
| 31. Honokaa |
18 |
| t32. King Kekaulike |
16 |
| Waiakea |
16 |
| 34. Kalani |
15 |
| t35. Kailua |
13 |
| Maui |
13 |
| 37. Kealakehe |
11 |
| 38. KS-Maui |
10.5 |
| 39. University |
10 |
| 40. Keaau |
9 |
| t41. Kauai |
7 |
| St. Francis |
7 |
