People are on the lookout for Liam Corbett’s name at the Chevron/HHSAA State Wrestling Championships, but another Corbett grabbed some of the spotlight on opening day Friday at Blaisdell Arena.
Kelani Corbett of Leilehua, Liam’s sister, pulled off a big upset, defeating Kamehameha’s Taj Vierra 7-1 in the quarterfinals at 155 pounds. Vierra placed sixth in states two years ago.
“It’s important that we don’t look too far ahead,” said Kevin Corbett — Kelani and Liam’s dad and the Mules’ coach — about Kelani’s first foray into the state semis today.
Team-wise, the ‘Iolani boys (89 points) are well ahead of second-place Campbell (63.5) and will be trying today to wrap up their first championship since 2003. The Kamehameha girls (101.5 points) hold a slim lead over defending champion Lahainaluna (97.5).
Liam Corbett, as expected, could be on a collision course with ‘Iolani junior KJ Pascua at 152. Both made it to the semifinals without too much trouble with wins in the first and quarterfinal rounds. Corbett, who wrestled at 160 most of the season, declared a few weeks ago for 152, and wrestling fans are abuzz about the possible final pitting the two wrestlers with previous state titles to their credit and who are Nos. 2 (Corbett) and 3 (Pascua) in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s pound-for-pound rankings.
“I’m really excited for that match,” Pascua said Friday. “You hear talk like he’s coming down (in weight) and I’m like, ‘OK, good.’ Just gonna go out there and give it my best. Hopefully, we’re both in the finals. Last year, I wrestled him in preseason and I got caught, pinned, but I feel like I’ve developed and am way better than before.”
Another highly anticipated final match of previous state champs — if it comes to fruition after the semis — would pit Kapolei’s Shandon Ilaban-Totten (No. 5 in the p4p) and Kamehameha’s Blaysen Terukina (No. 4) at 132.
In a first-round, second-period upset, Waianae’s Randon Bailey pinned top-seeded Izaak Panlasigui Domingo of Lahainaluna.
Saint Louis’ Kaimana Young entered the tournament as an alternate at 182 pounds and won two matches to push into today’s semis.
On the girls side, Moanalua’s Amanda Higa made it to the 97-pound semifinals with a quarterfinal victory over reigning state champion Bailey Hoshino of Punahou.
“My coaches told me to just go out there and wrestle my hardest and to just believe I could win,” Higa said. “They told me to forget about that she was a state champ and wrestle her like every other opponent.”
Warriors junior Donavyn Futa, who won a state title two years ago and sat out all of last year after an illness, made it into the semifinals with two victories at 117.
“I’m focusing on tomorrow because tomorrow is what really matters,” she said. “I’m going to try to do the same thing I did my freshman year.”
Laleilei Mataafa (No. 2 in p4p) of the Lunas had the quickest pin of the day at 225, in eight seconds against Farrington’s Lavenia Fotu in the quarters. She is going for her fourth state title, as is Kamehameha’s Teshya Alo (132, No. 1 p4p).
Several girls are taking aim at ‘Iolani’s Teniya Alo (No. 3 p4p), who is battling back from an injury. Alo faces Pearl City’s Netanya Kang in the 122 semis. Waianae’s Tehani Carlson (No. 9 p4p) is on the other side of the bracket against Leilehua’s Kayla Lono.
“If Tehani comes in with her ‘A’ game as usual, she should do good,” Waianae coach Randy Florendo said. “Alo is the favorite, but Tehani is going to mix it up with her and give her a run for her money.”
Other wrestlers still in the chase for a second state title are — Saint Louis’ Corey Cabanban (113), Campbell’s Triston Santos (113), Punahou’s Cameron Kato (126), Damien’s Connor Villarmia (170), Lahainaluna’s Alexis Encinas (112), Pearl City’s Asia Lien Evans (127) and Kamehameha’s Callan Medeiros (168).
