Girls pound-for-pound: It’s still Tehani’s time

Waianae’s Tehani Carlson has more than stepped into the void left by the injured Teniya Alo.

Carlson, a junior, has dominated the 122-pound division this season with Alo nursing an injury. She beat everyone in front of her to take the Garner Ivey, Officials and Paani.

Carlson continued her steady climb into the girls Pound-for-Pound, pinning both of her opponents last week while watching Roosevelt’s Menjam Tamang lose to Moanalua’s Amanda Higa 6-4.

Even if Alo returns to spoil Carlson’s party, the junior has already been rewarded for her quantum leap over the summer. She has never won an OIA title or placed at states, coming one win away from the top six last year after not being able to finish the 2014 tournament after a loss to Pearl City’s Asia Evans.

The top three spots stay the same despite a lack of activity. No. 1 Teshya Alo has not wrestled as she trains for the Olympic trials but her sister is expected back this week. Teniya stays at No. 3, though, mostly because she wrestled hurt last year and still showed herself to be one of the best wrestlers in Hawaii with a state championship as a freshman. She is staying at 122 and has been helping her sister prepare.

Teniya, a sophomore, is trying to become the first girl to win four state judo and wrestling titles in a career while staying on her sister’s path to world dominance.

“She’s been wrestling some good rounds with Teshya,” coach Charles Ariola said. “There is no better partner for her in Hawaii.”

Angela Peralta of Radford is closer to joining the elite three than she is to slipping. She pinned all three of her opponents last week and is looking like a lock to take her first state title with Molokai’s Alexandria Simon looking like she will drop down to 138 to face Kapolei’s Taysia Kano.

The biggest correction to this edition of the pound for pound is the adjustment that puts Kamehameha’s Zion Vierra above Asia Evans of Pearl City. She beat the reigning state champion at Officials.

While Carlson will be going for her first state placing at the end of the season, five girls will be trying to become a state placer four years in a row.

Teshya Alo and Lalelei Mataafa are mortal locks as they go for their fourth straight state titles, and Pearl City’s Asia Evans will be going for a fourth straight state placing.

The other two girls trying to cap their senior seasons with a fourth straight trip to the podium are Molokai’s Cendall Manley, who has finished fifth in each of the last three years, and Waianae’s Angessa Newman. Newman’s highest finish is third in 2014.

Pound for Pound

1. Teshya Alo, Kamehameha (138)
Career: Three time state champ, three time ILH champ
This year: Won mainland tournament to get into Olympic Trials
Last poll: Ranked No. 1
Recent results: Idle

2. Lalelei Mataafa, Lahainaluna (220)
Career: Three time state champ, three time MIL champ
This year: Sat out MIT and Officials then traveled to Paani but hurt her knee during the clinic and did not compete
Last poll: Ranked No. 2
Recent results: Idle

3. Teniya Alo, Iolani (122)
Career: State champ as a freshman, ILH champ.
This year: Has not competed yet while recovering from a shoulder injury
Last poll: Ranked No. 3
Recent results: Idle

4. Angela Peralta, Radford (145)
Career: State third, state second, two time OIA champ
This year: First at Officials, first at Paani
Last poll: Ranked No. 5
Recent results: Pinned Jacqueline Fuamatu (Pearl City), Pinned laney Sanborn (Pac-Five), Pinned Anna Raduzner (Waialua).

5. Iverly Navarro, Lahainaluna (107):
Career: third at state twice, MIL champ
This year: First at MIT, first at Officials, first at Paani
Last poll: Ranked No. 5
Recent results: Won at 117 pounds on Maui in a bracket that included Kaile Kron (Lahainaluna)

6. Alexis Encinas, Lahainaluna (117)
Career: state champ, state fifth, MIL champ twice
This year: Won MIT, Won Officials, third at Paani after a 7-0 loss to Macy Higa
Last poll: Ranked No. 7
Recent results: idle

7. Zion Vierra, Kamehameha (127)
Career: third at state, ILH champ
This year: First at Officials
Last poll: Ranked No. 9
Recent results: idle

8. Asia Evans, Pearl City (127)
Career: state champ, state third, state second, OIA champ
This year: Won MIT, Second at Officials
Last poll: Ranked No. 4
Recent results: Pinned Megan Mena (Roosevelt)

9. Tehani Carlson, Waianae (122)
Career: none
This year: First at MIT, first at Officials, first at Paani
Last poll: Ranked No. 10
Recent results: Pinned Teah Zamora (Castle), Pinned Jordaynalexi Drasel (Kalani),

10. Menjam Tamang, Roosevelt (97)
Career: Third at state
This year: First at Officials, First at Paani, beating Hoshino both times
Last poll: Ranked No. 8
Recent results: Pinned Raven Rafael (Kamehameha), lost to Amanda Higa (Moanalua) 6-4, Pinned Paige Franczyk (Damien).

Also

Taysia Kano, Kapolei (138)
Career: Second at state, OIA champ
This year: First at MIT, First at Officials
Recent results: idle

Ashley Gooman, Kamehameha (102)
Career: none
This year: First at Officials
Recent results: Beat Alana Vivas (Kahuku) 8-2, Pinned Diamond Molina (Waianae), pinned Kaitlin Bernaldez (Moanalua), pinned Karly Lou Ayano (Pac-Five, pinned Amanda Lee (Punahou)

Pomaikai Yamaguchi, Kamehameha (132)
Career: third at state
This year: First at Officials
Recent results: Pinned Grace Boa (Pearl City), pinned Katie Guzman (Mililani),

Callen Medeiros, Kamehameha (168)
Career: State champ, ILH champion twice
This year: Second at Officials behind Kala of Baldwin, first at Paani