IThe state won’t hand Teshya Alo and Lelelei Mataafa their third state crowns until Saturday, but they might as well.
Alo won the ILH unopposed last week while Mataafa cruised to her third MIL title. Mataafa will need to win three matches for another state title and Alo will have four, but the question will be if anyone can keep them on the mat for longer than a minute.
That is why they have been judged the top two female wrestlers in the state all year except for early on when Carly Jaramillo passed her teammate because of the heavyweight’s late start.
Jaramillo’s path is blocked by another ranked wrestler in Campbell’s Angela Peralta. They met in December in the final of the Pa’ani Challenge at Punahou, and Jaramillo showed off her experience to pin Peralta in 3 minutes, 58 seconds. Peralta has been money since then, beating Kahuku’s Ulia Kaka in 53 seconds to win her second OIA crown last week. Peralta took third at 135 pounds last year while Jaramillo pinned Puanhou’s Zoe Hernandez for the title at 140.
That match was the most anticipated meeting in last year’s tournament, and should Jaramillo and Peralta both make it through to the final it should be the most hyped again.
Taniya Alo of Iolani is on a quick rise to the top, being ranked No. 4 as a freshman after another impressive performance at the ILH championships.
A couple of Lunas, Breanna Dudoit-Vasquez and Diamond Freitas, follow her and will be under a little bit of pressure to defend their top seeds for a school that is primed for its first state title after years of coming up short.
Brianna Leong of Leilehua rose to No. 7 after another win over Campbell’s Kalissa Pundyke. Pundyke was the easy favorite in the class until Leong came along and beat her three times in a row. Aiea’s Sarah Miner and Punahou’s BJ Hoshino are new to the rankings after impressive performances in their league tournaments.
Asia Lien Evans of Pearl City made the biggest drop, falling all the way out of the rankings after getting caught by Roosevelt’s Maria Garcia in the first round of the OIA championship at 127. Evans looked like she was in disbelief after the loss and will be very dangerous in the state tournament after finishing third last year and second in 2013.
A rematch between Garcia and Evans can’t happen until the state final.
1. Teshya Alo, Kamehameha (132)
State champ twice, ILH champ three times, Officials champ, Paani champ
Last week: Won ILH title unopposed
2. Lalelei Mataafa, Lahainaluna (285)
State champ twice, MIL champ three times, Paani champ
Last week: Won MIL title over Baldwin’s Tristan Borden
3. Carly Jaramillo, Lahainaluna (145)
State champ twice, state third, MIL champ four times, Paani champ
Last week: Won MIL title over King Kekaulike’s Keanna Popejoy-Kanamu
4. Taniya Alo, ‘Iolani (122)
Officials champ, ILH champ
Last week: Pinned Laynee Paison of Saint Francis in the first period to win ILH title
5. Breanna Dudoit-Vasquez, Lahainaluna (138)
State champ, state third, MIL champ four times, second at Pa’ani, second at Officials
Last week: Beat Baldwin’s Alysha Reinhardt for MIL title
6. Diamond Freitas, Lahainaluna (112)
State fourth, state fifth, MIL champ twice, Pa’ani champ, Officials champ
Last week: Beat Molokai’s Desiree Corpuz for MIL title
7. Brianna Leong, Leilehua (102)
Third at Officials, second at Pa’ani, OIA West champ
Last week: Beat Kalissa Pundyke for OIA championship
8. Angela Peralta, Campbell (145)
Third at state, OIA champ twice, Officials champ, Second at Pa’ani, OIA West champ
Last week: Pinned Kahuku’s Ulia Kaka in 53 seconds for OIA title
9. Sarah Miner, Aiea (184)
Officials champ, OIA West champ, OIA champ, state fifth
Last week: Pinned Waianae’s Mildred Keopuhowa in 1:53, pinned Kahuku’s Jocelyn Alo in 1:00
10. BJ Hoshino, Punahou (97)
Officials champ, second at Pa’ani
Last week: Pins Pac-Five’s Kacie Nishimura in first round for ILH title
Next:
Zion Vierra, Kamehameha (117)
Alexis Encinas, Lahainaluna (107)
Asia Lien Evans, Pearl City (127)
Maria Garcia, Roosevelt (127)
Taysia Kano, Kapolei (138)
When I read the rankings the words “Meow and yawn” come to mind.