Wrestling

Kamehameha’s Kysen Terukina, the No. 5 wrestler in Hawaii Prep World’s pound-for-pound rankings, avenged a loss earlier this season in the quarterfinals of the state wrestling championships Wednesday at Blaisdell Arena. At 120 pounds, Terukina pinned Baldwin freshman Kahilihiwa Joy to move on to the semifinals. At the Officials tournament in Decmeber, Joy pinned Terukina. “My coaches always tell me it doesn’t matter who wins in the beginning,” Terukina said. “My older brother Shayden Terukina was a three-time state champion […]

Waianae’s Kaleinani Makuaole beat Zion Grace Vierra of Kamehameha 5-2 in the quarterfinals of the 145-pound state wrestling championships Tuesday at Blaisdell Arena. Makuaole moves on to the semifinals to face MIL champion Jahena Miguel of Baldwin on Thursday. Grace Vierra won four ILH titles but finishes her career unable to win a state crown. “You gotta keep going and moving forward,” Makuaole said. “You can’t go in there scared and you gotta have your game-face on.” LIVE COVERAGE

Moanalua’s Gabrielle Perez knocked off state champion Kauanoe Keahi of Lahainaluna 5-4 in the 132-pound quarterfinals at the state championships on Wednesday. Keahi won the state 138-pound division a year ago and is wrestling down a class this year. Keahi is also a two-time MIL champion. Perez moves on to the semifinals Thursday against ILH champion Paige Respicio of Kamehameha. “She dug deep and she believes in herself and didn’t give up,” said Darren Reyes, Perez’s coach with Na Menehune. […]

Lahainaluna’s Nanea Estrella got past Moanalua’s Amanda Higa 1-0 in the 122-pound quarterfinals at state wrestling at Blaisdell Arena on Wednesday. Estrella is a two-time MIL champion and a one-time state champion (117 pounds in 2017). “She’s awesome, dude,” Higa said after the tough loss. “I knew that she’s really, really good and really, really strong. My coaches, they told me to trust my practice and what I’ve been learning this whole time.” Estrella moves to the semifinals Thursday against […]

The Texaco/HHSAA State Wrestling Championships begin today at Blaisdell Arena. For our latest coverage, check out our state wrestling tournament page. Here are a few intriguing matches to watch in the second round. 120 Kysen Terukina (Kamehameha) vs. Kahiliwa Joy (Baldwin) The rematch is on. Joy shocked Terukina with a pin at Officials and it is highly doubtful that the reigning state champion has forgot about it. Joy was put in this position after being upset by Lahainaluna’s Kanoa Lanoza […]

‘Iolani’s Kaysen Takenaka, the three-time ILH champion, pinned Kahuku’s Sitaleki Tongi in a 170-pound first-round match at the state wrestling championships at Blaisdell Arena on Wednesday. Meanwhile, OIA champion Keanu Punley of Leilehua barely got past Moanalua’s Jaycen Crisostomo in the loaded 170-pound class. Punley is the top seed. “He kind of came out cold,” Mules coach Kevin Corbett said about Punley. “It was a tight match. The Moanalua wrestler wrestled really tough. I thought it should have been bigger […]

The Texaco/HHSAA State Wrestling Championships begin today at Blaisdell Arena. For our latest coverage, check out our state wrestling tournament page. Here are a few intriguing matches to watch in the opening round. BOYS 126 Corey Cabanban (Saint Louis) vs. Weiyi Zheng (Aiea) This is a matchup to watch like the aftermath of a car crash is something to watch. Cabanban is the state’s finest male wrestler and has never lost in the tournament and can expect a quick result […]

The Hawaii Prep World girls pound-for-pound rankings remains largely unchanged after league championships, with Kahuku’s Tangiteina Niutupuivaha jumping into the fray in the place of Tianna Fernandez of Baldwin. Fernandez went for it at the MIL but came up short against Ira Navarro. No matter, Niutupuivaha has dominated the heavyweight class with Lavenia Fotu of Farrington out of the picture. Big matches loom at states with No. 3 Ashley Gooman of Kamehameha and No. 6 Tiare Ikei of Kaiser lined […]