Wrestling

Lahainaluna’s Kauanoe Keahi and Kamehameha’s Paige Respicio will tangle in the Pa’ani Challenge 138-pound final Thursday afternoon after semifinal victories earlier in the day. Keahi is the reigning champion in the weight class. She pinned Kamakana Hernandez-Waialae of Waianae at 3:34. Keahi is trying to come back to form after losing in the Officials tournament semifinals. Respicio, who won the Officials tournament, knocked off Jahnea Miguel of Baldwin 7-3 in the other semifinal Thursday in a rematch of the Officials […]

Lahainaluna’s Nanea Estrella is usually in the 122-pound weight class, but moved up to 132 for the Pa’ani Challenge. So far so good. Estrella teched Kaiser’s Roselani Ikei 18-2 on Thursday in the semifinals and moved on to the final against Moanalua’s Gabrielle Perez, who beat Kahuku’s Viviana Barcina 2-0 in the other semifinal. Estrella is ranked No. 7 in Hawaii’s pound-for-pound rankings and won the 117-pound weight class at the state meet last year. “She weighed in at 126, […]

Lahainaluna’s Ira Navarro found herself in a tough match against Baldwin’s Tianna Fernandez in the 107-pound clas at the Pa’ani Challenge, but got through it for a 6-3 victory. Navarro is the reigning 97-pound state champ who beat Fernandez in the state final last year. Navarro is also No. 4 in Hawaii Prep World’s pound-for-pound rankings, and Fernandez is No. 10. Navarro got a late takedown to make it a three-point margin at the end. Fernandez remained close the whole […]

Kaiser’s Tiare Ikei is on to the Pa’ani Challenge final at 112 pounds, winning her semifinal match by pin against Baldwin’s Madison Vierra. Ikei is No. 8 in Hawaii Prep World’s pound-for-pound rankings. Later Thursday, she will face sophomore Shantelle Mangrobang of Leilehua, who has blazed through her bracket so far at the Punahou gym. Mangrobang pinned Jennifer Gallardo in 33 seconds Wednesday night and returned to stick Rosalyn Kagimoto of Kalani in 22 seconds. In the semifinals Thursday, Mangrobang […]

Leilehua’s Shantelle Mangrobang appears to be on a mission. The Mule is in the semifinals of the Pa’ani Challenge at Punahou after spending less than a minute on the mat in her two matches. She pinned Jennifer Gallardo in 33 seconds last night and returned to stick Rosalyn Kagimoto of Kalani in 22 seconds. Mangrobang will meet Baldwin’s McKenzie Acob in the semifinals with either Dania Furuta of Pac-Five or Kaiser’s Tiare Ikei (No. 8 P4P) in the final. All […]

The future is now at the Pa’ani Challenge at Punahou. The tournament is underway with most of the big names sitting out but a possible elite level clash in the semifinals of the 107-pound bracket. Lahainaluna’s Ira Navarro and Tianna Fernandez of Baldwin share that group, with Navarro facing Kolbey Low of Kealakehe in the first round and Moanalua’s Jenna Justo in the second if she advances. The winner of that match gets either Majesty Terukina of Campbell or Fernandez […]

The wrestling tournament is almost an afterthought at Punahou’s Pa’ani Challenge this week, but once the girls hit the mat it turns serious. The latest edition of the largest all-girls wrestling tournament in the country occurs on Wednesday and Thursday this week. Unlike other tournaments, weight classes are split into three levels to ensure each girl in the draw gets quality mat time regardless of ability. Last year, 247 girls participated in the event. There are 330 girls entered from […]

Below are five videos of matches from the Moanalua duals on Thursday — wins by Saint Louis’ Corey Cabanban and Kayson Kekahuna, Pearl City’s Jennie Fuamatu, Leilehua’s Kelani Corbett and Kapolei’s Gianni Oyadomari.