Wrestling

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 […]

Baylen Cooper believes this season is no-pressure time. Last season, he was filled with pressure. The Pearl City wrestler, now a senior, was told all last season that he needed to do what his brothers did for so long — win a state title or place at the state meet. The list is long: >> 2014: Blake Cooper wins state championship at 160 pounds >> 2013: Blake Cooper wins state championship at 152 >> 2012: Blake Cooper wins state championship […]

Ever heard of a 97-pound sophomore captain? In anything? Well, Roosevelt’s Menjam Tamang is one of the Rough Riders’ wrestling captains and she’s making waves in the 97-pound class. She’s off to a fast start this season, winning the Officials meet at Leilehua and following that up with a victory in the Paani Challenge at Punahou. In addition, she finished in third place in the state meet a year ago. “She’s only a sophomore, but I actually look up to […]

Pomaikai Yamaguchi is trying her hardest to get in the best shape possible. The Kamehameha wrestler was a third-place finisher in the 125-pound class two years ago as a sophomore, but her junior campaign was wiped out by a knee injury at the Paani Challenge last year. On Friday at the Mid-Pacific gym in ILH duals, Yamaguchi — who has been wrestling at 132 and 138 this season — moved up to 145 to face Damien’s Tara Labanon. She pinned Labanon […]

Before last year’s state seeding meeting, state wrestling coordinator Carl Schroers made an impassioned plea to his fellow coaches to go to their athletic directors and demand a reduction in the number of weight classes in Hawaii. His argument, which was repeated at HIADA but shot down, was that wrestlers from the 50th state have enough challenges to join the nation’s best to take January off because of a lack of competition and that beating the same kids over and […]

The Iolani boys wrestling team ruled December, but coach Walden Au is quick to point out that is way in the past. The Raiders swept the Officials tournament and followed it up with gold at the Moanalua Duals, a sweep in two entirely different types of competitions that prove that they are up for anything. The Raiders have not won a state title since 2003 under coach Yoshi Honda, who is now in their way at Punahou. They finished fifth […]