Boys wrestling pound-for-pound, Feb. 26

TThe top of the boys poll is still unchanged for now, but that just tightens the noose for those unfortunate enough to slip up and fall down the cliff.

The tough part begins this weekend with league championships.

Zack Diamond is still in the top spot, with Liam Corbett right behind his fellow OIA West champion. Chance Ikei and Tristan Ludiazo keep swapping spots, even though Ikei was inactive last week and Ludiazo continued his undefeated run with another clutch win.

Kapolei has the highest risers, it seems, with Shandon Ilaban moving up to No. 7 ahead of Blaysen Terukina of Kamehameha, who will be going for his third ILH title on Saturday at Punahou. Jayson Pagurayan jumped into the rankings at No. 9 mostly because he seems to be the class of the 109-pound set.

Campbell’s Josh Gallarde was an afterthought on this elite list back in December, but he survived what might have been the toughest bracket in any league when he took the 135 class at OIA Westerns.

Expect the boys’ team race to be a battle on Saturday night at Leilehua.

Kamehameha’s Boman Tokioka dropped out, and that is probably just how he likes it after taking states as an underdog last year. Poor Maui Lee of Pearl City is the only wrestler to sweep the Garner Ivey and Officials tournaments, but he dropped out due to whispers about his health. We’ll see if he shows up at Leilehua this weekend.

Lahainaluna’s Christian Balagso continues the run of immense talent waiting to jump into the top 10. If history is any indication, pencil him in for the state final already and hope that he wins.

Only three wrestlers since 1999 have reached three state finals and lost each time: Bryant Fukushima of Punahou, Clinton Manley of Molokai and Jazmine Cockett of Kamehameha.

Balagso is already 0-for-2 in the main event.

Note: We will be live blogging the state seeding meeting again this year, with Nick Abramo behind the keyboard beginning at 1 p.m. on Sunday from ‘Iolani. On Saturday, we will have live blogs of the ILH and OIA finals if Kyle Galdeira and I can get a favorable setup.

1. Zack Diamond, Mililani (138)
OIA champ, state runner up twice, MIT champ, Officials champ, OIA West champ

2. Liam Corbett, Leilehua (152)
OIA champ, state runner up, Officials champ, OIA West champ

3. Chance Ikei, Kaiser (132)
State champ, Officials champ, did not compete in OIA East championships

4. Tristan Ludiazo, Campbell (285) 
State champion, state placer (4th), MIT champion, Officials champion, OIA West champion

5. Cameron Kato, Punahou (113)
State champ, ILH champ, Officials champ

6. Brian Pascua, Iolani (145)
ILH champ, state runner up, Officials champ.

7. Shandon Ilaban, Kapolei (126)
OIA champion, state placer, Officials champ, did not compete at OIA West.

8. Blaysen Terukina, Kamehameha (120)
ILH champion twice, Officials champ.

9. Jayson Pagurayan, Kapolei (109)
OIA champ, state third, Officials champ, OIA West champ

10. Josh Gallarde, Campbell (135)
Second MIT, OIA West champ

Next: Boman Tokioka (Kamehameha), Maui Lee (Pearl City), Christian Balagso (Lahainaluna), Thomas Rosen St. John (Lahainaluna), Jordan Ng (‘Iolani), Micah Tynanes Perez (Campbell), Josh Crimmins (Punahou), Thomas Stevenson (Baldwin)