Judging by the season’s first girls pound-for-pound rankings, this weekend’s Officials tournament will be sorely lacking in star power.
The top three on the list will all sit the tournament out, with No. 1 Teshya Alo of Kamehameha the most obvious omission. Alo has a bigger tournament in mind, though, beginning the U.S. Open for a chance to reach the Olympic Trials.
Laleilei Mataafa will not appear, nor will Iolani sophomore Teniya Alo. She is recovering from an injury and has not practiced with the Raiders yet this season.
Still, it’s early and those three are the top talent in the state and Teniya Alo is still a Fargo Junior National Champion.
Asia Evans of Pearl City is expected to be in action along with the rest of the rankings. Evans opened her season at the Garner Ivey Invitational on Maui in fine form, pinning teammate Paige Hamada in 15 seconds and Waianae’s Anuhea Hamilton in 51 ticks. If she is as impressive this week, jumping Teniya Alo is probable.
Punahou state champ Bailey Hoshino is right behind Evans, but Hoshino did not wrestle on Maui.
Alexis Encinas did wrestle in her home gym, pinning all three of her opponents including Kapolei’s Allie Mahoe in the final.
The bottom of the rankings will certainly shake up after Officials, as Kahuku’s Jocelyn Alo is rumored to be taking the season off and would drop out if it is confirmed this weekend. Jocelyn Alo earned her first state title last year.
Campbell’s Caragh Morris is on a mission this year after successive losses in the state title match. She is one of 22 female wrestlers over the years to make it to the top twice and fall both times, only Jazmine Cockett of Kamehameha made it to the state final and lost three times, falling to three different opponents in 2002, 2003 and 2004.
Win or lose, if Morris can reach the state final at third time she has to be a strong candidate for the Hall of Honor after the end of the season because of her softball prowess. Mataafa, who excels at Water Polo, and Teshya Alo are strong candidates as well.
Morris is included in the first rankings because of her experience, but Kamehameha’s Callen Medeiros pinned her in last year’s state final and will certainly jump her with a good showing this weekend.
Iverly Navarro of Lahainaluna and Roosevelt’s Macy Higa figure to crack the rankings sooner rather than later.
Girls Wrestling Pound-For-Pound Rankings
1. Teshya Alo, Kamehameha (138)
Three time state champ, three time ILH champ
2. Lelelei Mataafa, Lahainaluna (220)
Three time state champ, three time MIL champ
3. Teniya Alo, Iolani (122)
state champ as a freshman, ILH champ.
4. Asia Evans, Pearl City (127)
state champ, state third, state second
5. Bailey Hoshino, Punahou (97)
state champ, ILH champ
6. Alexis Encinas, Lahainaluna (117)
state champ, state fifth, MIL champ
7. Kalissa Pundyke, Campbell (102)
state second 15, state champ 2014
8. Jocelyn Alo, Kahuku (184)
state champ, state third, 2014 OIA champ
9. Caragh Morris, Campbell (168)
state second twice, OIA champ
10. Angela Peralta, Radford (145)
State third, state second, two time OIA champ
Also: Iverly Navarro, Lahainaluna; Macy Higa, Roosevelt; Taryn Ichimura, Punahou; Taysia Kano, Punahou; Pomaikai Yamaguchi, Kamehameha; Callen Medeiros, Kamehameha; Netanya Kang, Pearl City; Zion Vierra, Kamehameha; Alexis Nelson, Waianae.
Let’s see here, Jocelyn Alo isn’t even wrestling and makes the list. Not to mention she had the second most awful and anemic state finals match in history (First goes to 138). And she’s still on the list. Pundyke has already lost 5 time this season and is on the list. Morris has 3 losses this season. Evans beats all the little fish and looses to Vierra in the finals at officials and is ranked 4th???
And how is Peralta ranked 10th? She transferred and is training with Teshya’s Olympic coach at Radford, makes it 4th nationally at the woman bodybar in May and is undefeated this season. And just winning officials at 145 for the 2nd straight year. She lost at states at last year going against the toughest opponent in Carly Jaramillo, She could have won easily at 138 or 155. I admire wrestlers who stick to their guns and go against the best win or loose. And you rank her 10th??
Sorry Jerry, as much as I admire you doing the wrestling news, you need to talk with insiders who actually know whats going on.
It seems that you need to lose matches to be ranked. Peralta should lose more matches to move up in the rankings.
Evans, Hoshino, Pundyke, and Morris all lost at officials. Pundyke and Morris lost twice. Junky list.
In fact I just noticed that only Encinas and Peralta did well at officials and won. The top 3 were not wrestling.
Encinas lost at Pa’ani.
That Pa’ani Tournament has really turned into a great tournament for the second tier girls who are not looking at Officials to stake a claim. Many of the top girls were there, but many also skipped. It really was a quick turn-around / recovery from Officials just 2 days prior. One of the finalist from Officials cut weight, weighed in and made weight, then pulled-out….just didn’t feel she could get back in the groove after a tough Saturday night.
It looks like Bailey Hoshino also went down in the Pa’ani finals.