The 2016 Chevron Hawaii/HHSAA State Wrestling Championships begin Friday. To get you ready, we will preview the matchups in each weight class for both boys and girls.
FIRST ROUND
Yamashiro def. Gouveia, 0:33
Feitosa def. Keliiholokai, 4:28
Alo def. Jenks, 5-2
Rechiro def. Tuihalafatai, 0:40
Muti def. Samuelu, forfeit
Eldredge def. Kia, 1:56
Alualu def. Kawanakoa, 7-6
Han def. Sevao, 1:09
QUARTERFINALS
Yamashiro def. Feitosa, 1:50
Alo def. Rechiro, 3:26
Eldredge def. Muti, 8-3
Han def. Alualu, 4-2
Dane Yamashiro, ‘Iolani
vs.
Jordon Gouveia, Konawaena
Donte Keliiholokai, Kapolei
vs.
Noah Feitosa, Baldwin
Yamashiro started his season with a third place finish at Officials and he improved from there, earning an ILH championship and the top seed. He has never placed at states, but went 1-2 with a pin of Damien Agao Casabar to start off wrestlebacks. He was not supposed to win his league, but showed himself as a contender when he pushed Eldredge the distance before losing 5-2 at Officials. We don’t know what to expect out of Gouveia, but since this is the heavyweights it is probably either pin or be pinned. Feitosa took second at MIT and traveled to Officials but one only one of his three matches, so it is probably a matter of which Feitosa shows up across from Keliiholokai. It may not matter, since Keliiholokai took second at Officials with a 7-2 loss to Eldredge. He took third last week, losing to Alo but beating Sevao.
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Lennex Alo, Kahuku
vs.
Levi Jenks, Waianae
Soane Tuihalafatai, Damien
vs.
Riley Rechiro, Honokaa
Alo struggled at the beginning of the year, finishing sixth at Officials with losses to Han and Muti, but making it all the way to the finals at the OIA Championships before getting stuck by Muti in just 58 seconds. He will be making his first state appearance against Jenks, who missed out last year, too. Jenks started the year with a fourth place finish at MIT but was disqualified out of Officials after being pinned by Eldredge. Muti stuck him at the OIA championships but he roared back to take fifth with a pair of pins before losing to Keliiholokai. Tuihalafatai has been quiet this year but he did compete at states last year, spending less than 2 minutes on the mat in his two matches, both losses. Rechiro, the BIIF champ, also made states last year and went 1-2 without being pinned.
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Netane Muti, Leilehua
vs.
Ezekiel Samuelu, McKinley
Josiah Kia, Kealakehe
vs.
Kanai Eldredge, Punahou
Muti vs. Eldredge would be quite a second round match if they can both win their openers. Muti was slow to start the year after football season, taking fifth at Officials with losses to Han and Yamashiro but he looks like a completely different wrestler now. He pinned everyone in his path at last week’s OIA championships but will be on the big stage for the first time. Samuelu showed a lot of heart last week, shaking off a loss in his first match to get into states. He took sixth because of two forfeits, which is why he opens with Muti. Eldredge is one of just two state placers at this weight, taking fifth last year when he was the ILH champion with a 2-1 win over Han. He kept the momentum going at the beginning of this season, winning Officials with five victories but slipped at the ILH championships. Kia was on the other side of the bracket from Eldredge at states last year and went 1-2 with all three matches ending early.
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Kincaid Kawananakoa, Hawaii Prep
vs.
Tupu Alualu, Saint Louis
Mealofa Sevao, Farrington
vs.
Kuikamokuokalani Han, Molokai
Han followed up his state placing last year with a fourth place at Officials, cruising along until Keliiholokai beat him 5-4 to knock him into the consolation bracket and losing 7-6 to Yamashiro in the third-place match. He is battle hardened and will meet Sevao, who will be in his first state tournament but reached the semis at the OIA championships before being pinned by Muti. He went straight into the third place match but got stuck by Han in 6:59. The rematch is on. Alualu made states after being relatively quiet all year, but with Yamashiro and Eldredge he might come from the best league for heavyweights.
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