Waianae’s Tiare Carlson continues winning ways at OIA West championships

Waianae’s Tiare Carlson and Anissa Wright of Campbell found themselves locked in a 2-2 tie halfway through their match for the 145-pound title at the OIA West Championships at Pearl City on Saturday. 

Carlson, who pinned Wright in 2 minutes, 42 seconds at the Paani Challenge, earned a takedown in the first period but suffered a reversal to tie it up in the second. Desperate to keep her long winning streak alive, Carlson went from fierce competitor to friend in an instant. 

“I went to return her back to the mat, and I heard her knee pop or something like that and I knew exactly what happened,” Carlson said. “That’s why I was like, ‘damn!’ We are wrestlers on top of the mat and opponents on top of the mat but she really is my friend and it was so sad to see that happen.”

>> PHOTO GALLERY: OIA WEST DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIPS

Carlson and Wright wore the same pained expression during the lengthy injury time. Wright tried to gut it out but had to concede to the pain and head to the trainer’s table after a shared embrace with a teary Carlson.  

“A lot of these kids, they are friends,” Campbell coach Rodger Berlin said. “Outside of the wrestling room and outside of the wrestling teams, they have big hearts and they care about each other. Nobody wants to see anyone hurt. It’s nice to see that she cared so much.”

Wright recovered enough to walk around the gym on her own and Berlin expects her to be ready for next week’s OIA Championships where they will be joined by Kahuku’s Amber Leota and Ariez Igafo of Castle. Leota won the East with a narrow 4-2 win over Igafo on Saturday.

Carlson and Igafo have been quite an item this year, with the Searider pinning the Knight in the Paani final after beating her 11-8 in the final at Officials. Carlson is one of the few girls to sweep MIT, Officials and Paani this year.

Carlson is looking ahead to defending her OIA title next week, and grabbing her first state championship after that. She was favored to get it done last year but got stuck by Castle’s Sadie Antoque in the state final after beating her for the OIA championship. Antoque is now the prohibitive favorite at 155 pounds, making a rematch unlikely.
 
“I am looking forward to (states),” Carlson said. “I am hoping to get that gold as my plan to set out to do. I fell short from my goal last year — I took second in state — so this year I am looking for that No. 1.”

Carlson won her second OIA West crown, but she is still looking up at the likes of Pearl City’s Makana Cooper in that regard. The big name pinned Campbell’s Carlee Nelson in just over a minute to win the tournament for the third time, tying her with legends Sanoe Spencer and Makayla Abe for most in school history. Like Carlson, Cooper is looking for her elusive first state championship.

Defending state champion Alizeih Villalpando of Campbell picked up her second West title to go with the one she won in the East for Moanalua as a sophomore. Fellow Saber senior Jazmyn Enriquez failed to defend her title at 97 pounds when she took the mat for the final against Mililani’s Erin Hikiji but forfeited because of a minor wrist injury suffered in a previous match. Enriquez, who pinned her way through states last year, beat Angelina Godoy-Holt 12-5 in the semifinals while Hikiji won her match 9-2. Hikiji won Officials and Paani this season when Enriquez was not entered. 

Other West repeaters include Mililani’s Jacinta Fonoti at 184 pounds and Shannlynne Mahoe of Nanakuli at 168.

Campbell’s Ino Terukina led the way for the first-time West champions, pinning state champion Shantelle Mangrobang of Leilehua in 3:14 to win at 112 pounds and throw that bracket into disarray for nest week’s OIAs. Mangrobang pinned Terukina in 1:12 at Officials. 

Other first-time winners include Jamie Grilho, Autumn Williams and Brianna Funakoshi of Aiea, Brooke Cabinian of Leilehua, Radford’s Marcella Reynolds and Alexandra Endo of Waianae.

Victoria Lee of Mililani broke through in spectacular fashion, beating Campbell’s Kili Terukina by a 15-0 technical fall to avenge a loss to her at last year’s Western Division championship. Despite the lopsided score, the match had fans on both sides screaming.

“It was a finals match at Westerns, so we put on an exciting match,” Lee said. “I feel like my training has paid off and I am improving a lot.”

OIA West Division championships

At Pearl City H.S.
Saturday
Boys
106—1. Nicholas Cordeiro, Wain; 2. Isaiah Siaris, Mil; 3. Zairyn Ramos, Camp; 4. Nicholas Williams, Aiea; 5. LJ Oki, Kapo; 6. Kaeo Travis-Ligsay, Lei.
113—1. Khansith Chanthabouasith, Lei; 2. Kinau McBrayer, Kapo; 3. Cameron Quitugua, PC; 4. Gredyn Ramos, Camp; 5. Andrew Bushong, Wain; 6. Jason Tashiro, Mil.
120—1. Branson Magsayo, Wain; 2. Micah Ongies-Vellalos, PC; 3. Kenichi Price, Waip; 4. Matthew Cook, Lei; 5. Kenji Carino, Aiea; 6. Atalbert DeBrum, Kapo.
126—1. James Lum, PC; 2. Prestiege Kahookele-Himalaya, Nan; 3. Ashton Manibusan, Rad; 4. Kainoa Sumailo, Camp; 5. Jayden Jones, Kapo; 6. Keanu Windham-Salas, Wain.
132—1. Weiyi Zheng, Aiea; 2. Shaiden Bailey, Wain; 3. Mason Chung, Mil; 4. Anthony Lopez, Camp; 5. Zackree Inis, Waip; 6. Keola Bright, Nan.
138—1. Daniel Branigan, Wain; 2. Joe-Xiah Rapoza, PC; 3. Kaimana McBrayer, Kapo; 4 Holden Soares, Camp; 5. Dante Bareng, Aiea; 6. Zander Writes, Rad.
145—1. Orion Fonoti, Mil; 2. Breeze Keolanui, Wain; 3. Isaiah Armington, Kapo; 4. Jory Daack, Rad; 5. Carl Laa, Nan; 6. Gabriel Freeman, Ca,p.
152—1. Branden Pagurayan, Kapo; 2. Malcolm Bell, Camp; 3. Elijah Pinales, Lei; 4. Ryno Kahalewai, Nan; 5. Mieszko Stachowski, Mil; 6. Kekoa Archuleta, Aiea.
160—1. Brock Gooman, Camp; 2. Vanderlei Yong, Wain; 3. Chase Daack, Rad; 4. Timothy Uriam, Kapo; 5. Asher Pilanca, Mil; 6. Quinn Gatiuan PC.
170—1. Khali Vilavong, Camp; 2. Kilohana Swanson, Kapo; 3. Micah Davidson, Rad; 4. Jordan Chang, Waip; 5. Rylan Muramoto, Mil; 6. Jet Li Lam, Wain.
182—1. Kayzehn Aiwohi-Frisby, Wain; 2. Jamil Sampel, Kapo; 3. Kurvon Battle, Mil; 4. Brendan Kristolaitis, Rad; 5. Ryan Penuliar, Lei; 6. Holbin Cash Meyers, Nan.
195—1. Pontus Thiravong, Rad; 2. Billy Makaila, Kapo; 3. Ariez Sylve-Matautia, Lei; 4. Sedric Crawford, Nan; 5. Ryan Pascua, Wail; 6. Kainoa Santos, Wain.
220—1. Charles Hanohano, Kapo; 2. Luke Kaneaiakala, Nan; 3. Garrison Melanson, Rad; 4. Jason Flores, Lei; 5. Jayson Solofua, Camp.
285—1. Vitale Afoa, Lei; 2. Jeremiah Gabrillo, Rad; 3. Jace Filipo Rodrigues, Wain; 4. Lopaka Feesago, PC; 5. Rods Bruce, Aiea; 6. Zion Samuels, Nan.
Girls
97—1. Erin Hikiji, Mil; 2. Jazmyn Enriquez, Camp; 3. Tristan Nitta, Mil; 4. Giana Ragudos, Aiea; 5. Angelina Godoy-Holt, Kapo; 6. Tiana DeSantos, Lei.
102—1. Brianna Funakoshi, Aiea; 2. Kennedy Javier, Mil; 3. Jaunisty Malaia-Naehu, Wain; 4. Mya Cullen-Leong, Camp; 5. Keara Botanes, Kapo; 6. Jaysha Cachuella, Kapo.
107—1. Alizeih Villalpando, Camp; 2. Jaclyn Richards, Lei; 3. Victoriana Kim, Mil; 4. Angelina Calpito, Mil; 5. Devina Ayala-Billings, Wain; 6. Mesha Albano, Waip.
112—1. Ino Terukina, Camp; 2. Shantelle Mangrobang, Lei; 3. Makena Abe, Mil; 4. Hailey Jose, Camp; 5. Kailee Wilcox, Nan; 6. Chez Panui, Aiea.
117—1. Victoria Lee, Mil; 2. Kili Terukina, Camp; 3. Kelsie Caminos Freitas, Lei; 4. Kyley Navarro-Hiwauli, Wain.
122—1. Makana Cooper, PC; 2. Karlee Nelson, Camp; 3. Katie Simancek, Lei; 4. Kaitlyn VanGorder, Rad; 5. Keisha Domingo, Waip; 6. Mariah Stedman, Lei.
127—1. Brooke Cabinian, Lei; 2. Jolina Lefao, Mil; 3. Kristine Ono, PC; 4. Kelly Ibarra, Kapo; 5. Princess Faumui, Camp; 6. Navia Duran, Aiea.
132–1. Marcella Reynolds, Rad; 2. Ariana Morales, Kapo; Serenity Truth, Rad; 4. Fiorela Casimiro, Camp; 5. Destinee Somera, Lei.
138—1. Jamie Grilho, Aiea; 2. Kianna Chargualaf, Camp; 3. Jazaria Hall, Rad; 4. Jacey Chung, PC; 5. Maria Maifea, Wain; 6. Destiny Tuisano, Wain.
145—1. Tiare Carlson, Wain; 2. Anissa Wright, Camp; 3. Hunter Ganoot, Aiea; 4. Adonija Robertson, Rad; 5. Zeignalynn Mew-Kang, PC; 6. Kimberly Kealoha, Mil.
155—1. Autumn Williams, Aiea; 2. Ani Muraoka, Camp; 3. Markaiya Spencer, Wain; 4. Nanea Kahoonei-Awai, Wain; 5. Keila Olivas-Low, Lei; 6. Phiona Kerisano, Nan.
168—1. Shannlynne Mahoe, Nan; 2. Kehani Siuta, Aiea; 3. Grace Tanuvasa, Waip; 4. Leina Balancio-Sadamaru, Wain; 5. Hulita Ahonima, Lei; 6. Hekla Alexsdottir, Wain.
184—1. Jacina Fonoti, Mil; 2. Kaitlynn Costa Viliamu, Wain; 3. Aryiana Giron, PC.
225—1. Alexandra Endo, Wain; 2. Keisha Keamo-Ah-Kiong, Nan; 3. Ati Fonoti, Mil; 4. Savannah Pilialoha, Waip; 5. Tyra Bagono, Aiea; 6. Abcde Gohier, Mil.