She doesn’t know what the win count is. She might not even care.

Bree Rapoza of Kamehameha does know about the one loss she has taken on the wrestling mat since her high school career began more than three years ago.

Sophomore year. State final. Against Samantha Higa of Aiea. It was a stalemate until Rapoza, who had already won a title as a freshman, was penalized.

"I got called for grabbing headgear. An illegal move," she said. "I’ve been training since I was 6 years old for four titles. That’s what I wanted. But it was my biggest nightmare."

That changed everything for the promising young wrestler. The loss triggered something that few competitors have: greater hunger. She trained diligently and wound up with national titles in Fargo, N.D., the summer after the title-match loss to Higa. She became the first female wrestler to win both the cadet (16 and under) and junior (18-under) individual championship in the same year. In the same week.

"Bree’s tough as nails," Kamehameha boys coach Chris West said.

As the state wrestling championships draw near, all eyes will be on Rapoza, the two-time state champion. Once again, she is undefeated through the preseason and regular season. At 117 pounds, she’s the favorite. A strong favorite, at that. Though she won the state title as a freshman, it was the loss to Higa that spurred her to another level.

Two state wrestling titles. Three in judo. All that preparation, dedication and drive didn’t make her completely satisfied, though. Rapoza looks back and is turning a new page.

"It kind of struck me hard. It’s my last year and I felt like since I was named captain, I want my team to do good, too, because we haven’t won a state championship in a long time. Since freshman to junior year, I guess you could say I was selfish. I wanted it so bad for myself that I didn’t care who I needed to push down in order for me to go up, I guess. But now, I realize I want my teammates to do good, too. So now I push them," she said.

She doesn’t mind hearing it: Bree Rapoza is lean and, when necessary, mean.

It takes her less than a second to answer this simple question: favorite athlete?

"Clarissa Chun," Rapoza says of the Olympic medalist.

With the looming end of wrestling in the Olympics, Rapoza has her share of thoughts on the matter.

"My last chance is 2016. I’ll be in college," said Rapoza, who just turned 18. "I think it’s ridiculous. I was really upset when I heard about it; 2020 was the year I chose, that was the goal, to aim for the Olympics. I’d be done with college, so that would be a perfect time to train. Now I’m going to college and I don’t know what I’m going to do after that. I like to plan out goals when I’m young so that I follow through with all of them, but now everything’s changed. The most I can do is keep training and hope that the 2016 turnout is big, or at least try for the 2016 team if I get a chance and hope everything goes well."

She’s looking at some wrestling programs like Missouri Baptist University, Lindenwood University (Mo.) and University of the Cumberlands (Ky.). All offer women’s wrestling.

"I’m ready. The reason I like those schools is because there’s people I know there, so I won’t be alone. I don’t really like the whole thought of starting over and being alone," she said.

She is planning to major in communications — mass communications or journalism. That might help her describe exactly what she’s felt about wrestling, given that AP English is her favorite class.

Rapoza doesn’t watch much TV or many movies.

"I don’t get out much," she said.

The same goes for video games.

She’s so busy that staying at 117 pounds this year is not a problem. At all. She eats voraciously and burns all the calories off easily.

"When I was younger, it was all about judo," said Rapoza, who started at 6 and traveled to Florida to compete at age 9. Then came trips to California, Florida again and Texas.

She went to Peru for a judo competition in 2008.

"Brazil is really good at it," she noted. "It was like a third-world country. Some parts were nice and touristy, with big, expensive hotels. Other parts were mud houses. It was sad. We went during Halloween. Everybody was dressed up and they didn’t have anything, so we gave them Hawaiian candy."

Traveling has opened her eyes, but there’s something else burning inside the champion. There are mornings, says her father, Neal, when she’ll be up long before sunrise.

"We’ll be sleeping and she runs 3 miles before we get up. During the season. She’s always staying fit. I think that’s her strength. I give her two weeks for a break, after three days she says, ‘Dad, I feel fat. I gotta run.’ That came from starting at a young age and knowing what her goals are in life."

Her dad has coached her since the beginning, placing a great emphasis on judo. The momentum was all smooth until the loss two years ago.

"That made her stronger as far as the drive, to know that one point is a big difference. I’m happy that we have someone like this who’s got the drive and representing Hawaii fairly good," said Neal, who wrestled at Farrington. "I let her go when she was young, play different sports. She said, ‘Dad, I don’t want to play basketball anymore.’ Since then, she’s succeeded (in wrestling and judo)."

Neal made it clear that he wouldn’t be her only teacher.

"Because I started her at a young age, everything was my way. I had to actually tell her, ‘It’s good to learn from other coaches and pick up on other coaches’ moves and put that in your bag of weapons so you can be greater as a wrestler. Some wrestlers are stubborn. She opened up and trusted what I said, and that made her better," he said.

Kamehameha girls coach Pablo Venenciano is one of the coaches who have added layers to her knowledge.

"He always says, ‘Always stay on your feet and keep motion. When you stand still, that’s when problems start. Align your posture,’ "she said.

As a junior last year, she rolled that summertime momentum from Fargo right into the season.

There was no break then and there’s no break this week, for sure. Rapoza won’t give herself room to slack, and the same goes for her teammates.

"They understand where I’m coming from," she said. "I’m not being mean just to be mean."