While the surf community celebrates the return of the Eddie, prep wrestling fans have been waiting even longer for a grand slam.

This year might be double the fun, with Moanalua’s Tyger Taam and Kamehameha-Maui’s Mikah Labuanan both chasing the feat in their senior years. Only six boys have earned four state championships since the HHSAA started sanctioning the sport in 1966, beginning with ‘Iolani’s Patrick Higa in 1986 and Kysen Terukina of Kamehameha the last to raise four fingers to the sky in 2020.

Taam and Labuanan started their senior seasons in earnest in the annual Hawaii Officials Scholarship Tournament at Leilehua on Friday. Semifinals are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. today, with the finals to follow at 6 p.m.

Taam won his first match at 144 pounds 21-4 over Mililani sophomore Anthony Higuera and Labuanan pinned Kamehameha’s Mason Pauso in 2 minutes, 33 seconds. Taam beat his second opponent, Micah Kazarian of Kaiser, 18-1 in the quarterfinals and Labuanan took down Zaiah Wright of Campbell 16-1.

Although the preseason test means little as far as the state slam is concerned, it is one of the first opportunities to confront the pressure than comes with making history. Higuera took Taam down within 30 seconds, drawing a roar from the crowd before the state champ composed himself and overwhelmed the upstart challenger.

“Man, he caught me,” Taam said. “We make mistakes, it happens. I’ve been in that situation many times, it’s not really pressure because it is a lot of the same kids as last year and they all got better. I just have to work harder. Everyone is always a challenge, as long as I wrestle my best out there.”

Labuanan is under the same pressure as Taam, who is looking to become the first OIA wrestler to win four states, except he is trying to become the first boy from his island to join the elite list. Like Taam, he isn’t stressing the final stretch.

“I woudn’t say it is pressure at all,” Labuanan said. “Every time I walk into the wrestling room it is like a weight off my shoulders. This has been a dream since I can remember, I want to be a four-time state champion, so every day I feel weight off my shoulders because I am one match closer to the dream I set.”

State champions to go undefeated on the first day of Officials include Saint Louis junior Hunter Berger, who is halfway to a slam and has never lost in this tournament, at 132 pounds and Castle’s pair of titlists in Colt Kalaukoa at 113 pounds and 165-pound hammer Keegan Goeas. The senior is a two-time state finalist and is known for taking down state champions. This year he is the one with the target on his back.

“I’m kind of bummed, we’ll see if there is any competition this year,” Goeas said. “I hope there is. There looks like there is, I just want to wrestle the best people that I can. It’s better chasing people, but I guess I am at the top now.”

Masahiro Hopkins of Kamehameha-Hawaii had the biggest upset, sticking Kamehameha state runner-up Elvis Miller in 30 seconds, but the Warriors from Kapalama lead the team race by a point over Moanalua, with Kalani eight points back.

On the girls side, Jax Realin of Kamehameha spent a minute on the mat to reach today’s semifinals, the two-time state champion and three-time finalist is going for her third Officials crown. Her fellow state champions, Kaylie Zeller of Campbell (100 pounds), Nahenahe Kalamau of Moanalua (120), Zaira Sugui of Moanalua (155), Baldwin’s Jahlia Miguel (170) and Zoe-Shalom Ahue Bolosan of Leilehua (235) all made their way through to the second day. Freshman Kaloni Brown of Hilo pulled off the biggest upset, pinning state runner-up Anela Hokoana of Kamehameha in two minutes after earning a couple of takedowns. Kamehameha leads the team competition by nine points over Moanalua.

Taam and Labuanan are only six pounds away from each other, but don’t expect them to meet in March with both going for the slam. Both boys said they are sticking with their weight classes to the end of their prep careers but accept all challenges before college. Taam is committed to Menlo College and Labuanan has a favorite but will visit Cal State Bakersfield next month.

“I always think about what’s next,” Labuanan said. “I want to compete at college at that next level, so dominating here is just one step to being able to compete on the continent.”