Tyger Taam and Mikah Labuanan intend on rewriting Hawaii wrestling history by not changing a thing.
Moanalua’s Taam and Labuanan of Kamehameha- Maui are two wins away from grand slams after winning their matches on the first day of the HHSAA wrestling championships at the Blaisdell Arena, with Taam aiming to be the first OIA boy to do it and Labuanan trying to be the first grand champion from Maui. All six boys who have done it were from the ILH.
“I’m just here to do what I do,” Taam said. “Just going to come in and do my best. It’s just another tournament to me.”
Taam says his routine won’t change going into the final two matches of his storied prep career — go to sleep early as usual and wake up with a job to do. Labuanan has the same mindset.
“I’m going to sleep awesome,” Labuanan said. “Probably going to watch some anime and play some Pokemon, just my nightly routine. It really came fast. I don’t think I really soaked it in as much as I should have, but I am trying to soak it in now. It’s my last run.”
Taam reached the 144-pound semifinals for the fourth time with a technical fall and a pin. Labuanan did the same at 150 pounds. Taam will have to get through Kealakehe’s Carl Trinidad shortly after 10 a.m. today to reach his final and Labuanan drew Leilehua’s Isaiah Caminos-Freitas.
The eight-ring circus went off without a hitch for the 14 top seeds in the boys tournament, with only six of the 28 matches reaching the final buzzer. Kaiser’s Kolt McCreadie had the only real scare, coming back in the third period to beat ‘Iolani’s Zion Junk 4-1 on an escape and takedown.
Castle’s Keegan Goeas will prepare for his assault on his second state title, and third finals appearance, with some Xbox before going for the title at 165 pounds.
“This is just like warmup for college,” Goeas said. “Just take my mind off of things and think about it when I wake up in the morning. I’ll probably think about it after my last match.”
Hunter Berger of Saint Louis is on his way to a third state title as a junior at 132 pounds. Other top seeds to make it through are Koan Hotema of Kalani (106 pounds), Nanakuli’s Analu Woode (113), Pearl City’s Irving Bicoy (120), Eli Suan of Saint Louis (126), Waiakea’s Richie Wolf (138), Kai Machida of ‘Iolani (157), Punahou’s Gavin Buelow (175), Kaiser’s William Gaucher (215) and Elvis Miller of Kamehameha (285).
Woode, a freshman who is trying to become Nanakuli’s fourth state finalist — and first since Jimmie Swann won in 1985 — will potentially have to get through state champion Colt Kalaukoa of Castle to get his first crown, and Bicoy has Kahuku state champ Pai’ea Kamakaala in his bracket. Kalaukoa and Kamakaala steamrolled through their matches as the second seeds.
Only one of the top seeds on the girls side failed to make it into the semifinals, with Waianae senior Nalei Meyers sticking Masina Morden-Phillips of Molokai in the first period of a quarterfinal at 190 pounds.
The girls top seeds went 25-1 on Friday with 23 pins.
Kamehameha’s Jax Realin (130 pounds) and Jahlia Miguel of Baldwin (170) are on course for their third state crowns, Realin lost as a freshman and Miguel fell as a sophomore. They pinned both of their opponents in the first period on Friday.
Taydem Uyemura of Pearl City (140) is on her way to a fourth state final, with a chance at second state crown. Other state champions with a second title in their sights are Nohilani Kukonu of Moanalua on the other side of Uyemura’s bracket, Kamehameha senior Rylie Nishida in a loaded 125-pound bracket with Maya Rose DeAngelo of ‘Iolani and top seed Sanairee Hasegawa of Baldwin, Moanalua’s Zaira Sugui (155), Zoe-Shai Ahue Bolosan of Leilehua (235), and Moanalua’s Nahenahe Kalamau (120) on a collision course with Punahou’s Tatiana Paragas.
State champions Sky Ramos of Moanalua and Campbell’s Kaylie Zeller are in the toughest bracket in the tournament, with Zeller meeting Pearl City’s Serah Yogi — who knocked out ILH champion Maya Wong of Hawaii Baptist — in the semis and Ramos meeting Hilo’s Taylen Babas-Masuno.
Top seeds still alive in the girls tournament include Chloe Obuhanych of Pearl City (105), Hilo freshman Kaloni Brown (110), Kamehameha’s Anela Hokoana (115), Te’ata Mata’afa Grove of Baldwin (135), Kahuku’s Leila Esera (145) and Janelle Mattos of Waipahu.
Moanalua leads the girls team race over Kamehameha as it tries for the first team slam, and Kamehameha holds the edge over Pearl City in the boys tournament. Semifinals are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. with the finals at 4 under a spotlight with no other matches going on.
