Jax Realin and Jahlia Miguel won the big battles, but Moanalua won the war.
Kamehameha’s Realin (130 pounds) and Baldwin’s Miguel (170) closed their careers with third titles at the Texaco/HHSAA state wrestling championships at Blaisdell Arena on Saturday. But Moanalua provided the loud TV audience with the rarest feat of all.
Na Menehune took the team title for the fourth straight year, the first team to do so. Moanalua did it three times in a row under current athletic director Joel Kawachi (1999-2001) and Punahou did it under Matt Oney (2009-11).
“I love our team so much,” senior Kaleiakohamaikalani Yasumura said. “Even though some girls, their season ended, they still showed up to support us in practice, some of them are working tables today, and that’s why we win over and over — because we support each other.”
Yasumura, junior Zaira Sugui and sophomore Nahenahe Kalamau led the way with individual championships, giving Na Menehune 15 gold medals during their dynasty, with Nohilani Kukonu finishing on the second step on the podium to go with her state title two years ago. Kukonu lost in the final for a second straight year but is one of the few to help a team to a title every year of high school. Sky Ramos, Emma Calvan, Kallie Teruya, Jaeda Haney, Kallie Teruya, Madison Mikami, Kiera Nitahara, Annabell Hunter, Nesiya Hammond and Ava Asing scored points for this edition of Na Menehune.
“This year our coaches and captains really came together to keep our heads up,” Sugui said. “We had mindset talks and picked up the girls who were down. I don’t want to think about five right now, but we know how to shut down the haters and perform.”
Pearl City finished second in the team standings ahead of Kamehameha, and the athletes paid attention to an often-overlooked aspect of one of the ultimate individual sports. Serenia Meredith won the 190-pound class over Kamehameha’s Hiilei Tuikolongahau for the Chargers in a wild match and knew exactly what was at stake.
“I knew my team was counting on me,” Meredith said. “I knew I could punch my ticket to second place. All I could hear was my teammates cheering me on, and I think that’s what pushed me to not give up.”
>> PHOTOS: State wrestling highlights
Miguel did her sister one better with her third crown thanks to a win over Farrington’s Alazhandra Williams, earning her third title. Jahnea Miguel won two championships in three state finals appearances.
“I am not who I am without my sister,” Miguel said. “I wanted to be the person to step up and do it even better for my family, and not let them down.”
Pearl City’s Taydem Uyemura and Leilehua’s Zoe-Shalom Ahue Bolosan repeated as champions, Uyemura at 140 pounds over fellow state champ Kukonu and Ahue Bolosan over Janelle Mattos of Waipahu at 235. Pearl City’s Chloe Obuhanych (105) and Serah Yogi (100) opened and closed the show with state titles and were joined by Amaya Kapihe of Kapolei (115) and Baldwin’s Te’ata Mata’afa Grove (135) as newly minted state champs.
Kamehameha made a serious run at Moanalua early in the final round, with Auriana Wakinekona pinning fellow freshman Kaloni Brown of Hilo in a rematch of the Pa‘ani Challenge that went the other way. Rylie Nishida followed with a win over Mililani’s Mikayla Paclib in her first final of the season after a shoulder injury, earning her second state title. Realin followed with an emphatic victory over Baldwin’s Piikea Joy for her third state title in as many years.
Realin finished the job with a pin of Baldwin’s Piikea Joy and showed more emotion afterward than she has shown since she was a sophomore state champion. She lost in the state final as a freshman and has been unbeatable since.
“Everything was building it up to this moment,” Realin said. “Once it ended, I wanted to let it out. I love to see my teammates have success in everything they do, they all work so hard, and they pushed me to end strong today.”
