There was a message posted on the Hawaii Prep World wrestling page last weekend questioning the way the HHSAA doles out championship berth and seeds.
In the post, “NeverChanges” takes Big Island wrestling to task, calling the BIIF “weak” and its programs a “joke.”
Well, “NeverChanges,” Konawaena’s Kapoina Bailey took notice, and she and Kealakehe’s Roxie Umu would like to have a word with you.
For a roughly 20-minute stretch Thursday at the state championships, the mats at Honolulu’s Blaisdell Center were West Hawaii strong as top-seeded juniors Bailey and Umu each claimed elusive state titles, giving the BIIF multiple wrestling gold medals for the first time since 2012.
“We are not a joke,” Bailey said. “I’m honestly really happy that Roxie and I placed first in the state because of that comment.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our island.”
She took the mat first in the 168-pound final and opened up a big lead on Pearl City’s Jennie Fuamatu before closing out a 10-3 victory.
After a boys final, Umu was up next at 184, grinding out a 6-0 victory against Baldwin’s Siera Vida.
In the past, Umu has called wrestling her sanctuary, and “I tried to make it like that here, too,” she said.
“Each match, I new I had a target on my back. I’m really happy that I did and it’s over.”
Umu beat Bailey once this preseason and once in the BIIF regular season at Hilo High, which are the only blemishes on either wrestlers record this season.
Umu hasn’t lost since she dropped weight after finishing third in the state at 225 last season, and her state triumph is the first for a Waverider since Brandon Santiago claimed the 189 title in 2008.
”To win it with (Kapoina) was fun and cool,” she said.
Bailey, runner-up to Keaau’s Ivory Ayers last season at states, is the first Wildcat to own gold since Sage Aoki (120) in 2012.
She picked up two quick pins Wednesday and prevailed 6-4 in the semifinals earlier Thursday. In the final, Bailey followed her game plan, coach Walter Watson said, taking it to Fuamatu, the defending champion at 184, and jumping out to a 5-0 lead.
Fuamato started the second period on top and earned a takedown as she tried to tire Bailey, who earned an escape and fended off a threat in the third with a takedown to pull away.
“She’s just an amazing person,” Watson said. “She had her struggles and with weight, but she never gave up.
“She got through adversity. Like I tell her, you have to keep fighting. Wrestling is just like life. It’s a roller-coaster.”
Umu only went through the highs this season, which included a victory against Vida at the Pa’ani Challenge in December in which Umu stalked her foe early and quickly threw her.
Umu went for a quick finish again Thursday but was denied, but she appeared in control throughout a shutout in which Vida twice was called for stalling and rarely appeared on the offensive.
“Roxie had to work this time and did a good job,” Kealakehe coach Ivan Louis said.
Despite Vida’s loss, Baldwin narrowly claimed the team title.
Umu won her first three matches by first-period pins. She took fourth as a freshman when she also finished with silver in judo.
“It just shows that hard work pays off,” Umu said. “I’m just so thankful.”
On the boys side of the bracket, the highest finishers were Waiakea’s Caleb Shimaoka (120) and Hilo’s Kason Milare (160) in fifth.
Kealakehe’s Kobby Faedonea (113), Setu Vole (285), Milare and Shimaoka each reached the semifinals, but when they all failed to reach the finals it extended the Big Island boys gold drought at states to a sixth season.
Kealakehe’s Myra Liufau reached the 225 girls semifinals and wound up sixth. At 155, Kamehameha’s Leiohu Tong was fourth, one spot above Hilo’s Maletina Holika, who lost her first match before pulling off four consolation wins in a row.
Waihula Kahookaulana was fifth at 138 for Keaau.
Kealakehe was the top BIIF finisher in both team races, finishing 17th in boys and 13th in girls. Leilehua edged Kamehameha-Oahu for the boys crown.
Umu said she won’t participate in judo this spring.
“I want to try new things,” she said. “Maybe water polo. And I know a lot of wrestling opportunities have opened up.”
Bailey said she’d be back on the judo mat after taking fourth at states in 2017 as she tries to follow in Ayers’ footsteps as a double gold medalist. First, she’s heading to Las Vegas in a few weeks to join a national age-group team at a rugby competition.
“My teammates all did this with me and helped push me, even the first-year wrestlers,” she said. “In practice, we encouraged each and their support gave me a lot of confidence.”
So incredibly proud of these two talented young women! The obstacles these two had to overcome especially with the limited resources & lack of opponents on the outer islands is an impressive feat. Much Aloha from a old timer BIIF women’s state champ.