No one is on the top line, but the BIIF will have four wrestlers seeded second when the state championships begin Friday at Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu.
As always, the devil is in the details. Not all of those Nos. 2 have equal paths to a the title.
Among the island’s top contenders for gold are Kamehameha’s Kamalu Anahu and Hilo’s Hanalei Kahookaulana, who will compete in the 160-pound division. Anahu beat Kahookaulana in the BIIF championships to earn the second seed behind Kamehameha-Maui’s Kanoa Aruda-Starwood, who is looking to improve upon a sixth-place finish at the 2019 state tournament.
The division lost its returning champ when Moanalua’s Boltyn Taam moved down to 152. Kahookaulana made his mark earlier this season when he won the 16o title at the Officials Tournament on Oahu. In the final, Kahookaulana beat Kaiser’s Thomas McCreadie, who is seeded third at the championships.
On the other side of the coin, is Waiakea’s Caleb Shimaoka. The three-time BIIF champ, is seeded second in a 132 class that is highlighted by one of the two-day event’s headliners, Kamehameha-Kapalama’s Kysen Terukina, who is seeking to complete a career slam with his fourth state title.
Waiakea’s Waylon Spain owns a BIIF slam, and he’s No. 2 at 138. Iolani’s Brady Hoshino earned the top seed after winning his first ILH crown. Hoshino was fourth last year at the state tournament (126) and second in 2018 at 120.
Hilo’s Leona Toledo only has one wrestler seeded above her at girls 225, and it’s a familiar foe. Kahuku’s Tangiteina Niutupuivaha will vie for her third state title, and she pinned Toledo earlier this season at the Paani Challenge. Toledo already owns state bronze.
Three of Toledo’s teammates are seeded third: Lilliana Campbell (102), Angela Viernes (112) and Kitana Lowery (155).
Campbell was fifth last season at 97 after running into eventual champ Jazmyn Enriquez in the semifinals. Lowery was sixth at 138.
The only BIIF wrestler taking the mat after competing in a gold medal match in 2019 is Keaau High’s Kaleinani Makuaole, who was runner-up at 155 while at Waianae. On Friday, Makuaole is No. 3 at 184, where Lahainaluna’s Shannon Jaramillo is looking to repeat.
Also seeded third are Hilo’s Elijah Apao, who jumps to 145 after taking fifth last season at 138, and Waiakea’s Isaac Vickery, who is competing in perhaps the most stacked division. Reigning champs Branden Pagurayan and Taam are at 152, and Kamehameha-Kapalama’s Kanai Tapia is the top seed after beating Pagurayan at Officials.
The remaining 14 BIIF champions in the field are either seeded fourth or unseeded.
The OIA and ILH each have 10 No. 1 seeds while the MIL has eight.
In addition to Terukina, also trying for a fourth state title is Lahainaluna’s Nanea Estrella.
