The Waiakea boys judo team was loaded with experience and depth, much like the Hilo girls.
It made perfect sense that the Warriors would be able to win their fourth BIIF title in a row while the Vikings would repeat.
There are 10 weight classes, and Waiakea graduates 13 judoka who finished in the top three at the BIIF championships.
The Warriors held a Murder’s Row grip on the 108-pound weight division. All six finishers were from Waiakea, including champion Kolby Namnama.
It’s a bummer that Timothy Nakamoto (121 pounds), Waylon Spain (145), Roger Kirkland-Obra (161), Dean Miura (178), Isaac Ingall (198), and Kalsey Nacis (220) won’t get the chance to defend their BIIF crowns.
Spain’s brother Brayden Spain was the runner-up at 114.
The biggest battle would have been a rematch for the 132 title between Hilo’s Seth Wilson and Waiakea’s Caleb Shimaoka.
Last season in a memorable match, Wilson pinned Shimaoka for the BIIF title. Shimaoka won the division in 2018 and went undefeated.
As a sophomore, Wilson competed at 121 and defeated Waiakea’s Cayden Rillon, a two-time gold medalist, for his first BIIF crown.
Waiakea’s stacked 108 weight class has a few returnees in junior Noah Vento (fourth place), Kayne Tajiri (fifth), and Jordan Nakamoto (sixth).
Aden Leyson, a junior, is the defending champ at 114 pounds.
Another strong title contender will be Matthew Okuda, a sophomore, who was runner-up at 145.
Waiakea junior Adam Bento was third at 178, another promising player.
“Last year, the boys side did really good. I had a really good feeling. We had almost all the weights covered with strong seniors,” coach Jason Tanaka said. “I was thinking we’d be prepared for the BIIF championships with a lot of boys as individual champions. So many of them had potential.
“The Spain brothers’ main sport is wrestling but they would have been dark horses and could have the potential to upset good judo players. Shimaoka is well-rounded. Isaac and Dean can hold their own against the best. Our middleweight Roger came a long way. Our lighter weights like Tim Nakamoto and his brother Jordan and Ben Vento could go to states.”
There’s no real answers to the What if questions.
“It’s hard to say now,” Tanaka said. “It’s speculating. Everyone feels the same way. It’s a bummer for certain sports. Even the Waiakea girls tennis team was destined to be state champs. It’s sad for all the seniors. It’s the same feeling for all the other teams.”
Hilo was stuck in the same boat. There was a lot of potential, including four Vikings back to defend their BIIF titles.
At 98 pounds, Auie Madiam was second to Waiakea’s Samantha Yamamoto, who was going for her 4 for 4 gold quest.
Who knows? Maybe Madiam pulls the biggest upset of her life and knocks off Waiakea’s Miss Invincible.
Angela Viernes (103), Liliana Campbell (109), junior Ashley Lavarias (115), and Kitana Lowery (139) would have been back to defend their crowns.
The 2020 senior class held a special place in coach Kerwyn Tokeshi’s heart.
“They started with me,” he said. “They were freshmen in my first year. It’s a bittersweet season. It’s so unfortunate that we had to cancel the season.”
That’s the case for Lavarias, who was injured during wrestling season and was doubtful for judo.
“We had a lot of new ones, like freshmen coming up,” Tokeshi said. “We have a lot of potential. A few have judo experience already. A lot don’t have. But I would have loved to have seen them give it a go this season.”
The Chicago Cubs’ pre-World Series 2016 title motto applies here: Wait ’til next year.
