The Spring 2023 high school judo season saw intense competition between BIIF teams, followed by a number of BIIF athletes reaching statewide success.
The league released its annual accolades Tuesday night, which recognized the league’s top judokas and coaches.
Hilo High School seventh-year head coach Kerwyn Tokeshi was named Girls Coach of the Year and Konawaena High School’s Chad Fujiyoshi was named Boys Coach of the Year.
Under Fujiyoshi, the Wildcats placed third in both the boys and girls BIIF Team Championships.
Tokeshi led the Vikings’ girls team to a runner-up finish at the BIIF team finals —falling to Waiakea High School — and also led the boys team to a BIIF Championship victory over the Warriors.
“I would have liked the championship, but we came up a little bit short,” he said. “It was a close match with Waiakea, it came down to one deciding match.”
On top of being named Coach of the Year, seven of Tokeshi’s judokas received All-BIIF Team placements, and two of his seniors were named Players of the Year.
“This season was a team effort with my coaching staff,” Tokeshi said, “Darren Higa, Carson Crivello and Ryson Nakamasu. This award was determined by other coaches, but I feel that all BIIF judo coaches should be recognized for their hard work and the countless hours they put into coaching.”
Hilo’s Dayson Castillo and Kamehameha Schools Hawai‘i’s Caden Pasa were co-recipients of the Boys Player of the Year Award. Castillo was the BIIF Champion for the 132 lbs class before going 0-2 at the state tournament.
Pasa won the BIIF title for the 198 lbs class, later winning state and becoming KSH’s first-ever state champion judoka.
“(Dayson) has an awesome season, I believe he was undefeated throughout the BIIF season,” Tokeshi said. “He didn’t really have the best state tournament. Any given day, the best will fall. Just that day was his off day.”
Girls Co-Players of the year were Waiakea Elena Shibuya and Hilo’s Irie Sakai — who both won BIIF Championships for their respective classes, with Sakai eventually winning state. Irie’s younger sister and fellow BIIF Champion — Ihilani — also received an All-BIIF team placement.
“The Sakai sisters — they come from Shudokan (Judo Club) — they’re a blessing,” Tokeshi said. “Their work ethic and just their drive is great to coach.
“Irie was focused from last season, when she was runner-up. She was focused on getting back to the finals this year. I know she worked hard in the offseason at her club, and when this season rolled around, that was her goal. That was her focus — getting back to the championship finals. She worked her butt off.”
Waiakea also had heavy representation on the All-BIIF Teams — with seven judokas recognized, all of them BIIF Champions.
All-BIIF First Teams
Girls
Iya Sadanchikova (Waiakea)
Shaniah-Lee Ferreira (Waiakea)
Elena Shibuya (Waiakea)
Amy Gushiken (KS Hawaii)
Lily See (Waiakea)
Ihilani Sakai (Hilo)
Irie Sakai (Hilo)
Rhonalynne Domingo (Konawaena)
Ka’anoi Young (Hilo)
Tiana Freeman (Hilo)
Boys
Kyler Aguiar (Waiakea)
Matthew Ohara (Waiakea)
Shayne Muragin-Flores (Waiakea)
Dayson Castillo (Hilo)
Sunny Espinoza (Konawaena)
Kahalia Masaoka (Hilo)
Race Moxley (Kona)
Caden Pasa (KS Hawaii)
Kuhao Regidor (KS Hawaii)
Kainalu Keopuhiwa (Hilo)