Junior Andrew Kahalewai placed first in the boys 154-lb. weight class this past Saturday, Feb. 25, at the MIL championship wrestling tournament.
Junior Kiana Soloria placed second in the girls 100-lb. weight class. Junior Sheylin Patao and seniors Kahea Wojcieski and Kai’olu Kaho’ohalahala each placed third in their respective weight classes
The round robin tournament at Maui High School last month was a preview to the successes the team made at the MIL tournament. They continued to improve and yielded championship results.
During the course of the tournament, over half of the team made pins in at least one of their matches.
Kahalewai said that he, along with the rest of the team has made significant improvement in their wrestling technique. Kahalewai said that in his own matches he has been making changes to keep an advantage over his competitors. He has been listening to his coaches and executing their critiques during the match as well as keeping mentally strong.
“The mind is an important thing. It can take you far; farther than you can imagine,” he said.
Soloria also attributes her success to mental strength. Throughout the week before the MIL championship Soloria practiced breathing exercises and meditation. She also stayed after wrestling practice to train more.
Wojcieski and Patao are partners during practice and have been working especially hard to push each other to gain endurance and practice technical skill. Wojcieski said that the more rigorous practices have helped her wrestle better than in years past, resulting in better seeding in matches.
Kahalewai, Soloria, Patao, Wojcieski and Kahoohalahala are the only four returning wrestlers this season. Coach Drew DeCastro said that he has seen a great deal of improvement from them over time.
“They’re all very close, and it helps them encourage each other to grow. The bonds they’ve made along with the skill level they’re at will make for an even better season next year,”
Kahalewai and Soloria will be moving on to wrestle in the state championship this Friday and Saturday on O’ahu.
Two other Maui Warriors also got an unexpected opportunity to compete in the championship. Wojcieski will be replacing Baldwin’s Taylor Rabarra, who is injured, and Kaho’ohalahala will be filling a vacant spot in her weight class from the Big Island Interscholastic Federation.
The overall results for the 2012 MIL wrestling championship tournament are as follows:
Boys
110-1. Gary Long, Lahainaluna; 2. Josten Saribay, King Kekaulike 3. Jahffrey Akina, Baldwin; 4. Slayden Lloyd, Baldwin; 5. Christian Balagso, Lahainaluna.
116-1. Gerald Dionio, Maui High; 2. Kahi Tihada, Lahainaluna; 3. Jansen Panlasigui-Domingo, Lahainaluna; 4. Reggie Lo, Baldwin; 5. Gino Konohia, King Kekaulike.
122-1. Christian Carbajal, Lahainaluna; 2. Jacob Ramirez, Lahainaluna; 3. Jay Ryan Ballesteros, Lanai; 4. Laniel Salvador, Baldwin; 5. Sonny Balbas, Molokai; 6. Jonathan DeCosta, Maui High.
127-1. B.J. Pagdilao Bala, Lahainaluna; 2. Curtis Palmeira, King Kekaulike; 3. Mark Alamon, Lahainaluna; 4. Jordan Gorospe, Molokai; 5. Brayden Waikiki, Maui High; 6. Keian Inouye, Baldwin.
132-1. Robert Campos, Lahainaluna; 2. Leroy Santos, Baldwin; 3. Wyatt Chism, Lahainaluna; 4. Lorenzo Angel, King Kekaulike 5. E.J. Maltezo, Lanai; 6. Chayce Tancayo, Kamehameha Maui.
137-1. Kailen Inouye, Molokai; 2. Nathan Inovejas, Lahainaluna; 3. Taz Del Rosario, Lanai; 4. Christian Fontanilla, Maui High.
142-1. Austin Bloch, King Kekaulike 2. Ferdinand Magbual, Lahainaluna; 3. Bubba Jaramillo, Lahainaluna; 4. Noah Caparida, Molokai; 5. Garren Ah Wah, Maui High; 6. Darren “Pololu” Nakanelua, Kamehameha Maui.
147-1. Thomas Rosen-St. John, Lahainaluna; 2. Dan Dan Bolante, Lahainaluna; 3. Keegan Gregg, King Kekaulike 4. Julian Daniel Bicoy, Molokai; 5. Salvador Gayoma, Maui High; 6. Tavian Del Rosario, Lanai.
154-1. Andrew Kahalewai, Kamehameha Maui; 2. Chanse Uyeda, Lahainaluna; 3. Aaron Alama, King Kekaulike 4. Reilly Pasion, Lahainaluna; 5. Quinn Whitford, Maui High; 6. Tyler Lightfoot-Lani, Molokai.
162-1. Giovani Perez, Lahainaluna; 2. Connor Rosen-St. John, Lahainaluna; 3. Solomon Maliu, Molokai; 4. Charles Johnston, Maui High.
173-1. Justin Taylor, Lahainaluna; 2. Justin Sadang, Lahainaluna; 3. Kevin Thorman, Maui High; 4. Shauden Pedro, Molokai; 5. Kailikaukekoa Ranis, Baldwin; 6. Kalikiano Carson, Maui High.
191-1. Totauhelotu Lotulelei, Maui High; 2. Danny Welds-Ebanks, Baldwin; 3. Joshua Coston, Lahainaluna; 4. Connor Mowat, Lahainaluna; 5. Mauloa Kamai, Baldwin.
217-1. Hercules Mataafa, Lahainaluna; 2. Sione Tulimahe, Baldwin; 3. Wayne Alibin, Lahainaluna; 4. Joshua Torrecer-Hutchins, Maui High.
287-1. Dhavin Spencer-Basa, Molokai; 2. Bodean Bates, Lahainaluna; 3. Pita Tuliau, Baldwin; 4. Frank Kuamoo, Baldwin.
Girls
100-1. Mikayla Pico, Molokai; 2. Kiana Soloria, Kamehameha Maui; 3. Malia Refamonte, Lahainaluna.
105-1. Jenna Rose Mauliola, King Kekau-like 2. Ann Marie Andres, Maui High; 3. Tiandra Negrillo-Magsayo, Molokai; 4. Quoya Vasquez, Hana; 5. Honeylynn Yabo, Lahainaluna.
110-1. Mahea Kaaihui Falahee, Lahainaluna; 2. Kaila Oe Cabanting, Molokai; 3. Kaiolu Kahoohalahala, Kamehameha Maui 4. Kyla Aruda, Baldwin; 5. Traci Ige, Lanai; 6. Karley Kaulili, Molokai.
116-1. Kiana Yamat, Lahainaluna; 2. Ashley Bumatay, Maui High; 3. Norlyn Cabonce, Lanai; 4. Sierra Pico, Molokai.
122-1. Rizpah Torrres-Umi, Molokai; 2. Precious Jaramillo, Lahainaluna; 3. Jasmine Ordonez Ohashi, Lanai.
127-1. Charisse Manley, Molokai; 2. Jina Miyamoto, Lahainaluna; 3. Paula Untalan, Lanai; 4. Sanoe Anguay, Baldwin.
132-1. Carly Jaramillo, Lahainaluna; 2. Taylor Rabarra, Baldwin; 3. Kiana “Kahea” Wojcieski, Kamehameha Maui; 4. Saydee Anela-Semitara Makaiwi, Molokai.
142-1. Breanna Dudoit-Vasquez, Lahainaluna; 2. Priscilla Mau, Baldwin; 3. Sheylin Patao, Kamehameha Maui; 4. Shayna Boteilo, Baldwin; 5. Christine Naihe, Hana.
157-1. Hailey Namauu, Baldwin; 2. Tekau Taamu, Lahainaluna; 3. Megan Amby, Lanai.
177-1. Courtney Taua, Baldwin; 2. Dinora Villalobos, Maui High; 3. Rochelle Giron, Lanai.
222-1. Sydney Ibarra, Baldwin; 2. Haylie Joseph, King Kekaulike.
