Go ahead and take 10, Kysen Terukina.
The Kamehameha junior can earn his surname’s tenth ILH championship on Saturday in his home gym, easily more than any other family has produced in the last quarter century.
A Terukina has risen to the top step of the podium in each of the last six years, with Kysen following Blaysen (four titles) and Shayden (three).
The next most successful ILH surname in the last 25 years is Vincent, Terao, Hoshino and Oshiro with six apiece. The Terukina family also has nine OIA titles to its credit, with Darryl, Ben and Zayren collecting gold for Campbell.
Half of last year’s league champions will try to earn repeats at the ILH championships this year, led by Kamehameha’s slew of state contenders.
The Warriors are stacked even without Terukina, ranked No. 1 in the Hawaii Prep World pound-for-pound rankings. Brant Porter, Makana Tapia, Laakea Ane and Cody Bollig will all be trying to defend their titles as Kamehameha won five golds, and seeding at states that comes with it, last year.
Kamehameha is the heavy favorite after winning Officials in December, but Punahou has two wrestlers trying to repeat in Vincent Terrell and Legend Matautia. Two defending champions will not attempt to defend their titles, with Boltyn Taam off to Moanalua and ‘Iolani’s Kaua Nishigaya taking the season off.
Kamehameha could threaten the record of nine golds won at the ILH championships with wrestlers like Brock Ai, Braden Akima, Kainalu Huddy, Kanaipono Tapia, and Sheydon Tomisato, all of whom are mentioned in Hawaii Prep World’s pound-for-pound rankings.
Saturday’s tournament begins at 9 a.m. Brackets will be posted here when they become available.
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