The 2016 Chevron Hawaii/HHSAA State Wrestling Championships begin Friday. To get you ready, we will preview the matchups in each weight class for both boys and girls.
FIRST ROUND
Tynanes def. Sotoa, 3:25
Mirza def. Abraham, 3-1
Sagapolutele def. Gorelangton, 9-1
Keopuhiwa def. Ferreira, 3:24
Kam def. Ramos, 3:57
Kanongataa def. Donaher, 12-6
Smith def. Moser, 2:13
Aricayos def. Tominiko, 17-2
QUARTERFINALS
Tynanes def. Mirza, 3:24
Keopuhiwa def. Sagapolutele, 4-2
Kanongataa def. Kam, 3:31
Smith def. Aricayos, 6-1
Micah Tynanes, Campbell
vs.
Aaron Sotoa, Kapolei
Amir Mirza, Kamehameha
vs.
Abraham Malosi, Kealakehe
Tynanes is the class of this bracket and an easy top seed. He took third at states last year, making it to the semifinals before losing 4-1 to eventual champion Joseph Hoshino, who has since graduated. He absolutely destroyed everyone at Officials and nearly did the same at the OIA championships, allowing only Moanalua’s Clayton Smith to challenge him but pulling out a 4-3 win. That makes things difficult for Sotoa, who was pretty silent until taking third in the OIA West and pushing Kanongaata before dropping to sixth at the OIA championships. He does have a state win to his credit, though, beating Pires 20-5 before being knocked out by Louis in a close 3-0 battle. Neither Mirza nor Malosi were at states last year, they might get a rude awakening if Tynanes beats Sotoa.
——————————–
Israel Sagapolutele, Damien
vs.
Chastin Gorelangton, Konawaena
Matthew Keopuhiwa, Pearl City
vs.
Jayden Ferreira, Baldwin
Ferreira, the MIL champ, has been at it all season, taking third at MIT and then coming to Oahu to take third at Officials, being pinned by Cardus but getting off the mat to beat Sagapolutele 4-3. Ferreira was 1-2-bbq at states last year while Keopuhiwa made it to the second round and didn’t place but lost to big names like Tokioka and Louis. Keopuhiwa started the season at 220 but got down and took second in the OIA West but lost to Smith twice last week. Sagapolutele will have to beat Gorelangton if he wants a rematch with Ferreira. Sagapolutele took fifth at Officials and second and fourth in round robins before the ILH tournament.
——————————–
Ethan Ramos, KS-Hawaii
vs.
Hunter Kam, ‘Iolani
Connor Donaher, Waimea
vs.
Jess Kanongataa, Kahuku
Ramos enters this tournament as the king of the BIIF and hopes to have an easier time this year than he did last year, when he lost both of his matches at 182. The good thing for him is that Kam, who wrestled at 220 for much of the season, had the same experience last year, going 0-2 at 195. One of those losses was to Donaher, who pinned him in 1:53 on the back side and won enough to take fifth behind Pulama Louis. Donaher draws Kanongataa, who was in the same bracket last year but they didn’t meet after Kanongataa zoomed to the semifinals on Saturday, including a 13 second pin in the first round, but faltered and came back to take third. Kanongataa wasn’t very active in the preseason but still took first in the OIA East. He eked his way through two close matches at the OIA championships to reach the final before losing to Tynanes.
——————————–
William Moser, Maui
vs.
Clayton Smith, Moanalua
Christian Aricayos, Aiea
vs.
Dominic Tominiko, Saint Louis
Tominiko won the ILH for Saint Louis last week and will enter his first state tournament as the second seed. he finished fifth at Officials at 220 in December before dropping down and catching lightning in a bottle. He gets Aricayos, who finished fourth at Officials after suffering an injury but they were in different weight classes. Aricayos lost 6-4 to Kanongataa last week and lost 7-5 to Keopuhiwa before beating Sotoa 3-2 to take fifth. Smith took third in the tournament and pushed Tynanes, so Moser will probably have his hands full in his first state tournament. Smith is a state placer, taking fifth last year and wrestling back after losing in the first round.
COMMENTS