LIVE BLOG: Girls wrestling semifinals

We might not live blog the finals since it is on television anyway, but here is the road to the main event.

Got a close race for the girls team title, Kamehameha leads defending champion Lahainaluna 101.5-97.5. Pearl City is way back in third at 57.5. The Warriors do not want it to come down to hoping Mataafa loses, because there is almost zero chance of that. I will try to update the top two team scores after every few semis.

Everyone is weighed in and warming up, let’s get the show on the road. The Finals won’t be until 4:30, the state considered reordering the finals to put the best match, probably the anticipated Corbett-Pascua clash, last as a type of main event but it met some opposition and a compromise was reached where they will have a blind random draw as to where to start the show and follow in order. So there is still a remote chance we could end the proceedings with Teshya Alo‘s fourth state title or any number of the other main event worthy matches.

It was shot down because they didn’t want to highlight some kids over the others, word is they will consider it for next year.

Girls 97
Menjam Tamang took it to Tiana Fernandez, winning 19-2. Higa and Navarro are in a battle, last I looked it was tied late. Navarro eked it out to beat Higa 9-6, Tamang and Navarro in the final as seeded.

Girls 102
Gooman as good as advertised, beating Xiaolin Mai of Roosevelt 7-1 to reach the final as the top seed. Tiara-Lynn Ikei will oppose her, beating Maui’s Chelsey Chaves 13-2. Somebody is going to get their first state title.

Kamehameha leads the team scores by four, Kapolei just took third.

Girls 107
Lahainaluna’s Iverly Navarro beats Brandy Ilac-Wong of Honokaa 18-5, she has not been challenged in this tourney. She will meet Pearl City’s Mikayla Abe, who won a close one over Kamehameha’s Hilianai Meyer. Big finals matchup between two girls hungry for their first state titles after coming up short in the past. BIG finals matchup.

Girls 112
Alexis Encianas gets through for Lahainaluna, beating Charlotte Taylor 5-2. She will face Roosevelt’s Macy Higa, who beat Taryn Ichimura of Punahou 9-2. Encinas is going for her second straight state title.

Girls 117
Kaile Kron of Lahainaluna is through to the final, beating Kalani’s Czarina Pineda-Abaya 8-7. Heartbreaking for the Falcon. She will oppose 2014 state champ Donovyn Futa of Kamehameha, who needed overtime to beat Allie Mahoe of Kapolei 2-1. That might be big for the team title.

Girls 122
Taniya Alo of Iolani is OUT, losing to Pearl City’s Natanya Kang 3-2. They were scoreless in the first and it was tight throughout, and Alo needed two injury stoppages for her shoulder, which looked agonizing. Almost as agonizing to her sister, Teshya, who had to borrow headgear from a teammate on the next mat so she wouldn’t miss her match. She made it and won hers, but her sister’s loss has to be on her mind. Carlson advanced to the final halfway through Teniya Alo’s drama, pinning Leilehua’s Kayla Lono in 1:50. Even though we don’t get Alo-Carlson, don’t overlook Kang. This will be her second straight state final.

Nick Abramo caught up with Kang afterwards.

“She’s the best in the state, nationals,” Kang said. “My coach just told me to give it my all. I’ve got nothing to lose. And that’s what I did. It’s awesome. I got the (winning) one because she kept pushing me out. She got a technical for pushing me out.”

Concerning the final match against Carlson, Kang said, “I met her in the finals of the OIA. She got the best of me. We were tied and then I threw her and had her on her back and she rolled me over and she got the pin. So hopefully I’ll get back at it in the finals. Be hungry, it’s the heart, whoever has more heart.”

After 122, Lahainaluna leads Kamehameha 148.50-127.5 in the team scores, but we know Alo added a pin.

Girls 127
Kamehameha’s Zion Vierra goes down! Waianae’s Anuhea Hamilton beats the top seed 4-2 to reach the state final. She had pinned every opponent in the first period before that. She will wrestle Pearl City’s Asia Evans, who beat Laynee Pasion in 4:31.

Girls 132
Top seeds advance, with Kamehameha’s Teshya Alo pinning Chaika Kauhola of Aiea in 40 seconds, she was in a hurry to get to her sister. That’s two first-period pins for the world class athlete. She will meet Kahuku’s Viviana Barcina in the final, Barcina pinned Taylor Pelegrino-Hayase of Lahainaluna in 1:26. The Lunas could have used another finalist.

Girls 138
Kapolei’s Taysia Kano defends her top seed to the final, beating Kalianoe Keahi 9-2. She will meet Kamehameha’s Pomaikai Yamaguchi, who beat Alexandria Simon of Molokai 8-3. Kamehameha leads the team scores 164.5-148.5 over the Lunas with Pearl City back in third.

Girls 145
Angela Peralta of Radford is threatening to pin her way through states, sticking Molokai’s Esther Torres Umi in 2:55. Jaclyn Fontanilla of Kamehameha, her opponent in the finals, was on the mat for even less time, needing just 56 seconds to dispatch Kamehameha-Hawaii’s Kayla Araki. Fontanilla has pinned all of her opponents as well, the final should be a war. Fontanilla will place in states for the second straight year and Peralta will place for the third time. They are both going for their first state crown.

Girls 155
Leilehua’s Kelani Corbett is in the state final after beating Kealakehe’s Erika Larsen 8-5. She will face Karina Arroyo Haro, who beat Campbell’s Aaliyah Wright in 4:58.

Asked if she was surprised, Corbett — the sister of Mules 2015 state champion Liam Corbett and the daughter of Leilehua coach Kevin Corbett — said, “Yes. I took second at OIAs and second at Westerns, so now I’m going back to the finals to get my revenge.”

Girls 168
Jenny Fuamatu of Pearl City stuck the top seed and defending state champ, beating Kamehameha’s Callen Medeiros in 4:39.

Down 10-2 in the third period, Fuamatu summoned incredible strength to upset reigning state champion Callan Medeiros at 168, flattening her with a pin.
“I got back to fight and I fought with everything. I was saving my energy just to get back at her. Just going to try my hardest (in the final).”

When asked if she has enough for one more victory and a state title, Fuamatu said, “I’ll try to.”

Fuamatu defeated two-time state finalist Caragh Morris of Campbell for the OIA title.

She will face Molokai’s Cendall Manley in the final, who placed fifth in each of the last three years. Manley beat Kealakehe’s Ivory Ayers by Major decision, 12-3.

Girls 184
Kemehameha keeps up the pressure for the team title, getting another finalist in Leilani Camargo Naone, who beat Jade Kaaihue of Nanakuli 7-4. She will face Kealakehe’s Ebony Ayers, who dropped Lahainaluna’s Hannah Miyamoto in 3:53.

Girls 220
Mataafa pinned Kealakehe’s Roxie Umu in 1:50, her quest for a fourth state crown is one win away. She will meet Aulii Young of Saint Francis, who stopped Mildred Keopuhiwa of Waianae in 2:42.

The third round is over, Kamehameha leads Lahainaluna by six points.

Kamehameha, 180.5
Lahainaluna, 174.5
Pearl City 113.5
Roosevelt, 83.5
Kapolei, 82.0

Both the Warriors and Lunas have six wrestlers in the finals. The only head-to-head matchup is at 117 pounds: (1) Kaile Kron, Lahainaluna vs. (3) Donovyn Futa, Kamehameha.

Three unseeded girls made the finals: Netanya Kang, Pearl City; Anuhea Hamilton, Waianae; Kelani Corbett, Leilehua

Four weight classes will feature a final between the top two seeds: 97, 107, 132 and 145.