Kaiser’s Koby Chun highlighted the OIA Eastern Division wrestling championships Saturday at Farrington with a big win over Moanalua’s Elijah Asuncion in the 120-pound boys final.
Chun, who won MIT and suffered his only loss at Officials to Kamehameha’s Brant Porter, won a 7-2 decision over Asuncion, ranked No. 7 in Hawaii Prep World’s pound-for-pound rankings. Asuncion, a junior, was gunning for his third consecutive OIA East crown.
A third-place finisher at 120 pounds in the state tournament a year ago, Chun’s emergence makes the boys 120-pound division one to watch in the state tournament. Kamehameha junior Kysen Terukina, ranked No. 1 pound-for-pound, is the defending state champion at 120 pounds but competed at 126 at Officials.
Asuncion is the reigning state champion at 113 pounds and Porter, who won Officials at 120 pounds, has wrestled at 106 pounds in the state tournament the past two seasons.
Moanalua easily won the OIA East team titles in both boys and girls. Na Menehune had six individual winners on the boys side, including No. 5 pound-for-pound Boltyn Taam, who was the only entrant at 160 pounds.
Other Moanalua winners were Dayne Takai (106), Blaze Sumiye (138), Noah Wusstig (145), Karter Nitahara (152) and Jaycen Crisostomo (182).
Wusstig won a 6-1 decision over Kalaheo’s Mark Butcher to win his fourth straight OIA East crown, joining Logan Garcia of Moanalua who accomplished the feat last year. Kahuku’s Richard Torres is the only other four-time OIA East champion since the 1990s.
Chun was one of two Cougars to win titles as Rylen Uyeno took home the 126-pound division with a 7-0 decision over McKinley’s Andrew Trent.
Kalaheo had three winners with No. 2 pound-for-pound Rysan Leong getting a good battle from Moanalua’s Andrew Adiniwin in a 5-1 decision in the 170-pound final. Jedaiah Borge (132) and Thomas Nitta were also victorious for the Mustangs.
McKinley’s Iulio Atonio was one of three wrestlers to win by pin in the final to take home the 285-pound crown.
Moanalua had six of the 14 winners on the girls side and seven different schools won at least one division.
Roosevelt won the 97-pound weight class for the seventh straight year as Jaylina Tran scored a pin in the final to win her first OIA East crown.
Kahuku’s Luana Kanongataa came up just short in her quest to become the second female ever to win four OIA East titles when she was edged out 5-3 by Na Menehune’s Alexis Tupuola.
Other Moanalua winners were Caitlin Yap (102), Codi-Jane Kamaka (117), Rachel Oshita (122), Lana Perez (138) and Alana Dela Pena (184).
Kalani was next with three individual champions — Patricia Pahinag (107), Emily Paulino (127) and Phoebe Pineda Abaya (132).
Farrington’s Lavenia Fotu knocked off defending champion Tangiteina Niutupuivaha in the 225-pound final by a 6-2 decision to back up her 5-4 decision over Niutupuivaha at Officials.
OIA East Boys Brackets
OIA East Girls Brackets
OIA East Boys Top Finishers
OIA East Girls Top Finishers
Cougar PRIDE! Yea
Uncontested at 160? Taam was at 152 with Paguryan. Hopefully he takes the challenge and go back to 152.