OIA champion Alana Dela Pena suffers scary ankle injury

Alana Dela Pena got cheers from the Blaisdell Arena crowd as she was being carried out on a stretcher.

The Moanalua wrestler, who is the reigning 184-pound OIA girls champion, suffered a serious ankle injury in her opening match at the Texaco/HHSAA Wrestling State Championships on Wednesday.

Aiea’s Jalyssa Ingram, her opponent, was in tears afterward and was being consoled by her coaches after the freak injury.

According to coaches at the scene, Ingram attempted to take down Dela Pena with a double blast. Dela Pena was backpedaling to stuff the shot and her plant foot landed awkwardly. One coach said a bone protruded through the skin and it is believed she has a compound fracture.

Coaches said Ingram’s maneuver was clean.

After two trainers initially checked on Dela Pena, a host of officials and trainers rushed out onto the center mat. She was taken out of the arena on a stretcher within roughly 10 minutes.

Dela Pena, who went 2-2 in the state tournament last year, was a contender at 184 pounds after winning the OIA title in a dramatic win over Leilehua’s Antonia Tomas. Dela Pena was awarded the win after Tomas tapped out.