Ready to Rumble: Boys 220

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
Sullivan def. Smith, 0:12
Evans def. Kubota, 6-4
Ehsa def. Gopaul, :41
Fautanu def. Busch-Matu’u, 4-2
Madriaga def. Agao Casabar, 12-5
Morrison def. Kam, 21-6
Tongi def. Recca, 2:25
Gonzales def. Kaahanui, 7-3

QUARTERFINALS
Sullivan def. Evans, 1:05
Fautanu def. Ehsa, 12-6
Morrison def. Madriaga, 4:52
Tongi def. Gonzales, 10-3

James Sullivan, Campbell
vs.
Aidan Wilson, Island School

Andrew Evans, Waimea
vs.
Chris Kubota, Hilo

Sullivan has been the boss around here since placing second at state last year in an exciting match against Jackson Fuamatu, entering the season as the man to beat and going undefeated. He took first at Officials and cruised through the season picking up firsts at OIA West and OIA championships, his second league title in as many years. That leaves Wilson with a tough match in his first state appearance as he tries to become Island school’s first ever state placer. Evans has state experience, but not much. He was majored by Tynanes in the first round last year then lost 8-2 to Saiaiga Fautanu. He should have an easier time with Kubota than he did those two, though, as Kubota is making his debut appearance.

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Augustus Ehsa, Lahainaluna
vs.
Anthony Gopaul, Kealakehe

Isley Busch-Matu’u, Castle
vs.
Trinity Fautanu, St. Francis

Fautanu came from out of nowhere to take the ILH, he didn’t place in any preseason tournaments and will wrestle at states for the first time. Busch-Matu’u is new to the state game as well, he got in by taking third in the OIA East and wrestled back to take fourth after being pinned by Morrison in the OIA championships. Gopaul and Ehsa is another matchup of guys new to states, meaning someone is going to go to the semifinals for the first time.

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Joyden Madriaga, KS-Hawaii
vs.
Damien Agao Casabar, Moanalua

Charles Kam, ‘Iolani
vs.
Johnny Morrison, Kapolei

Madriaga, the BIIF champ, knows what it is like to win at states after going 1-2 last year and he will be going for his first first-round win. Casabar was second in the OIA East and reached the semis at the OIA championships thanks to a disqualification but was pinned by Sullivan in the first period. He then lost his next match in the wrestlebacks but took fifth when Jaylen Gonzales of Waianae was disqualified. Morrison is probably the stud of this group, he took third in MIT and reached the final at Officials before being pinned by Sullivan. He got the same result in the OIA championships but two finals is nothing to sneeze at in this bracket. Kam had his moments this season and will be in the state tournament after missing out last year, but Morrison is not the way you want to start out. He has come a long way since Officials, though, where he lost his first match and then forfeited the rest of the way.

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Lokomaikai Recca, Kamehameha
vs.
LeRod Tongi, Kahuku

Jaylen Gonzales, Waianae
vs.
Makananui Kaahanui, Molokai

Kaahanui traveled to Officials in December, so you know he is serious. He took fourth there, benefiting from Kam’s absence but losing to Tongi twice. The MIL champ will get another shot at him should they both win, but Gonzales has to be hungry. He was DQed out of the winner’s bracket at the OIA championships and disqualified again in the fifth place match, but he made it to the Blaisdell. Tongi finished a solid third at the OIA championships after losing a 7-6 decision to Morrison in the semifinals. That result mirrored Officials, where he was pinned by Sullivan and fought all the way back to third. he is not going to know what to expect from Recca, who had been silent all year until the ILH championships and is making his first appearance at states.