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The night belonged to Moanalua’s judo teams.
And it was also was a night to remember for four individuals who won a second straight title in the Odom Corporation/HHSAA Judo State Championships at the Stan Sheriff Center on Saturday.
Na Menehune took their fourth straight team title in both boys and girls competition. That dates back to 2018 because no state tournament was held in 2020 or 2021.
One of the repeat individual champions — Kayla Shota — won the 109-pound title and also helped Moanalua to the team win. Other major contributors for Na Menehune girls were first-time individual champions Taegan Escaba (98), Kamaile Yasumura (122), Nohi Kukonu (154) and Eden Baguio (172) and state placers Adriana Daoang (second place, 98), Kalei Yausmura (second place, 139), Jasmine Adiniwin (third place, 220), Esebella Kukonu (fourth place, 172), Mandy Amian (fourth place, 220) and Mia Lee (fifth place, 129).
On the boys side, Moanalua’s Josh Estabilio won his second straight individual title, taking the 108-pound division.
Also helping in a big way toward Na Menehune’s boys team win were individual champion Teagen Salvador (145) along with placers Justyn Lazo (second place, 114), Diego Flores (second place, 121), Payton Lee (third place, 132), Brady Lee (third place, 198), Draezyn Tanaka (fourth place, 114) and Jonas Baekkeland (fifth place, 220).
Mid-Pacific’s Logan Lau And Kapolei’s Rodstan Salangdron In The Spotlight
Mid-Pacific’s Logan Lau (121) and Kapolei’s Rodstan Salangdron (220) were the other two athletes to pick up a second consecutive individual state championship.
Two judoka — Punahou’s Kelly Ann Ichimura and Moanalua’s Brady Lee — were going for a second straight state title, but did not get it.
Ichimura made it to the final at 115 pounds, where she lost to Roosevelt’s Caelin Balansag.
Lee got to the semifinals, where he lost to eventual 198 champ Caden Pasa of Kamehameha-Hawaii.
First-time state champs
The other judoka to win state championships for the first time were:
>> Hawaii Baptist’s Elisha Lum (114)
>> Kamehameha’s Thor Guerrero (122)
>> Saint Louis’ Pono Narcisco (161)
>> ‘Iolani’s Bronson Morioka (178)
>> Waipahu’s Caleb Lauifi (285)
>> Pearl City’s Chloe Obuhanych (103)
>> Pearl City’s Destiny McSwain (129)
>> Hilo’s Irie Sakai (139)
>> Waipahu’s Janelle Mattos (220)
Links to final team standings, all of the state placers and full brackets follow.
>> Final boys team standings
>> Final girls team standings
>> Boys state placers
>> Girls state placers
>> Boys full brackets
>> Girls full brackets
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