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For Hawaii high school wrestling fans who enjoyed the 2022-23 season and are looking forward to 2023-24, below is a guide to the top boys competitors expected to be back on the mat.
Four boys wrestlers will be going for a third state title and five others will be trying for a repeat state championship.
Top Hawaii High School Boys Wrestlers Expected To Return For 2023-24 Season
(Grades shown are for the 2023-24 season)
TWO-TIME STATE CHAMPIONS
>> Tyger Taam (Moanalua junior) 2023 138 state champion, 2022 132 state champion
>> Xander Erolin (PAC-5 senior) 2023 152 state champion, 2022 152 state champion
>> Mikah Labuanan (Kamehameha-Maui junior) 2023 132 state champion, 2022 126 state champion
>> Evan Kusumoto (Kamehameha senior) 2023 113 state champion, 2022 106 state champion
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ONE-TIME STATE CHAMPIONS WHO ARE ALSO TWO-TIME STATE PLACERS
2023 champs:
>> Logan Lau (Mid-Pacific senior) 2023 120 state champion, 2022 120 state third place
>> Jonas Baekkeland (Moanalua senior), 2023 182 state champion; 2022 195 state fourth place
>> Adrian Lee (Mililani senior) 2023 160 state champion, 2022 152 state fifth place
2022 champ:
>> Justyce Dale Mercado (Punahou senior) 2023 152 state third place; 2022 145 state champion
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ONE-TIME STATE CHAMPION
>> Hunter Berger (Saint Louis sophomore) 2023 106 state champion
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TWO-TIME STATE RUNNER-UP
>> Kulika Corpuz (Mililani senior) 2023 120 state runner-up; 2022 120 state runner-up
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OTHER TWO-TIME STATE PLACERS
>> Nai Hasegawa (Baldwin senior) 2023 160 state runner-up; 2022 152 state third place
>> Caleb Lauifi (Waipahu senior) 2023 285 state runner-up; 2022 285 state third place
>> Bransen Porter (Waianae senior) 2023 145 state third place; 2022 132 state runner-up
>> Keegan Goeas (Castle junior) 2023 152 state runner-up; 2022 138 state fourth place
>> Caden Guevara (Mililani junior) 2023 106 state third place; 2022 106 state sixth place
>> Zayvien Balisacan (Saint Louis senior) 2023 152 state sixth place; 2022 126 state fourth place
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OTHER STATE PLACERS
>> Eli Suan (Saint Louis sophomore) 2023 113 state runner-up
>> Koen Shigemoto (Mililani junior) 2023 126 state runner-up
>> Kaihi Cobb-Adams (Saint Louis senior) 2023 145 state runner-up
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>> Diesel Del Rosario (Lanai senior) 2023 120 state third place
>> Ryker Shimabukoro (Kapolei senior) 2023 126 state third place
>> Ikaika Gonzales (Lahainaluna senior) 2023 160 state third place
>> Jensen Tanele (Campbell senior) 2023 170 state third place
>> Ethan Ito (Punahou junior) 2023 182 state third place
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>> Jayzon Sheldon (Campbell junior) 2023 106 state fourth place
>> Gavin Buelow (Punahou sophomore) 2023 132 state fourth place
>> Mayhem Woolsey (Kapolei senior) 2023 138 state fourth place
>> Bryson Adric (Baldwin junior) 2023 152 state fourth place
>> Johan Machida (‘Iolani sophomore) 2023 170 state fourth place
>> Toa Mataafa-Grove (Baldwin senior) 2023 195 state fourth place
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>> Irving Bicoy (Pearl City sophomore) 2023 106 state fifth place
>> Khairyn Vilavong (Campbell junior) 2023 113 state fifth place
>> Andre Gantala (Konawaena junior) 2023 120 state fifth place
>> Rylen Gonda (Waianae senior) 2023 126 state fifth place
>> Kanoa Iwankiw (King Kekaulike junior) 2023 132 state fifth place
>> Akea Cariaga (Hilo senior) 2023 145 state fifth place
>> Tauataina Tuikolongahau (Kamehameha senior) 2023 170 state fifth place
>> Jackson Hussey (Lahainaluna junior) 2023 182 state fifth place
>> William Gaucher (Kaiser junior) 2023 195 state fifth place
>> Houston Kaahaaina-Torres (Saint Louis junior) 2023 285 state fifth place
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>> Colt Kalaukoa (Castle junior ) 2023 106 state sixth place
>> Blaze-Kekoa Amano (PAC-5 senior) 2023 113 state sixth place
>> Jona Dudoit (Molokai sophomore) 2023 120 state sixth place
>> Noah McKenzie (Kamehameha junior) 2023 126 state sixth place
>> Damon Gasilos (Farrington junior) 2023 132 state sixth place
>> Daniel Tauyan (Leilehua junior) 2023 138 state sixth place
>> Connor Furuta (Punahou junior) 2023 145 state sixth place
>> Jerusalem Jackson (Mililani senior) 2023 182 state sixth place
>> Johnny Sailele (Waianae senior) 2023 195 state sixth place
>> Nehasi Faleofa (Kealakehe senior) 2023 220 state sixth place
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State placers by team
Altogether, 50 state placers from 2022-23 will be seniors, juniors or sophomores next year.
Of those 50 underclassmen this year, here is a breakdown of schools represented (with the school’s state placing this year in parentheses):
>> Saint Louis, 5 returning state placers (2023 team finish: third)
>> Mililani, 5 returning state placers (2023 team finish: fourth)
>> Punahou, 4 returning state placers (2023 team finish: eighth)
>> Kamehameha, 3 returning state placers (2023 team finish: second)
>> Waianae, 3 returning state placers (2023 team finish: sixth)
>> Baldwin 3 returning state placers (2023 team finish: seventh)
>> Campbell, 3 returning state placers (2023 team finish: 10th)
>> Kapolei, 2 returning state placers (2023 team finish: first)
>> Moanalua, 2 returning state placers (2023 team finish: fifth)
>> Lahainaluna, 2 returning state placers (2023 team finish: ninth)
>> Castle, 2 returning state placers (2023 team finish: 17th)
>> PAC-5, 2 returning state placers (2023 team finish: not available)
>> Waipahu, 1 returning state placer (2023 team finish: 11th)
>> Pearl City, 1 returning state placer (2023 team finish: 12th)
>> Kamehameha-Maui, 1 returning state placer (2023 team finish: 13th)
>> Leilehua, 1 returning state placer (2023 team finish: 14th)
>> ‘Iolani, 1 returning state placer (2023 team finish: 16th)
>> Hilo, 1 returning state placer (2023 team finish: 18th)
>> Konawaena, 1 returning state placer (2023 team finish: tie for 19th)
>> Molokai, 1 returning state placer (2023 team finish: tie for 19th)
>> Mid-Pacific, 1 returning state placer (2023 team finish: 21st)
>> Kaiser, 1 returning state placer (2023 team finish: 22nd)
>> Lanai, 1 returning state placer (2023 team finish: 24th)
>> King Kekaulike 1 returning state placer (2023 team finish: 29th)
>> Kealakehe, 1 returning state placer (2023 team finish: 30th)
>> Farrington, 1 returning state placer (2023 team finish: 33rd)
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ALSO AT BedrockSportsHawaii.com:
>> 2022-23 Hawaii High School Wrestling Command Center
