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THE WEIGH-IN
A Hawaii High School Wrestling Column
By Nick Abramo, Bedrock Sports Hawaii
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It’s been about six weeks since the end of a dramatic 2022 Hawaii high school wrestling season.
Many of the wrestlers have had a good break with many others continuing on with training after just a short respite.
Bedrock Sports Hawaii took a look at some of the data to get an early look on who’s who among the top returners for 2023.
Obviously, a lot can change between now and the end of 2022, when the athletes will begin training with their teams for a run toward the league and state championships. Some wrestlers may improve. Others may not or even step back a notch. Nothing is guaranteed. Or, put another way in this fast-paced world, “What have you done lately?”
One thing is for certain: Last year’s seniors are not in the ranks anymore.
And three wrestlers from last season can still make four straight state championships happen: Kamehameha-Maui’s Mikah Labuanan, Baldwin’s Jahlia Miguel and Moanalua’s Tyger Taam. Another state champ as a freshman last season, Moanalua’s Joseph Lathwood, is reportedly moving to the mainland.
Here’s the who’s who list or returnees, ranked on state tournament credentials:
2023 HAWAII GIRLS WRESTLING EARLY OUTLOOK
Likely No. 1 pound-for-pound
>> Isabelle Asuncion (Moanalua), senior, 2022 117 state champion, 2020 102 state third place
Likely No. 2
>> Lainey Eckart (Kamehameha-Hawaii), senior 2022 127 state champion, 2020 127 state fourth place
Likely Nos. 3 through 7 (in alphabetical order)
>> Catherine Asami (Lahainaluna), junior, 2022 184 state champion
>> Maia Esera (Kahuku), junior, 2022 225 state champion
>> Teani Medeiros-Maielua (Lahainaluna), sênior, 2022 132 state champion
>> Jahlia Miguel (Baldwin), sophomore, 2022 145 state champion
>> Aubrie Molina (Pearl City), junior, 2022 138 state champion
Likely No. 8
>> Naiomi Kulukulualani-Sales (Lahainaluna), senior, 2022, 107 state runner-up, 2020 97 state fourth place
Likely No. 9
>> Tristan Nitta (Mililani), senior, 2022 102 state runner-up (undefeated until a 3-2 loss in state final)
Likely No. 10 will come from this group (in alphabetical order)
>> Jasmine Adiniwin (Moanalua), senior, 2022 184 state runner-up
>> Bethany Chargualaf (Campbell), junior, 2022 155 state runner-up
>> Rayden Kukahiwa (Hilo), senior, 2022 145 state runner-up
>> Isabella Martinez (Radford), senior, 2022 225 state runner-up
>> Jax Realin (Kamehameha), sophomore 2022 127 state runner-up
>> Taydem Uyemura (Pearl City), sophomore, 2022 122 runner-up
Other state placers (third through sixth, lowest to highest weight class)
>> Kayce Dudoit (Lahainaluna), junior, 2022 102 state third place
>> Kanoelani Kekiwi-Jones (King Kekaulike), sophomore, 2022 107 state third place
>> Hailey Perez (Moanalua), senior, 2022 112 state third place
>> Crystin-Dior Treu (Lahainaluna), junior, 2022 122 state third place
>> Rylie Nishida (Kamehameha), sophomore, 2022 132 state third place
>> Valynn Kwan (Mid Pacific), senior, 2022 138 state third place
>> Kaui Lee-Tynan (Kapolei), junior, 2022 145 state third place
>> Tapaita Hufanga (Leilehua), senior, 2022 225 state third place
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>> Nanci Nakagawa (Punahou), senior, 2022 97 state fourth place
>> Jeream Estabilio (Hilo), sophomore, 2022 102 state fourth place
>> Casey Bernabe (Kapaa), junior, 2022 112 state fourth place
>> Kelly Ichimura (Punahou), senior 2022 117 state fourth place
>> Paige Taasan (Hilo), sophomore, 2022 132 state fourth place
>> Tylanna Abraham (Kealakehe), senior, 2022 145 state fourth place
>> Atinaeleila Fonoti (Mililani), senior, 2022 168 state fourth place
>> Teizannahope Paleafei (Farrington), junior, 2022 184 state fourth place
>> Alena Bartley (Kamehameha), sophomore, 2o22 225 state fourth place
>> *Zysha Pavao (Keaau), senior, 2020 132 state fourth place
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>> Seraya Garrido (Hilo), sophomore, 2022 97 state fifth place
>> Kayla Shota (Moanalua), senior, 2022 102 state fifth place
>> Evelyn Suzuki (Kalani), sophomore, 2022 112 state fifth place
>> Caelin Balansag (Roosevelt), senior, 2022, 117 state fifth place
>> Maya Rose DeAngelo (‘Iolani), sophomore, 2022 122 state fifth place
>> Briseis Obregon (King Kekaulike), senior, 2022 127 state fifth place
>> Luciana Conde-Cadena (Hawaii Preparatory Academy), junior 2022 132 state fifth place
>> Emma Wharton-Hsieh (‘Iolani), senior, 2022 138 state fifth place
>> Elizabeth Warren (Kealakehe), senior, 2022 225 state fifth place
>> *Kivah Caballero (Lahainaluna), senior, 2020 112 state fifth place
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>> Raesha Aurelio (Konawaena), sophomore, 2022 97 state sixth place
>> Alu Hyodo (Roosevelt), junior, 2022 102 state sixth place
>> Deja Fernandez (Baldwin), sophomore, 2022 117 state sixth place
>> Laylee Pasion (Moanalua), sophomore, 2022 122 state sixth place
>> Taylor Furstenwerth (Kamehameha-Hawaii), junior, 2022 138 state sixth place
>> Nohilani Kukonu (Moanalua), sophomore, 2022 145 state sixth place
>> Jezney Chang (Pahoa), junior, 2022 168 state sixth place
*-state placers from 2020 who did not place in 2022
2023 HAWAII BOYS WRESTLING EARLY OUTLOOK
Likely No. 1 pound-for-pound
>> Brycen Pagurayan (Kapolei), senior, 2022 170 state champion, 2020 145 state fifth place
Likely No. 2
>> Scotty Dikilato (Kamehameha), senior, 2022 285 state champion, 2020 285 state fifth place
Likely Nos. 3 through 9 (in alphabetical order)
>> Xander Erolin (PAC-5), junior, 2022 152 state champion
>> Evan Kusumoto (Kamehameha), junior, 2022, 106 state champion
>> Mikah Labuanan (Kamehameha-Maui), sophomore, 2022 126 state champion
>> Joseph Lathwood (Moanalua), sophomore, 2022 120 state champion
>> Justyce Mercado (Punahou), junior, 2022 145 state champion
>> Tyger Taam (Moanalua), sophomore, 2022 132 state champion
>> Vanderlei Yong (Waianae), senior, 2022 225 state champion
Likely No. 10 will come from this group (in alphabetical order)
>> Kanale Coelho (Leilehua), senior, 2022 285 state runner-up
>> Kulika Corpuz (Mililani), junior, 2022 120 state runner-up
>> Keawe Kane-Keahi (Lahainaluna), senior, 2022 182 state runner-up
>> Bransen Porter (Waianae), junior, 2022 132 state runner-up
Other state placers (third through sixth, lowest to highest weight class)
>> Keona Holokai-Basa (Baldwin), sophomore, 2022 106 state third place
>> Jayden Seson (Moanalua), junior, 2022 113 state third place
>> Logan Lau (Mid-Pacific), junior, 2022, 120 state third place
>> Jaren Kimura (Mililani), senior, 2022 132 state third place
>> Joe-Xahn Rapoza (Pearl City), junior, 2022 138 state third place
>> Nai Hasegawa (Baldwin), junior, 2022 152 state third place
>> Maika Kahele-Akeo (Kapolei), senior, 2022 195 state third place
>> Caleb Lauifi (Waipahu), junior, 2022 285 state third place
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>> Andre Gantala (Konawaena), sophomore, 2022 106 state fourth place
>> Marcus Marinas (Baldwin), senior, 2022 113 state fourth place
>> Hakaru Nitahara (Kamehameha-Maui), senior, 2022 120 state fourth place
>> Zayvien Balisacan (Saint Louis), junior, 2022 126 state fourth place
>> Samson Paaluhi (Kamehameha), sophomore, 2022 132 state fourth place
>> Keegan Goeas (Castle), sophomore, 2022 138 state fourth place
>> Kailer Lee (‘Iolani), senior, 2022 152 state fourth place
>> Kolt McCreadie (Saint Louis), sophomore, 2022, 170 state fourth place
>> Jonas Baekkuland (Moanalua), junior 2022 195 state fourth place
>> Kainoa Gonzales (Kamehameha), senior, 2022 225 state fourth place
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>> Josh Estabilio (Moanalua), senior, 2022 106 state fifth place
>> Nalu Chinen-Zablan (Damien), junior, 2022 120 state fifth place
>> Kai Sekigawa (‘Iolani), junior, 2022, 132 state fifth place
>> Akoni Kaaialii (Kamehameha), senior, 2022 138 state fifth place
>> Zion Amerson (Saint Louis), senior, 2022 145 state fifth place
>> Adrian Lee (Mililani), junior, 2022 152 state fifth place
>> Ramsey Nishida (Kamehameha), sophomore, 2022 170 state fifth place
>> Sanalio Vehikite (Lahainaluna), junior, 2022 225 state fifth place
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>> Caden Guevara (Mililani), junior, 2022 106 state sixth place
>> Dylan Landford (Kamehameha), sophomore, 2022 120, state sixth place
>> Nainoa Silva (Kamehameha-Maui), senior, 2022 132 state sixth place
>> Jace Kim-Cadiz (Pearl City), senior, 2022 145 state sixth place
>> Christian Jacob (Moanalua), senior, 2022 152 sixth place
>> Steinar Tanaka (Kaiser), senior, 2022 160 state sixth place
>> Nathan Marovish (Kapaa), senior, 2022 170 state sixth place
>> Raphael Dela Cruz (Aiea), junior, 2022 182 state sixth place
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