St. Louis wrestling boys are united, and on a crusade

St. Louis School has often had good wrestlers — including 30 state champions in 35 years — but not enough quality at one time to win a state team boys wrestling championship for the last 27 years.

BOYS SEEDS League champions in seeded order and returning state place-winners (with last year’s place and weight) 103 pounds 1, Rowell Daquep, Baldwin. 2, Daniel Furuto, Punahou. 3, Patrick Takemoto, Kahuku. 4, Shane Rellez, Hilo. 112 pounds 1, Andrew Delos Reyes, Mililani. 2, Kris Wong, ‘Iolani. 3, Kevin Cortez, Maui. 4, Steven Bento, Hilo. Returning placers: Delos Reyes (4, 103). 119 pounds 1, Troy Takahashi, St. Louis. 2, Jonathan Smith, Maui. 3, Emile Suehiro, McKinley. 4, Nicholas Galloway, Waiakea. Returning placers: Takahashi (1, 103); Brent Kakesako, ‘Iolani (2, 103); Barry Asberry, Kahuku (3, 103); Jon Bareng, Moanalua (2, 112); Aaron Char, Kamehameha (6, 103). 125 pounds 1, Grant Nakamura, Baldwin. 2, Preston Sato, Waiakea. 3, Ryan Wong, Kamehameha. 4, Armand Aquino, Kahuku. Returning placers: Wong (2, 112); Dat Nguyen, Baldwin (6, 125). 130 pounds 1, Travis Lee, St. Louis. 2, Reymund Transfiguracion, Konawaena. 3, Brian Tatsumi, Castle. 4, Ricky Sakihara, Baldwin. Returning placers: Lee (1, 119); Transfiguracion (2, 119). 135 pounds 1, Chris Price-White, Hawai‘i Prep. 2, Jake Kamaka‘ala, Kahuku. 3, Brian Yamada, ‘Iolani. 4, Kepa Zarate, Lahainaluna. 140 pounds 1, C.J. Peabody, St. Louis. 2, Marvin Hussey, King Kekaulike. 3, Rene Suehiro. McKinley. 4, John Ha‘a, Waiakea. 145 pounds 1, Jonathan Spiker, St. Louis. 2, Andrew Ching, Kahuku. 3, Ludwig Madoraga, Maui. 4, Tommy Tamasese, Hawai‘i Prep. Returning placers: Spiker (1, 135). 152 pounds 1, Kainoa Casco, Lahainaluna. 2, Randal Mizuno, Punahou. 3, Paul Laga, Farrington. 4, Jarom Ha‘o, Kealakehe. Returning placers: Mizuno (5, 152). 160 pounds 1, Jansen Fukuda, Mid-Pacific. 2, Justin Keys, Kahuku. 3, Lucas Misaki, Moloka‘i. 4, Marcus Busch, Waiakea. Returning placers: Fukuda (1, 152). 171 pounds 1, Mark Egesdal, Punahou. 2, Michael Baji, Hilo. 3, Marlon Tejada, McKinley. 4, Cole Oliveira, Hana. Returning placers: Egesdal (3, 160); Baji (4); Robert Yamashita, ‘Iolani (5, 171). 189 pounds 1, Carden Vincent, Kamehameha. 2, Kaleo Anderson, Waialua. 3, Ikaika Corpuz, Baldwin. 4, Edmond Daog, Hilo. 215 pounds 1, Prince Brown, St. Louis. 2, Joe Vasconcellos, St. Joseph. 3, Soloni Taumalolo, Kaimuki. 4, Justin Luafalemana, Moloka‘i. 275 pounds 1, Saia Lotulelei, Maui. 2, Anthony Smith, Kahuku. 3, Ikaika Noguchi, St. Louis. 4, Dustin Willis, Waiakea. Returning placers: Lotulelei (1, 275); Eric Muerer, Leilehua (2, 275); AJ Smith, Kahuku (4, 275).

This season, the fifth under the guidance of Todd Los Banos, the Crusaders appear primed to finally climb to the top rung for the first time since 1973.

"In the past, St. Louis always had its star kids," Los Banos says, "but we’ve really been pushing the team-first concept and it’s working for us. They are finally beginning to understand self-sacrifice for team and team play.

"Whatever you do in school, socially, in the practice room, think what is best for team ... that’s what we preach," Los Banos said.

Last year, St. Louis won six of 14 state boys individual weight-class championships, but lost the team title to ‘Iolani, which took home its 11th trophy since 1984 despite only three weight-class titles because of better depth, meaning more points for places other than first.

This year, with three of last year’s state champions returning and a dedicated supporting cast, the Saints won the Interscholastic League of Honolulu championship by 50 points over Kamehameha on Saturday. They have been devastating opponents all season long.

"We’re on a mission this year," said senior Troy Takahashi, one of the state champions. "Last year we didn’t do it. We had six individual state champs but it didn’t help. Now our emphasis is on the team."

To win it all, Los Banos says, you need athletes with the commitment of Bronson Beaver. He wrestles in the 171-pound division, one of the most competitive, but has never been able to get past people such as Punahou’s Mark Egesdal, who is seeded first in this week’s Data House State Championships, or ‘Iolani’s Robert Yamashita.

"To keep losing to the same guys can get real discouraging," Los Banos says, "yet Bronson keeps the team perspective. He could mope, but he is one of the leaders — a great encourager. He helps the young kids, getting them ready.

"This kind of team-first attitude had been lacking in my five years here until now."

Explains Beaver: "I keep thinking about the big picture, how much I want to do it (win the state team title). It doesn’t matter what happens (to me). I keep thinking about the end (as state champions). We definitely have the tools to go all the way."

St. Louis has some bona fide stars. Travis Lee, who won the 119-pound state championship last year but is moving up two weight classes to 130, is unbeaten the last three years in Hawai‘i. Lee earned double All-America honors — the first wrestler from Hawai‘i to do so — at the USA Wrestling Junior Nationals last July when he placed sixth in freestyle and fourth in Greco-Roman style in an 1,800-wrestler tournament.

Lee’s record this season is 31-0 with 21 pins and 81 takedowns. His career record is 162-8 and his only two defeats since his freshman season were on the Mainland. He has a 3.8 grade-point average and is looking toward Cornell University, Wisconsin or Missouri, Los Banos said.

Sophomore Jonathan Spiker, unbeaten in Hawai‘i since the seventh grade, has a shot at being the second four-time state high school champion ever. The only thing more impressive than his 17 national judo championships with Shobukan club and his 32-0 record this season (16 pins) is his grade-point average — 4.0.

Takahashi has a 30-1 record with 75 takedowns. Last summer he finished fifth in the USA Wrestling Western Regional in Greco Roman style — the first time he tried it.

"We do a lot of things as a team," Takahashi says, "go out and watch movies, run together · and play games together like speedball and football on Sundays. We just saw ‘Fighting Force,’ but we liked ‘Gladiator’ more."

Sometimes, Los Banos says, the Crusaders take the team thing a little too far. "Five of them were going together, on their own, to the YMCA at 5 a.m. to lift weights. I told them, ‘Stop doing that, you need to rest and get to class on time.’

"This kind of togetherness never happened with us before. It shows how motivated they are."

Behind the stars and leaders are others whose advancement points will be vital. Senior 152-pounder Ikewaka Ishikawa is the emotional sparkplug, Los Banos says. "He’s pretty much a big move wrestler. When he gets a big move, it really sparks the team."

Junior Prince Brown has a 26-2 record and is seeded No. 1 at 215 pounds in only his second year of wrestling. A football running back, Brown "brings emotional strength," Los Banos says. "Like E.F. Hutton, when he talks, guys listen. He speaks from his heart, not intimidation."

Two Crusader freshmen qualified for states. Ben Wilmore has potential to win the 103-pound title and 112-pounder Raymond Peabody is extremely tough when he gets focused, the coach says.

C.J. Peabody, Raymond’s year-older brother, won three preseason tournaments and the ILH 140-pound title. Sophomore Sammy Kaneshiro, another 4.0 student, will go at 125

Junior Chris Sokugawa, a judoka, is the 189-pounder, and senior Ikaika Noguchi, back on the team after a two-year "leave of absence" to concentrate on football, will battle at 275 pounds, though he weighs just 245.

The ILH gets to send four wrestlers in each weight to states and two Crusaders finished fifth in the league tournament, leaving them without entrants in the 135- and 160-pound classes.

"All ‘Iolani needed last year to win was eight placers. We had seven," Los Banos says. "Eight should be enough." The Crusaders qualified 12 wrestlers, including eight who have the advantage of being first or second seeds.

The secret to St. Louis’ team bonding, Los Banos believes, may lie in the great diversity on the squad, "from military boys from Florida and the East Coast, to local kids from Wai‘anae and everybody in between. One thing I really like about our team is the mixture of cultures. Our kids have been positive on all angles of it. We learn a lot from each other.

"Whether we win or lose, if we can be as tight as we are at the end, that’s what I will be pleased about the most," he said.

NOTES: In addition to Troy Takahashi, Travis Lee and Jonathan Spiker of St. Louis, two other 2000 champions return for this week’s state championships: Jansen Fukuda of Mid-Pacific (moving from 152 to 160 pounds) and Saia Loutulelei of Maui (275), who is ranked No. 3 among juniors nationally by USA Wrestling. He placed second in the AAU Junior World Championships, also known as the Reno Nationals, in April.

[back to top]