O'ahu private schools enter judo ring for first time
Advertiser Staff
Judo is an Interscholastic League of Honolulu sport for the first time this season.
Nine teams are participating from four private schools plus Pac-Five, the ILH's unique conglomerate of small schools.
Girls teams are 'Iolani, Kamehameha, Pac-Five and Punahou.
Boys teams are 'Iolani, Kamehameha, Pac-Five, Punahou, and St. Louis.
Season-opening dual meets last week included Pac-Five's 50-40 overtime victory over St. Louis, which has some players from its state championship boys wrestling team.
Sophomore Jonathan Spiker, 18-time national age-group judo champion for Shobukan who is 76-0 in two years of high-school wrestling, leads St. Louis. Prince Brown, football running back and state wrestling champion, returned to judo after a several-year absence when St. Louis formed a team. He was a national champion as a sixth-grader — five years and 70 pounds ago.
Jansen Fukuda, another two-time state wrestling champion and national judo veteran, leads Pac-Five.
Punahou is led by Jeremy Otani, who qualified for Junior Nationals last year.
Coaches are Kamehameha's Mike Tanimoto, a former USA Judo National Team member; Pac-Five's Jerome Fukuda; Punahou's Kendrick Kakazu, a former Junior National judo champion and Michigan State wrestler; St. Louis's Lionel Shiroma; and 'Iolani's Neal Takamoto.
Jennifer Miyahira of Mid-Pacific and Pac-Five was the girls wrestler of the year in the ILH in 2000.
A state high school judo championship could be sanctioned in the near future. Sponsorship of three leagues is required. The public-school O'ahu Interscholastic Association has sponsored judo for many years. Several Big Island high schools are competing in club judo this year, Takamoto said. If they organized an official league, there would be three.
Hawai'i Judo Inc. and its president, Kevin Asano, a 1988 Olympic silver medallist, is serving as a liaison and guide for the high school leagues, Takamoto said.
Interscholastic League of Honolulu
Friday at 'Iolani School
Girls
• 'Iolani 45, Punahou 40
10-point winners: Amy Wakai (Punahou), Jennifer Frost (Punahou)
• Pac-5 60, Kamehameha 50
10-point winners: Janelle Hanaike (Kamehameha), Livia Long (Kamehameha), Elyse Velligas (Kamehameha), Jennifer Miyahira (Pac-5)
Boys
• Kamehameha 70, 'Iolani 10
10-point winners: A.J. Pang (Kamehameha), Chris Castagnetti (Kamehameha), Albert Lua (Kamehameha), Dallas Kia (Kamehameha), Tim Johnson (Kamehameha), Riley Martin ('Iolani)
• St. Louis 60, Punahou 40
10-point winners: Patrick Nakamura (Punahou), Travis Lee (St. Louis), Evan Dengler (Punahou), Jonathan Spiker (St. Louis), Lane Shiroma (St. Louis), Chris Shokugawa (St. Louis), Prince Brown (St. Louis)
• Kamehameha 50, Punahou 47
10-point winners: Chris Castagnetti (Kamehameha), Adam Dengler (Punahou),
Dallas Kia (Kamehameha), Samson Castillo (Kamehameha), Manaia Alalamua (Punahou), Thomas Akeo (Kamehameha)
• Pac-5 50, St. Louis 40 (overtime)
10-point winners: Stephen Robello (Pac-5), Billy Toyosako (Pac-5), Travis Lee (St. Louis), Chris Shokugawa (St. Louis), Prince Brown (St. Louis)
The ILH Judo Dual Meet Schedule is as follows:
March 30 — at 'Iolani School
April 3- at University High School
April 6- at Kamehameha Schools
April 20- at St. Louis School
April 27- at Punahou School
May 5-ILH Championships at Kamehameha Schools
