Posted on: Friday, April 1, 2005

OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ATHLETES
Hawai'i wrestlers pin down national titles

Advertiser Staff

Iolani School eighth-grader Keiko Akamine won a wrestling gold medal at the 2005 United States Girls' Wrestling Association National Championships last month at Auburn Hills, Mich.

Akamine pinned her opponent in the championship match to become the 97 1/2-pound Middle School Champion.

Akamine was one of nine Iolani and Punahou girl wrestlers who competed at the elite tournament that featured some of the nation's best wrestlers.

No other state had as high a success rate as Hawai'i at this tournament; of the nine girls who participated, seven medaled in weight divisions of 16 to 32 athletes.

Overall, the girls from Hawai'i garnered a ninth-place team finish, placing six out of seven high school participants.

"There is no question that wrestlers from Hawai'i can successfully compete with and become the standard as the nation's best," said Matthew Ha, the coach of Iolani and Team Hawai'i. "They were admired not only for their wrestling but their honor, ferocity, sportsmanship, and modesty."

Here are the other medalists from Hawai'i who competed in the high school division:

Megan Morisada—Iolani freshman finished 10th in the 100-pound weight class out of 32 competitors with only one wrestling season of experience under her belt.

Joleen Oshiro—Seeded first, the Iolani senior and 2005 state champion at 108 advanced to the 100-pound finals where she lost 8-3 to Nicole Woody of Maryland.

Carla Watase—The Iolani sophomore and state 103-pound champion finished sixth in the 105-pound class.

Brandee Toyama—The Iolani senior and 120-pound state champion placed seventh in the 114-pound division.

Lauren Primiano—The Punahou senior and 120-pound state runner-up finished fifth at 122 pounds.

Kara Takasaki—The Punahou sophomore and 130-pound state champion finished second in the 130-pound weight division. She participated in the national tournament for the first time.

TRIATHLON

Registration open for Honolulu event

Registration for the 2005 JAL Honolulu Triathlon, which will be part of a two-day triathlon event that includes a World Cup

The event is an open age group amateur race and will be held April 17, the day after the JAL International Triathlon Union Honolulu World Cup.

The World Cup features about 150 of the world's top male and female triathletes. It is one of 12 World Cup events — and the only one held in the United States — that earns points to determine who qualifies for the 2005 World Championships.

The World Cup course includes a 1,500-meter swim in Waikiki, a 40K bike (25 miles, five loops around Diamond Head), and a 10K (6.2 miles, four loops along Kalakaua Avenue with a finish at Kapi'olani Park).

The Honolulu Triathlon race course will be held on a similar course that includes a 1-mile loop swim, a 25-mile bike ride to Hawai'i Kai and a 10K run around Kapi'olani.

RIFLERY

Waiakea's Nozaki wins sectional gold

Waiakea's Steven Nozaki won the gold during the NRA Junior Air Rifle Section March 5 at Saint Louis Rifle Range.

Amber Abinsay of Sacred Hearts and Simone Riford of Punahou earned silver and bronze, respectively.

Individual Results

Gold—Steven Nozaki, Waiakea, 374x18

Silver—Amber Abinsay, Scared Hearts, 374x10

Bronze—Simone Riford, Punahou, 372x13

1st Intermediate Junior—Heather Horn, Punahou, 370x11

2nd Intermediate Junior—Robert Siko, Punahou, 358x11

3rd Intermediate Junior—Taryn Tsukayama, Scared Hearts, 337x05

1st Junior—William Dearmore, St. Louis, 321x02

Team Results

Overall Match Winner—Punahou Gold (Simone Riford, Heather Horn, Jonathan Onaga) 1077x30

1st Scholastic—Lancer White, Scared Heats (Amber Abinsay, Taryn Tsukayama, Lisa Fong) 1022x18.

1st Intermediate Junior — Punahou Blue (Robert Siko, Lindsey Miho, Davin Lee) 1008x17.