It is now guaranteed that a teenager will win the Manoa Cup for the third time in four years.

Headlining the final foursome is 13-year-old Bradley Shigezawa, who could become the youngest winner in the history of the tournament by a gap of two years. Shigezawa ousted Reyn Tanaka, 3 and 2, in light rain and moderate winds.

But to get to the deciding match, Shigezawa will have to go through 2002 champion Travis Toyama, 18, today.

Ironically, Toyama is the youngest Manoa Cup champion, having won it when he was 15. Now, the future of that title falls squarely in his own hands after he ousted Kellan Anderson, 4 and 3, yesterday.

"It should be interesting. At least I get to protect my own record," said Toyama, a University of Hawai'i sophomore from Kane'ohe. "Hopefully, we'll have a good match."

Shigezawa, who broke Michelle Wie's record of youngest Manoa Cup qualifier when he was 11, is ready to take on Toyama, the highest remaining seed at No. 12.

"Travis is obviously very good," said Shigezawa, who assumes the role of the young upstart once held by Toyama. "I'm going to try to stick to my game and pull it out."

Tanaka, who defeated last year's champ Ryan Perez on Wednesday, found out the hard way that Shigezawa's game involves clutch shots on the green.

"I was making pars all day, but Bradley made a lot of key putts," Tanaka said. "I wasn't really that disappointed. I just got outplayed."

On the other side of the bracket, a pair of 17-year-olds proved to be too much.

Kurt Nino, the runner-up in 2003, eliminated medalist TJ Kua, 2-up. Nino got off to a good start, leading 4-up after the front nine, but Kua closed the gap after the turn.

"I'm not playing at my best right now, but by tomorrow I'll be ready," said Nino, a 2005 Damien High graduate. "Every day I've improved. In the first round I wasn't putting well, but gradually I've been able to get a feel for the greens."

Nino will meet Hilo's Jacob Low, who defeated veteran Doug Williams, 2 and 1.

Low, like Nino, also held a sizable lead early into the back nine — he was 5-up after 11 holes — but Williams stormed back with a series of birdies.

"I was getting a little antsy with my swing," Low said. "He just started making good shots."

Low had just enough of a buffer zone as Williams ran out of holes.

The absence of any veterans in the remaining field can be attributed to the draining treks up Oahu Country Club's hilly landscape, according to Hawai'i State Golf Association Vice President Gary Wild.

Golfers must endure the mountainside for several days, and the two eventual finalists will play 72 more holes over the next 48 hours.

"Young legs are better than old legs," Wild said. "Each match is a question of stamina."

Nino had a simpler explanation.

"We want to beat the old guys," he said with a smile. "It's like that. We just want to beat up all the old guys and win everything."

One thing is for certain, the 97th Manoa Cup is playing to that form.