Raider girls use their depth to edge Baldwin by a point
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
Iolani became the first private school to win a girls wrestling state title since the tournament began in 1998, edging Baldwin by one point in the team standings, 130.5 to 129.5.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
The Raiders also won state championships in boys basketball, and boys and girls swimming eight days ago, but last night's victory broke new ground.
Iolani's Carla Watase, top, rallied to beat Kahuku's Danica Auna in overtime in the 103-pound final. The Raiders became the first Hawai'i private school to win a girls state wrestling title.
"Four years ago, we had only two girls in our program, and three years ago, we only had four," said Matthew Ha, who coaches Iolani's girls wrestlers. "But these seniors made a pact — they said they didn't want anyone laughing at them anymore."
The Raiders got the last laugh thanks to individual champions Kira Tamashiro (98 pounds), Carla Watase (103) and Joleen Oshiro (108), plus key victories in the consolation rounds by Catherine Chan (114), Brandee Toyama (120) and Akemi Holmes (220).
Every one was crucial, down to Holmes' win by fall over Farrington's Ashlee Lilo for third place in the tournament's final match. That pushed Iolani past Baldwin by one point. Kahuku (116 points) took third, followed by Moanalua (92), Pearl City (91) and Farrington (86).
"It actually was everybody who won it for us," Ha said. "Everybody had to score on the front side (championship rounds) and everybody had to score on the back side, and that's exactly what they did for the team. The whole team needed all of the points they got."
Two of the individual Raiders champions won by slim margins. Tamashiro, who did not qualify for any of the past three tournaments, trailed her title match 4-1 to Kealakehe's Joyce Transfiguracion before rallying to tie it with 15 seconds left in regulation. Tamashiro then scored a pin with four seconds left in overtime.
"It was all for the team, to go for the extra pins," Tamashiro said. "Coach (Ha) said we were in third place, that we were still in the running for the team championship, so I told myself, 'Don't be lazy. Just do it, go for the pin.' "
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
Watase, last year's state champion at 98 pounds, also needed overtime to defeat Kahuku's Danica Auna, 4-2. Auna took a 2-0 lead in the first period on a takedown. Watase tied it at 2-2 early in the third period on a reversal, then won with a reversal 16 seconds into the overtime period.
Iolani's Kira Tamashiro won the girls' 98-pound division by pinning Kealakehe's Joyce Transfiguracion in overtime last night.
Oshiro, who won last year's 103-pound title, defeated Farrington freshman Tani Ader, 10-4.
Chan, the No. 2 seed, was upset in Friday's quarterfinals but came back to win third place over Word of Life's Sarah Aoki.
"I was disappointed (Friday), but I felt like I owed it to my teammates (to win in the consolation rounds)," said Chan, a senior who won a state judo championship in 2004. "I found the motivation to do what I can on the mat. It's awesome for my teammates, because they all worked so hard. We came far, and I'm glad I got to be part of it."
Toyama also lost in the quarterfinals but came back to take sixth place. Iolani's other wrestlers were Courtney Whang (125), Sridevi Fourmier (140) and Lindsey Tufono (175).
Waipahu's Delilah Joung repeated as the 155-pound champion, defeating Moanalua's Alicia Fu, 7-6. And Kamehameha's Hoku Nohara retained her 220-pound title, pinning Wai'anae's Chasity Molina.
Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2456.
