Kahuku won its third Chevron/Hawai'i High School Athletic Association Girls Wrestling Championship in five years yesterday, holding off O'ahu Interscholastic Association rivals Farrington and Moanalua.

The Red Raiders finished with 143 points, followed by OIA champion Farrington (134.5), OIA runner-up Moanalua (129) and defending state champion Iolani (105).

Mysia Kamaka'ala was Kahuku's only individual champion, at 130 pounds, but the Red Raiders also got strong performances from finalists Danica Auna (108), Amanda Soliai (155) and Marlene Suckel (175). Also, Kahuku got a boost from Kalae Johnson (fourth place, 103) and Erin Ah Sue (fifth, 140).

"My 140-pounder (Ah Sue) beat two girls she had lost to earlier this season, so she had a great tournament to finish fifth," Red Raiders coach Reggie Torres said. "Mysia did a great job, and the other two girls who made the finals were outstanding — Marlene really took it down to the wire (losing to University High's Desiree Memea, 7-5, in overtime). She could have wrestled at 155, but she moved up for the team."

Farrington won the OIA title last week by two points over Moanalua and by three over Kahuku.

"Our last three tournaments — the OIA East, the OIAs and this one — were all nail-biters," said Torres, who coached the Red Raiders to state championships in 2002 and 2003. "Give or take one match, that's how close it was."

Iolani's Carla Watase and Kamehameha's Hoku Nohara — both juniors — became three-time individual champions and put themselves in a position next year to join Moanalua's Caylene Valdez (2000-2003) as Hawai'i's only four-time girls state champions.

Nohara defeated Iolani's Olivia Fatongia, 11-8, at 220 pounds in one of the night's most exciting matches. Nohara had pinned Fatongia in their two other meetings this season, in the first round the first time and in the second round the second time.

"She was stronger this time and in better condition," said Nohara, who overcame reconstructive knee surgery last summer. "This was the hardest (state final) I've had so far, but I know next year will be even harder because everybody will be trying to stop me from winning the fourth. I gotta work harder and push through it."

Watase won her third state crown by defeating Mililani's Brandie Dela Rama, 11-5, at 103 pounds. Watase won the 98-pound title as a freshman and the 103-pound title last season.

Like Nohara, Watase said she knows joining the short list of four-time state champs won't come easily.

"I hope I can do it," Watase said. "Next year I'll just have to work harder than this year."

Punahou's Kara Takasaki also repeated as a state champion at 140 pounds, pinning Lahainaluna's Kadian Shaw at 5:32.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.