[ HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING ]
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kahuku's Ashlee Estioko beat Lahainaluna's Danica Lute in the 120-pound weight class yesterday in the state wrestling tournament.
Kahuku wrestlers
in controlUnseeded Bill Fargo keeps Iolani
close on the boys' side with three
consecutive wins
Bill Fargo is going out in style.
The Iolani senior tri-captain won three straight matches yesterday at Blaisdell Arena to advance to the semifinals of the 171-pound class of the Chevron State Wrestling Championships.
Not too bad for the unseeded Raiders grappler.
After winning in the qualifying round, Fargo upset top-seeded Alvin Marquez of Waipahu 15-10 in the first round. He followed that up by beating Campbell's Aaron Juhl 11-2 in the quarterfinals.
"I took a 4-0 lead and held on to protect that lead," said Fargo after knocking out Marquez. "He's a good wrestler and it was a big boost for our team. The more wrestlers we can get into the quarters and semis, the better."
The Raiders, however, trail Kahuku 92.5 to 73 in the team standings heading into today's final day. They're followed by Kamehameha (55.5) and Punahou (53.5). On the girls side, Kahuku has 76 points and holds a lead over Farrington with 63.5 points and Baldwin with 48.5.
Fargo is the son of Adm. Thomas B. Fargo, who holds the title of Cmdr., U.S. Pacific Command.
"I'm proud of him, very happy and tremendously excited," said Adm. Fargo, a volunteer worker at the tournament. "He has an excellent shot now. It's equally exciting to be part of the program -- this tournament and the Iolani wrestlers. It's a wonderful way to develop the character and the presence of these kids.
"They've got so many parents involved and they've got high school kids scoring at the tables and working on statistics. It's a complex endeavor."
Three other boys top seeds were also ousted --Kahuku's Michael Rabaino (189) to Waipahu's Jeff Antolin, Iolani's Isaac Ickes (215) to Castle's Gerard Ah Quin and Hawaii Prep's Micah Stevens (275) to Kahuku's Joshua Smith.
All of the top seeds for the girls advanced to today's semifinals.
Richard Torres exemplified the grit of the Kahuku boys, who are trying to become the first OIA boys team to win a state title since Leilehua in 1995. Torres survived a back-and-forth 112-pound match with Baldwin's Len Gumboc, winning 10-9 in double overtime.
"I saw the guy was tired and I needed to dig deep and I was able to ride him out for the last point," said Torres, who added that it was the toughest match he's ever been in. "I didn't want to disappoint the team."
Ashlee Estioko was one of the sparks for the two-time defending champion Kahuku girls team. She beat Lanai's Danica Lute 13-6 in the 120-pound quarters.
"I got a little tired, but I knew I couldn't give her anything," Estioko said. "When you give something, you can lose or get pinned. Anything can happen. I kept thinking about our team, because we need everybody. This is going to be a lot tougher than the last two years, when we knew kind of we had it won early in the tournament."
In addition to Fargo, four other Iolani boys wrestlers made it to the semifinals, including senior Kyle Muraoka in the 152-pound class. He's going for his second straight title and won a grueling 21-12 quarterfinal match over Reggie Vidad of Waialua.
"I've got to mentally prepare tonight and concentrate and focus (to repeat as champ)," Muraoka said. "He (Vidad) never gave up. It was hard to get a pin because he just kept on fighting."
Vidad, who had a bandage on his shoulder from a previous injury and a fresh bandage for a cut lip he suffered during the match, was sore about the loss.
"There's nothing good about it," he said. "He did the same move over and over on me, a single leg drive, trying to hurt my shoulder. It would have been a whole lot better match without it (the shoulder injury)."
Another injured never-say-die type -- Baldwin's Kodi Shepley --kept his dream of a second state title alive by stopping Kaiser's Bricen Yakabe 10-4 in the 125-pound quarterfinal. Shepley re-injured separated ribs when he took the full brunt of a Yakabe leg drive.
"I've been wrestling my whole life, so I'll be there trying to win it," said Shepley, who confirmed he'll be on the mat today despite the injury. "I think I can do it. It will all depend on how bad I want it."
Two senior boys --Saint Louis' Ben Wilmore (140) and McKinley's Rene Suehiro (145) --and one girl --Kailua's Danyelle Hedin (125) --made it through to today's semifinals to stay in the chase for a third state championship.
"I'll get a good night's sleep," Wilmore said. "It's less stress (as a senior), but I still don't know what to expect when (today's) matches start. I'll just go hard."
Suehiro didn't start wrestling until late in the season, but had enough to pin Hana's John Stricklin-Pu in the 145-pound quarters.
"I'm not in the best condition, so I know I've got to pace myself better," Suehiro said. "I wasn't as aggressive as I should have been when I was on the top and waited too long."
Hedin is confident.
"After winning a first and a second title, the third one isn't exactly mandatory, but it's expected," she said. "I expect tough matches, and I'll try to get it done with love of wrestling, desire and mental toughness.
Chevron/HHSAA Wrestling Championships
Team standingsBoys
1. Kahuku 92.5; 2. Iolani 73; 3. Kamehameha 55.5; 4. Punahou 53.5; 5. Baldwin 50.5; 6. Saint Louis 45; 7. Lahainaluna 41.5; 8. Kaiser 38; 9. Mililani 33.5; 10. Hilo 27.5; 11. Waiakea 27; 12. Hawaii Prep 23; 13. Konawaena 22.5; 14. Kealakehe 22; 15. Hana 21; 16. Waipahu 20.5; 17. King Kekaulike 20; 18. Roosevelt 17; 19. Moanalua 15; 20. Campbell, Farrington and Molokai 14; 23. McKinley 13; 24. Pearl City12.5; 25. Waianae 12; 26. Castle 11.5; 27. Damien and Kalaheo 11; 29. Radford 10.5; 30. St. Anthony 10.Girls
1. Kahuku 76; 2. Farrington 63.5; 3. Baldwin 48.5; 4. Moanalua 45; 5. Kealakehe 37; 6. Kamehameha 35.5; 7. Iolani 30; 8. Punahou 29; 9. Pearl City 27; 10. Kaiser and Roosevelt 22; 12. Hilo 21; 13. Aiea, Hawaii Baptist and Waipahu 20.Semifinal pairings
Boys
103 lbs.: Joshua Plechaty, Pun vs. Drake Auna, Kah; Nick Matayoshi, Iol vs. Shane Larsen, Kais
112 lbs.: Ikaika Medeiros, Hana vs. Tyson Yamashita, Waik; Richard Torres, Kah vs. Aaron Ishikawa, Iol
119 lbs.: Brandon Low, StL vs. Jared Kawamata, Mil; Michael Viloria, Lah vs. Blaine Ling, Kais
125 lbs.: Daniel Morita, Kah vs. Dustin Smith, Lah; Kodi Shepley, Bald vs. Mikhail Higa, Waik
130 lbs.: Sean Ida, Roos vs. Timmy White, Kalh; Shane Vasconcellos, Kam-Oahu vs. Raymond Melendez, Mil
135 lbs.: Alexis Molina, Keal vs. Koolau Winward, Kais; William Smythe, Mil vs. Davis Wakefield, HPA
140 lbs.: Johanson Quist, Hilo vs. Brendon Whitt, Pun; Dallon Cochran, Rad vs. Ben Wilmore, StL
145 lbs.: Rene Suehiro, McK vs. Kenric Pai, Kam-Oahu; Matt Comeau, Kah vs. Naihe Akoi, Lah
152 lbs.: Kyle Muraoka, Iol vs. Brenton Awa, Kah; Dannon Sunga, Mil vs. Ryan Tuzon, Bald
160 lbs.: Adam Ah Sue, Kah vs. Bradley Nagasako, Iol; Everett Pavo, PC vs. Koa Chun, Bald
171 lbs.: Bill Fargo, Iol vs. Jared Silva, StL; Mike Egesdal, Pun vs. Nathaniel Nakagawa, Kam-Oahu
189 lbs.: Jeff Antolin, Waip vs. Patrick Kaina, Lah; Mikio Nagasako, Moan vs. Will Egesdal, Pun
215 lbs.: Gerard Ah Quin, Cas vs. Matthew Tanielo, Mol; Dylan Rush, Kona vs. Max Fairclough, Kah
275 lbs.: Joshua Smith, Kah vs. Riley Martin, Iol; Blane Mokiao, Hilo vs. Adam Akau, KKGirls
98 lbs.: Amanda Aquino, Kah vs. Rayna Hirata, Kais; Joyce Transfiguracion, Keal vs. Carla Watase, Iol
103 lbs.: Joleen Oshiro, Iol vs. Katrina Comeau, Kah; Ruth Transfiguracion, Keal vs. Lisa Katsura, Moan
114 lbs.: Tamatha Hufana, Far vs. Ashley Poling, Kais; Roslyn Maiava, Kah vs. Cherae Pascua, PC
120 lbs.: Kelli Furutomo, HBA vs. Ashlee Estokio, Kah; Cory Arisumi, Roos vs. Candace Coratibo, Bald
125 lbs.: Danyelle Hedin, Kail vs. Kara Takasaki, Pun; Leilani Relator, Kah vs. Shyla Iokia, Bald
130 lbs.: Jazmine Cockett, Kam-Oahu vs. Merissa Wong, Keal; Lauren Primiano, Pun vs. Krystal Kiyuna, Aiea
140 lbs.: Chanel Meletia, HBA vs. Leilani Visesio, Maui; Jenna Nihipali, Kah vs. Shana Simon, Waik
155 lbs.: Delijah Young, Waip vs. Melinda Bolo, Lan; Alicia Fu, Moan vs. Keisha Siliga, Hilo
175 lbs.: Loasamoa Sunshine Misa-Uli, Far vs. Desiree Memea, UHS; Tilana Kawaa, Kam-Oahu vs. Leolani Corpuz, Bald
220 lbs.: Chasity Molina, Wain vs. Akemi Holmes, Iol; Stephanie Feleunga, Far vs. Randolyn Nohara, Kam-Oahu
