LIHU‘E — Shiori Leger, Elijah Koga and Nika Tapucal were the only Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation wrestlers to return with wins following two preseason wrestling tournaments, said Coach Mac Pigott of the Westside Kaua‘i wrestling club. Koga, a wrestler with the
LIHU‘E — Shiori Leger, Elijah Koga and Nika Tapucal were the only Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation wrestlers to return with wins following two preseason wrestling tournaments, said Coach Mac Pigott of the Westside Kaua‘i wrestling club.
Koga, a wrestler with the Kapa‘a High School program, finished with one win in two bouts during the 43rd Annual Maui wrestling tournament played on Dec. 14 and 15 on the Valley Isle.
Fellow Warrior wrestlers, under coach Andrew Smith, Ronny Perono, Steven McCabe and Jimmy Guerrero, were 0-2 at the tournament where KIF wrestlers made its first appearance at what Pigott described as “one of the toughest preseason tournaments in Hawai‘i.”
“This year was no exception as most of the best wrestling schools in the state as well as one high school from Oregon and one from Canada hit the mats,” Pigott said in an email. “The Kapa‘a grapplers picked up some great wrestling experience at the two-day tournament in Upcountry Maui.”
Pigott said Guerrero drew a Canadian wrestler in the second round and fought to a very close decision.
“Jimmy is hungry now after losing to the Canadian by one point in the final seconds,” Pigott said.
Koga was in the largest weight class at 140 pounds.
Unseeded, Koga had to wrestle his way into the 16-man bracket against a seasoned grappler from ‘Iolani High School, winning a 9-6 decision to advance to the first round in the bracket of 16.
Koga’s second match pitted the Kapa‘a team captain against the top seed from Lahainaluna, and despite scoring points, fell in the second period. Pigott said the Kapa‘a wrestler had the potential to advance to the second day, but had to withdraw from his match against Maui High School due to an injury.
Women wrestlers
KIF girl wrestlers had its opportunity on the mats as five wrestlers, two from Kapa‘a and three from Kaua‘i, traveled to O‘ahu with coaches Smith and Aquarius Kalama to the Pa‘ani Challenge at Punahou High School.
Shiori Leger and Kristina Ragusante of Kapa‘a were joined by Elizabeth Oshiro, Sierra Kalama and Tapucol of Kaua‘i at the tournament Pigott described as “one of the biggest all-girl high school wrestling tournaments in the nation.”
The KIF first-year wrestlers had an opportunity to learn from Olympic wrestler Clarissa Chun who has family on Kaua‘i before entering the ranked division tournament.
Leger finished with a third place win, being joined by Tapucal who finished the tournament with a 1-2 record.
The KIF will open its inaugural wrestling season Jan. 12, starting at 10 a.m. at the Bernice Hundley Gym on the Kapa‘a High School campus.
•Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
