HONOLULU — Kapa‘a High School junior Nathan Marovish was fighting for fifth place in the boys 170-pound class at the 2022 Texaco Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association Wrestling Championships on O‘ahu.
Armed with a 3-2 record during the preliminary matches at the Neal Blaisdell Arena, the Kapa‘a junior forfeited his match to Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama freshman Ramsey Nishida, who improved to 3-2 and copped fifth-place honors in the division that was eventually taken by Brycen Pagurayan of Kapolei High on a 7-2 decision over Po‘okela De Santos of Leilehua High.
Marovish, who showed strong during the COVID-shortened Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation wrestling season, was the sole male wrestler from Kaua‘i to medal at the state tournament. Kapa‘a finished in 37th place with eight points. Kaua‘i High finished in a tie with Farrington High School boys for 41st place with three points, and Waimea High finished in 43rd place with no points.
The Kaua‘i High girls finished 27th with 16 points, followed three points back by Kapa‘a High with 13 points. Waimea High School girls finished in 40th place with three points.
Kapa‘a High sophomore Casey Bernabe finished in fourth place of the girls 112-pound class after being pinned by Hailey Perez of Moanalua High School. Bernabe opened with a 7-2 decision over Harmony Tavares of Mililani, and advanced with a 13-8 decision win over Kaytie Conselva before being pinned by Nohea Moniz of Kamehameha School-Hawai‘i. This loss moved her to face Paige Allen of Campbell High, whom Bernabe took by major decision, 9-0, to face Perez.
Kaua‘i High senior Meleana Rita took just 20 seconds to pin Moanalua freshman Nohilani Kukonu for fifth-place honors in the girls 145-pound class. Rita, earning an opening-round bye, advaned by pinning Dianna-r Igawa-Ismael before being pinned by Kaui Lee-Tynan of Kapolei. Rita then took a 7-5 decision over Colleen Kinimaka, and a 12-10 win over Bailey Montez before being pinned by Tylanna Abraham. She then advanced to face Kukonu, whom she pinned for fifth place.
Ambrie Rocha of Kaua‘i High, battling in the girls 107-pound class, dropped her opening match to Makana Abe of Mililani High, but rebounded with a win over Taylen Babas-Masuno of Hilo before being pinned by Joy Jeremiah of Kamehameha Schools-Hawai‘i.
Kaua‘i High’s Jayden Manibog, grappling in the boys 120-pound class, earned an opening-round bye before being pinned by Kulika Corpuz of Mililani at the 3:15 mark. Manibog was relegated to fight Diesel Del Rosario of Lana‘i High, who withdrew due to injury. Facing Hakaru Nitahara of Maui High, Manibog was eliminated after being pinned by Nitahara at the 2:20 mark.
Jayred Tumbaga of Waimea High also earned an opening-round bye before being pinned by Justin Doi of HPA at the 1:57 mark. Tumbaga was relegated to battle Adrian Lee, who eliminated the Menehune with a pin at the 1:20 mark.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
