By Paul Honda
Editor
HondaReport.com
Sunday, March 1, 2004

WAHIAWA—Talented and confident, the Kahuku Red Raiders had everything going their way at the Oahu Interscholastic Association wrestling championships yesterday.

But, just to be sure, veteran coach Reggie Torres asked his boys’ and girls’ teams to remember one last thing before Saturday’s round ensued at Leilehua High School gym.

Champions, he reminded them, have heart. With that in mind, the Kahuku boys roared to a resounding victory, outpointing runner-up Waipahu by 101 points (254.5 to 153.5), and the Lady Raiders edged Farrington, 176.5 to 173.5.

Torres needed to look no further than his own home to find reason to remind his team that there’s more to big tournaments than physical skills. His freshman son, Richard, was admittedly nervous going into his first OIA tournament.

“But we met with the whole team this morning and got the kids who are so inspirational,” Torres said. Among them is Kahuku’s 140-pound grappler, Elmar Acorda, a senior who continued to battle in Friday’s round despite three instances of a shoulder popping out.

“He has the heart of a champion. He never, never gave up,” Torres said. We have kids who are so talented, and if they have half he heart Elmar has…”

Torres saw plenty of heart in the championship round. “When the kids wrestle well, win or lose, if they do their best, I just get happy for that,” Torres said.

Finishing behind Kahuku and Waipahu in the boys’ standings were Kaiser (131 points), Mililani (127) and Pearl City (113.5) in the top five.

On the girls’ side, Moanalua finished third with 135 points, followed by Pearl City (114) and Castle (67) among the top five.

The day was one of individual titles for some wrestlers who have taken contrasting routes to their championships.

Danyelle Hedin of Kailua, a two-time state champion, earned her first OIA crown. The unusual resume may have a new flavor for the senior, who moved up from the 121 weight class to the newly-created 125 division this season.

“It felt good to win. I won the (OIA) East, and winning OIA and states would be a good way to go out,” said Hedin, who defeated Leilani Relator, 7-0, in the title match.

Hedin used a new move to get break a scoreless duel with Relator, a foe she has battled for four years. “I learned a move we call the ‘Sammy,’” she said. It involved reaching over Relator’s right shoulder from behind, grabbing her left wrist, and then shooting her left arm under Relator’s armpit, securing the left wrist with two hands.

That helped Hedin start a move that netted three points—big points after a 0-0 first period. Hedin learned the move a week ago from a veteran in the wrestling community, John Schmidtke.

“I’ve learned a lot more techniques. A lot of things have changed,” she said. “When I was a freshman, I was a hothead.”

For Laosamoa “Sunshine” Misa-Uli, a second OIA title in just her second year in the sport was no less thrilling. The multi-talented Farrington senior pinned her foe in the second period to win the 175 weight class.

“This was a rematch, and Sophia was stronger this time. She was aggressive, and she put up a strong fight,” said Misa-Uli, who is also a standout in volleyball and basketball. “It didn’t go easy, that’s for sure.”

At 5-foot-10, she had the physique for domination. Her second season in the sport became much more cerebral. “Now I know things won’t come as easy as last year. People know how to counter my moves. Now I know a lot more moves, like the ankle pick,” Misa-Uli said. “But I couldn’t use it (in the title match).”

Misa-Uli, who is receiving interest from St. John’s and Western New Mexico for volleyball, won’t be joining Farrington’s basketball team for at least one more week. She’ll be the strong favorite in the 175 weight class at the state tourney.

“Now I’m not afraid to do moves. Last year, I used just two basic moves, but now it’s more of a craft,” she said.

One of her teammates, Tamitha Hufana, fulfilled one of her dreams by winning the 114 weight class. “Since my freshman year, all I wanted to do I win OIA and states,” the senior said. Her off-season regimen consisted of weight traning, running, and with encouragement from former prep grappler Waylen Mata, freestyle wrestling.

“It has more movement. It’s faster, and it helped me with tilts,” said Hufana, who will continue to abstain from cookies and cream ice cream, and sourdough chicken sandwiches from Jack in the Box until after the state championships.

Perhaps the most remarkable path to a title came from Rene Suehiro, who won his fourth OIA crown. Suehiro, a two-time state champion, stepped up to 145 and defeated Matt Comeau of Kahuku, 7-2.

Suehiro did it despite missing nearly the entire regular season. “There were some things he needed to take care of with his family, and family is definitely more important than wrestling,” McKinley coach Chris Johnson said. “I told him, ‘Whatever you want to do, do it for you, not for me or your dad.’”

Suehiro began the season prepared to sit out completely, but eventually, the call of the mat echoed. “I decided on my own. I realized it’s my last year. It’s the only good thing I got going for me,” he said. “I wasn’t in the best condition, and I didn’t have the best technique. I’m probably 70 or 80 percent of where I was last year.”

As the only senior on a Tiger squad dominated by sophomores, Suehiro is enjoying his return. “It’s not that I love wrestling,” he admitted. “But I enjoy the outcome. I enjoy the support of my coaches, and the feeling of being part of a team.”

The team, Johnson said, welcomed Suehiro back with open arms. “They look up to him,” he said. “This program’s bigger than all of us, and we’re just stewards of it.”

Mat notes: While Richard Torres won his division in the OIA Championships, Reggie Torres III, a junior at Kamehameha, placed second in his class at the ILH tournament, also held Saturday. … Another sibling, Kapua Torres, is the nation’s No. 1 wrestler at 112 pounds. The former state champion from Kahuku now attends Pacific University in Oregon.

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