Five Sabers claim judo division titles
By MARY BETH BISHOP Staff WriterPUKALANI — Each of the five teams competing Saturday in the Maui Interscholastic League’s third judo tournament of the season had multiple individual champions.
Maui High recorded five first-place finishes between the boys and girls teams. Baldwin had four, host King Kekaulike three and Kamehameha Maui and St. Anthony two each.
‘‘Overall, we did good,’’ said Maui High coach Glenn Agunat. ‘‘It was a different kind of tournament, it’s a bracket tournament, which means if you lose two, you’re out of the tournament.
‘‘The kids played a little harder than if it was a round-robin, because they know they have something to lose.’’
The Sabers’ Rosalyn Artates won the 98-pound weight class and Kayla Brown took first place in the 154-pound division.
Lewis Drapete (145), Jose Bumatay (161) and Lopaka Hera (198) all earned top finishes in boys divisions for Maui High.
Baldwin’s Aaron Yoshizu won the boys 108-pound class, while teammate Reece Ajifu finished first at 132. The Bears’ girls champions were Kelsey Miyahira (139) and Lori Takafuji (172).
Miyahira, a sophomore, is enjoying her first season with the Bears while still learning the ropes.
‘‘It’s very hard but fun,’’ she said. ‘‘I just basically try to remember not to charge them and try to think of what they’re giving me.’’
Paula Shiraki (122) and Shayla Rivera (129) were Na Alii’s girls champions, and Josh Brewer took the boys’ 220-pound title.
St. Anthony’s Maka Medeiros won the boys’ 178-pound class and Tehani Ibarra finished first in the girls’ 115-pound class.
Kamehameha Maui’s Justin Davis earned first place in the boys 121-pound class, and Malia Medeiros was the girls champion at 109 .
‘‘We just tell them to focus on the throws that they do in practice,’’ said Kamehameha Maui coach Ron Hiyakumoto, who’s been with the Warriors since the program’s inception five years ago.
Next week’s round-robin tournament, the last regular-season meet before the MIL championships, is scheduled for Maui High, .
