Local News

Maui grappler earns All-American status

Mikah Labuanan continues to rack up the hardware on the wrestling mat, earning All-American status March 28-30 by placing fifth at the 2025 National High School Coaches Association High School Nationals.

This winter, the senior grappler from Kamehameha Schools Maui became the first wrestler from Maui to win four consecutive titles, also known as a Grand Slam, at the Hawaii High School Athletic Association's boys state tournament.

To start the NHSCA tournament in Virginia Beach, Va.,, Labuanan began his first match against Nathan Nielsen of Georgia with a takedown and never looked back, securing a 22-8 major decision to move on to the next round.

After that, Labuanan whipped David Drake of Florida 14-1. In the round of 16, Labuanan beat Kane Lengel of Pennsylvania with a 5-4 come-from-behind victory, and he won 5-4 again in the quarterfinals when he faced Yanik Simon of Alabama.

The semifinals would prove more difficult, as the star wrestler from Maui faced Utah's Jason Worthley and fell 11-1. Worthley would go on to win first place in the tournament.

At fifth place, Labuana qualified for the All-American designation. Speaking over the telephone while awaiting his flight back to Maui, the All-American was pleased with his performance.

"Being an All-American has definitely been a longtime goal of mine," he said.

He explained he's worked hard to get to this point, and while he's grateful for his friends and father and the work they've put in with him on the wrestling mat, the number of partners he gets to wrestle and train with on the island can be limited.

By going to tournaments on the mainland, Labuanan said he gets to square off against the top talent in the U.S., and he relishes facing the best of the best.

"This tournament is very established," Labuanan said of the field. "It's some of the best high school kids in the whole nation (including nationally ranked wrestlers and Division I college commits)."

As for college, Labuanan said he is still weighing his options. He hopes to make a decision in April, and North Dakota State University, California State University, Bakersfield, and Southern Oregon University are all high up on his list of potential schools.

"I would say the future is looking bright," he said of the road ahead of him. "This being my last kind of high school tournament, and over the years I've seen a lot of improvement placing at these tournaments, and that I finally placed high, taking this new confidence to college and trusting my abilities, I think, will really help me prepare for the next level. I just hope to always represent Maui."