Lanai High School became a member of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association in 1956. Until Saturday night in Laie, the Pine Lads and Pine Lasses had never won an HHSAA state title of any kind.

It has been Diesel Del Rosario’s lifelong dream to become a state high school wrestling champion. By doing so at the Cannon Activities Center on Saturday, that dream made history for the tiny island and its high school of about 160 students.

Del Rosario, a three-time Maui Interscholastic League champion, won the 120-pound state crown at the Texaco/HHSAA state championships with a hard-fought 4-3 win over Evan Kusumoto, a two-time state champion from Kamehameha Kapalama.

“It feels great, I can’t even put it into words the way it feels,” Del Rosario said after finishing his senior campaign 23-0, adding that Kusumoto is “a great wrestler. … It feels incredible.”

All season long, Del Rosario wasn’t shy about talking about his quest to deliver his island its first state crown.

“Surprisingly, I felt no pressure, but I was nervous,” Del Rosario said.

Del Rosario defeated Kusumoto 4-2 at the Hawaii Officials meet in December and on Saturday night, Del Rosario was trailing 3-2 in the third period before scoring the most important takedown of his life.

“I just needed to get my takedown, that’s all I could think about was getting my takedown,” Del Rosario said, adding that the move that worked for the championship points is called a “blast double — it’s like a normal double leg (shot), but you put your face right in his chest. You just run through everything.”

Del Rosario said his most likely college wrestling destination is Hope International University, an NAIA school in Fullerton, Calif., that is set to add the sport next year.

Del Rosario was one of five state champions from the MIL on Saturday, with the first of the day being Kamehameha Maui’s Mikah Labuanan, who won his third straight state crown when he beat Bransen Porter of Waianae at 144.

Labuanan joins Baldwin’s Leigh Tonai (1973-75) and Coby Ravida (2018-20), Maui High’s Saia Lotulelei (1999-2001) and Lahainaluna’s Travis Okano (2006-08) as the only three-time boys state champions in MIL history.

The Warriors junior can become the MIL’s first four-time boys state champion next season.

“Exciting, I’m at peace, I’m one step closer to a dream of mine that I’ve had since I can remember,” Labuanan said. “Four-time state champ has been my dream, so just to be one step closer means a lot.”

In the final Saturday, Labuanan trailed going to the third period before pinning Porter with 23 seconds to go in the match. Labuanan finished the season 28-0.

“It was a good match, our body types are very different,” Labuanan said. “I think that’s what made it different for me because he’s very tall and long. He knows how to use his body. So, that was a little obstacle I had to go through, but I worked through it. … I knew that when the time came I could score the points that I needed to.”

Lahainaluna senior Sanalio Vehikite became the first state boys heavyweight champion from his school with an 11-4 decision over Caleb Lauifi of Waipahu in the 285 final.

“It feels amazing, loved it,” Vehikite said. “I knew it was possible, it was possible if all my focus was right. I just had to believe and know that everything I had put in was all worth it in the end. Got the job done.”

Vehikite gave major credit to his training partner Morgan “Bula” Montgomery, a fellow senior and standout offensive lineman for the Lunas’ football team who was part of the Lahainaluna contingent to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas on Feb. 11.

“Bula was like a big part of this,” Vehikite said. “After he came back he gave me the biggest boost, the best practices. After like MILs when he left for the Super Bowl, practice wasn’t it that week. I didn’t show my best at MILs, but I’m so glad he came back to practice. He made it better for me.”

Vehikite currently lives at Kaanapali Shores after losing his house in the Aug. 8 wildfire.

“It feels amazing, I had to do it, represent my home town, especially after the tragedy and stuff happening,” Vehikite said. “I had to do it, persevere.”

Baldwin senior Nai Hasegawa beat Mayhem Woolsey of Kapolei in the 165-pound state final — Hasegawa finished a 24-5 season with his 4-0 run at state.

“I’ve wanted it for a very long time, my senior year, I finally got it,” Hasegawa said. “You know, I’ve been close and through injuries. I just put my mind to it and I got it. It feels amazing. Relief.”

He finished third in the state at 150 as a sophomore and was runner-up last season at 160 despite battling a torn ACL and meniscus in his knee.

“I ended up getting surgery and then came back,” Hasegawa said. “I’ve always wanted it. My knee surgery was in May, so it’s been about nine months. … I pushed it, put my mind to it and got it done.”

Baldwin junior Jahlia Miguel won her second state title, reclaiming the 145 crown after winning it in 2022 and finishing third last year in the same weight class. Miguel was the only MIL girl champion among five state finalists on Saturday.

“I felt really proud of myself, super happy being on the top of the podium,” Miguel said after beating Nohilani Kukonu of Moanalua 3-2 in the title match. “It was very tough, she’s a super tough opponent. I just wish the best for her in the future and stuff, but me personally I think that I did good.

“I felt like I did good and I just left it all on the mat.”

Miguel dedicated the state title to her uncle Jermy Miguel, who died in December.

“I just wanted to do it for my family and especially knowing that I started off the season rough,” she said. “With my uncle passing away and stuff, I just needed to end the season on a good note. … I feel like I accomplished a lot.”

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.

TEXACO/HHSAA WRESTLING STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS, MIL PLACERS

Saturday’s Results

At Cannon Activities Center

BOYS

Team (all)–1. Kamehameha Kapalama 188, 2. Saint Louis 135, 3. Moanalua 124, 4. Baldwin 114.5, 5. Mililani 105.5, 6. Lahainaluna 99, 7. Kapolei 88.5, 8. Campbell 80, 9. Konawaena 72, 10. Kamehameha Maui 63.5, 11. Waianae 61.5, 12. Castle 55.5, 13. Kalani 48, 14. Kamehameha Hawaii 46, 14. Punahou 46, 16. Pearl City 45, 17. Farrington 32, 18. Lanai 26, 19. Aiea 25, 19. Kahuku 25, 21. Iolani 24, 21. Kealakehe 24, 21. Waiakea 24, 24. Hanalani 22, 24. Waipahu 22, 26. Maui High 20, 27. King Kekaulike 19, 27. Molokai 19, 29. Mid-Pacific 17.5, 30. Radford 17.

106 pounds–2. Ryder Armitage, Lahainaluna.

113–6. Cy Yasutake, Lahainaluna.

120–1. Diesel Del Rosario, Lanai; 4. Jona Dudoit, Molokai.

132–2. Randy Esperanza, Baldwin.

138–5. Kanoa Iwankiw, King Kekaulike.

144–1. Mikah Labuanan, Kamehameha Maui.

150–4. Kia’ikule’a Kalipi, Kamehameha Maui; 6. Bryson Adric, Baldwin.

157–4. Tony Passetti, Maui High; 6. Niko Takitani, Baldwin.

165–1. Nai Hasegawa, Baldwin; 4. Ikaika Gonzales, Lahainaluna.

175–5. Jackson Hussey, Lahainaluna.

190–6. Chaser Boaz, Lahainaluna.

215–5. Toa Mata’afa Grove, Baldwin.

285–1. Sanalio Vehikite, Lahainaluna; 3. Pita Takafua, Baldwin.

GIRLS

Team (all)–1. Moanalua 238.5, 2. Kamehameha Kapalama 157, 3. Baldwin 136, 4. Campbell 125, 5. Lahainaluna 102, 6. Hilo 100, 7. Kahuku 94, 7. Kapolei 94, 9. Pearl City 93, 10. Punahou 78, 11. Iolani 61, 12. Leilehua 60.5, 13. Farrington 55, 14. Waipahu 44, 15. Waianae 43, 16. King Kekaulike 38, 17. Molokai 37, 18. Pahoa 29, 19. Konawaena 28, 20. Roosevelt 27, 21. Waiakea 25, 22. Kamehameha Maui 24, 23. Kalani 23, 24. Kailua 19, 24. Kealakehe 19, 26. Mililani 18, 27. Maui Prep 16, 28. Hawaii Prep 14, 29. Laupahoehoe Charter 13, 29. McKinley 13.

110 pounds–3. Kanoelani Kekiwi-Jones, King Kekaulike.

120–2. Sanairee Hasegawa, Baldwin; 4. Safirah Ladore, Maui Prep.

125–2. Siana Boaz-Vasquez, Lahainaluna; 3. Deja Fernandez, Baldwin.

130–2. Crystin-Dior Treu, Lahainaluna; 5. Piikea Joy, Baldwin.

135–2. Te’ata Mata’afa Grove, Baldwin; 3. Elena Beauchamp-Estrella, Kamehameha Maui.

140–5. U’ilaunaole Fernandez, Maui High; 6. Lakota Kamaka, Baldwin.

145–1. Jahlia Miguel, Baldwin; 6. Kaimalie Wong-Stone, King Kekaulike.

155–4. Shansi Boaz-Vasquez, Lahainaluna; 5. Ofa Haupu, Baldwin.

170–3. Catherine Asami, Lahainaluna; 5. Masina Borden-Phillips, Molokai.