Kaiser junior small forward Keoua Mahiko was instrumental in leading the Cougars to the school's first boys basketball championship. Evan Asato | SL

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Male Athlete of the Week: Keoua Mahiko, Kaiser basketball
After Keoua Mahiko completed the junior varsity season last year, Kaiser boys' basketball coach Branden Kawazoe made the decision to promote the sophomore to the varsity squad. Despite the fact that Mahiko saw minimal court time after the call-up, the move proved to pay dividends for Kawazoe and the Cougars this year.

Mahiko, a 6-foot-2 junior small forward, averaged 13.8 points per game this season, which culminated with a 24-point game against Kalani Saturday night in the title game of the New City Nissan/Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division II State Championships.

"It was a gutsy performance, just an outstanding performance," said Kawazoe, the second-year Cougars' coach. "He took over the scoring for us in a stretch where we needed to get buckets. He's a player that definitely isn't afraid of the moment. He has the confidence to make shots and do big things for us."

Mahiko scored 15 points in a quarterfinal win over Damien Thursday and 17 in Friday's semifinal victory over Kohala before tying his season-high in a 49-45 win over the rival Falcons. He was named the tournament's Most Oustanding Player.

"It was extremely critical for him to score in that game because defenses center around Chance (Kalaugher) and Kelsey (Lewis II)," Kawazoe said. "In any game, you need guys to step up and throughout the season different guys have stepped up and that's how team's are successful."

Kalaugher, who averaged 18.2 points per game to lead the OIA D2 this season, scored 11 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Lewis, who ranked third on the team with 11.5 points per game, added 10 points. All but Lewis will return next season.

"We're looking forward to next year," Kawazoe said. "For Keoua, we're going to continue working on his footwork and fundamentals and adding a pull-up jumper."

The Cougars won their second straight OIA D2 crown last month, but an opening-round loss to eventual-champion Hawaii Prep in last year's state tournament brought their title hopes to an abrupt halt.

"That loss to Hawaii Prep stung all year. We thought about that constantly and we knew that we didn't want that feeling again and that's why the players were motivated to put in the hours in the gym and to get better," Kawazoe said, who includes Mahiko in the group. "He didn't play that much last year. It was a transition and an eye-opening experience going from JV to varsity with the speed and physicality of the game, but it definitely showed him what he needed to work on. It made him hungry because he wanted to be the guy playing in the state tournament when the game is the biggest and it counts the most."

One of the best things about Mahiko, athleticism aside, is his eagerness to improve his game, Kawazoe said.

"Keoua is a hungry basketball player and he's always trying to get better in practice, trying to pick up new things and always trying to develop his game," Kawazoe said. ""He's had some ups and downs, but he's a pretty smart kid and he learned from the different adversities that he went through this season."

Kaiser finished tied for third in the OIA Eastern Division this year and will compete on the Division I level next season.

"We were put in all kinds of situations with our backs up against the wall and we were put up against adversity, which was critical for us because in states we were put through those situations, so I think our tough preseason and regular season schedule — and also the year of maturity — played a huge factor on why we were able to pull through on these three state-tournament games," Kawazoe said.

Female Athlete of the Week: Angela Peralta, Campbell wrestling
Given her bloodline — and more importantly, her work ethic — Angela Peralta's success on the mat comes as no surprise to Campbell girls' wrestling coach Brian Weida.

Peralta, a sophomore, won her second Oahu Interscholastic Association individual championship in as many tries with her pin of Kahuku's Lilia Kaka in the first round of their 145-pound title bout Saturday at Leilehua's Paul T. Kobayashi Gymnasium.

"Angela's been a dominant force in the OIA all year," Weida said. "The only people that have really challenged her have been girls from outside the OIA. There haven't been too many matches of her that have gone the distance without her pining a girl."

Peralta was one of two Campbell wrestlers to win their respective weight classes Saturday — the other was 168-pounder Caragh Morris — to help the Sabers to their second straight OIA title as a team.

"We talked about how the team prior sets the bar, but coming into it we really tried to just focus on the match in front of us and from period one to period two to period three," Weida said. "It wasn't something we brought up and pushed for the kids. It was more of a 'everybody does their part and does what they can and good things will happen for us.' "

Campbell's 11 place-finishers earned 183 points, while Waianae was a distant second with 142. Pearl City finished third with 128 points. Whatsmore, the boys team also won the team title, making it a clean sweep.

"We were pretty lucky to have pulled it off," Weida said.

As for Peralta, there's no luck involved.

"She comes from a wrestling family, so she really understands what it takes to be successful in this sport," Weida said, alluding to her older brother, Bryan, who won back-to-back state titles for Punahou in 2011 and 2012. "I think just being around that and seeing her brother do well and win big matches at the state level when she was younger has made her aware of what it takes so she works at it all year long. Wrestling is part of her identity."

Weida said Peralta is a dedicated, year-round weightlifter.

"She's a really strong girl. It's pretty impressive how strong she is," Weida said. "Her dad has her on a pretty good weight program and every now and then he'll send me picture of her pushing weights on the leg press machine, so she has a lot of family support and she's pretty driven to succeed."

As a freshman last year, Peralta captured the league crown at 135 pounds, but lost to eventual state-champion Breanna Dudoit Vasquez to finish third in the state tournament. This week, she is the No. 2 seed at 145 behind Dudoit Vasquez's Lahainaluna teammate and defending state champ, Carly Jaramillo.

"She's not afraid to be in big matches and she doesn't seem to get nervous for these things," Weida said. "She's wrestling for a long time and she's been in that environment with her brother, so for some kids it's a big shock when you wrestle at the Blaisdell, but it doesn't shake her too much. She's got good composure and she's always just ready to go."

The Chevron/Hawaii High School Wrestling State Championships get underway Friday at 10 a.m. at the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena and concludes Saturday.

BOYS BASKETBALL
Keinan Agonias, Pahoa — Scored 26 points in a win over Kauai

Jayeson Baine, Leilehua — Scored 17 points in a loss to Moanalua

Denhym Brooke, Kahuku — Scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a win over Konawaena and scored 21 points with 10 rebounds in a loss to Campbell

Josh Chapital, Lahainaluna — Scored 23 points in a win over Punahou

Josiah Coatie, Kauai — Scored 20 points in a loss to Hawaii Baptist

Jaseem Cumlat, Kauai — Scored 28 points in a loss to Pahoa

Lamart Dudley, Campbell — Scored 10 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in a win over Kamehameha-Hawaii, scored 10 points and grabbed 19 rebounds in a win over Farrington and scored 18 points with 10 rebounds in a win over Kahuku

Kealan Figueroa, Kohala — Scored 20 points in a win over Seabury Hall

Kaleb Gilmore, Kalaheo — Scored 22 points in a win over Maui, scored 25 points in a win over Punahou and scored 30 points in a win over Iolani

Kupaa Harrison, Kalaheo — Scored 19 points in a win over Maui, scored 19 points in a win over Kahuku,

Cameron Howes, Konawaena — Scored 21 points in a loss to Kahuku

Kobe Ikari, Damien — Scored 16 points in a win over Pahoa

Mikala Jordan, Kohala — Scored 18 points in a win over Hawaii Baptist

Chance Kalaugher, Kaiser — Scored 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in a win over Damien and scored 11 points with 10 rebounds in a win over Kalani

Kapiina King, Damien — Scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a loss to Kaiser and scored 22 points in a win over Seabury Hall

Isaac Liva, Hawaii Baptist — Scored 18 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in a win over Kauai, scored 13 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in a loss to Kalani and scored 16 points in a loss to Kohala

Ryan Madera, Lahainaluna — Scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a win over Farrington and scored 22 points in a win over Punahou

Ranan Mamiya, Farrington — Scored 22 points in a loss to Lahainaluna

Kyrie McRaven, Moanalua — Scored 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a loss to Kahuku, scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a win over Maui and scored 12 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in a win over Leilehua

Michael Merchant, Campbell — Scored 22 points in a win over Farrington

Tristan Nichols, Maui — Scored 22 points in a loss to Kalaheo and scored 17 points with grabbed 13 rebounds in a loss to Moanalua

Tolby Saito, Pahoa — Scored 20 points in a loss to Kalani and scored 34 points in a win over Kauai

Marvin Sidon, Lahainaluna — Scored 18 points in a win over Farrington

Jaxon Stinger, Seabury Hall — Scored 21 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a loss to Kohala

Dayson Watanabe, Punahou — Scored 23 points in a loss to Kalaheo

BOYS SOCCER
Tyler Allen, Mid-Pacific — Scored two goals in a win over Kamehameha-Hawaii

Stirling Aponte, Mid-Pacific — Scored two goals in a win over Hawaii Prep and was named Most Outstanding Player of the Division II state tournament

Preston Branco, Honokaa — Scored two goals in a win over Kailua

Jarad Choquette, Mililani — Scored the lone goal in a win over Kalani

Jeron Cunningham, Mililani — Scored the lone goal in a win over Punahou and was named Most Outstanding Player of the Division I state tournament

Naia Graham, Kailua — Scored two goals in a loss to Honokaa

Braden Kojima, Hawaii Prep — Scored the lone goal in a win over Honokaa

Dominik Pajimola, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored two goals in a win over Honokaa

Justin Perry, Hawaii Prep — Scored the lone goal in a win over Kapaa

Michael Stafford, Kalani — Made three saves in penalty kicks in a win over Iolani

Dylan Teves, Mid-Pacific — Scored two goals in a win over Waipahu

GIRLS WATER POLO
Emma Choy, Punahou — Scored four goals in a win over Kamehameha

WRESTLING
Liam Corbett, Leilehua — Won the boys' 152-pound weight class at the OIA championships for his second consecutive individual league title

Maria Garcia, Roosevelt — Won the girls' 127-pound weight class at the OIA championships for her second consecutive individual league title

Shandon Ilaban Totten, Kapolei — Won the boys' 126-pound weight class at the OIA championships for his second consecutive individual league title

Cameron Kato, Punahou — Won the boys' 115-pound weight class at the ILH championships for his second consecutive individual league title

Eliana Mundon, Aiea — Won the girls' 122-pound weight class at the OIA championships and accumulated a tournament-best 28 points for her team

Jayson Pagurayan, Kapolei — Won the boys' 106-pound weight class at the OIA championships for his second consecutive individual league title

KJ Pascua, Iolani — Won the boys' 147-pound weight class at the ILH championships for his second consecutive individual league title

Rodman Salangdron, Kapolei — Won the boys' 145-pound weight class at the OIA championships and accumulated a tournament-best 29 points for his team

Blaysen Terukina, Kamehameha — Won the boys' 122-pound weight class at the ILH championships for his third individual league title