Judo
Mid-Pacific's Terao wins fourth state judo title


 



Photo extra: HHSAA Judo - podium

HHSAA Judo Championships: Boys division results/video

MANOA — Josh Terao's name is now in the record books — for an eighth time.

The Mid-Pacific senior won the boys' 132-pound weight class at the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Judo State Championships at Stan Sheriff Center Saturday to become the first in prep state history to win four individual championships in both wrestling and judo.

"I mean words can't really describe what I'm feeling," said Terao, who threw Moanalua's Chevy Tabiolo Felicilda for ippon just 57 seconds into their title bout. "It's a mix of joy, accomplishment and sadness because high school is ending. It's just a mix of emotions."

Terao is now the eighth judoka to win a fourth state crown — a list that includes his older brother, David.

"I've got to thank everybody — my Pac-Five coaches, my parents, my brother, my other senseis — just everybody," said Terao, who was the top seed in his bracket. "They all made it happen for me."

As a freshman Terao won at 108 pounds before moving up to 132, where he won the past two seasons. He won all four of his matches Saturday by ippon. Immediately after his final match, Terao was overcome with emotion as he bowed off the mat.

"I visualized that moment for a long time and just having it become reality just is unbelievable," said Terao, who will join his brother on the American University wrestling team next year. "I couldn't hold it in, I just had to let it out."

Terao's Mid-Pacific teammate, Cole Chandler, claimed his second state crown in three years. He won at 114 pounds in 2012 while attending Kaiser, before having to sit out his sophomore season after transferring to Mid-Pacific. Chandler defeated Roosevelt's Jackapop Khongnawang in the 145-pound boys' title match.

"It's quite satisfying, (because) I had to wait a whole year and I was devastated," Chandler said. "Just watching and knowing you couldn't compete is like the worst feeling ever, so I'm glad I won this year."

Both Terao and Chandler compete for Pac-Five during the Interscholastic League of Honolulu season. However, due to HHSAA rules, the Wolf Pack judoka instead represent the respective school they attend at the state tournament.

"It's quite satisfying knowing that we're such a small school and we did so much damage in the state tournament," Chandler said.

No team did more damage Saturday than Kapolei, which took home its first boys team crown in school history despite not having any individual champions.

The Hurricanes compiled 57 points and held off a bevy of contenders, including runner-up Waiakea, which had 54 points. Pearl City was third with 52 points, Moanalua fourth with 49 and Mid-Pacific rounded out the top five with 44 points.

"For me, it is so satisfying to see the boys and the program at Kapolei take this," Hurricanes' coach Marc Narciso said. "Especially this year, because we had the triple crown — we won the Mililani (Invitational) and we won OIAs — and to seal it off with this is just a treasure, but it was something that we had to really work for because those teams were tough."

Jason Pagurayan (108 pounds), Andrew Pagurayan (114) and Anthony Brett (121) paced Kapolei with runner-up finishes in their respective weight classes. Kekua Marumoto (161) and Shaundale Magnani (178) both finished fourth and Brysen Hughes (198) added a sixth-place finish.

Kapolei tied for second last year and added a talented crop of freshmen — including the twin Pagurayan brothers — to a team already rich in talent.

"The team is very young so a lot of them are just freshmen or sophomores, but now that we got the taste of this, we'll be back next year," Narciso said.



Reach Kalani Takase at [email protected].




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