Roosevelt's Kristen Kojima won her second individual state title with her win in the 115 division. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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MANOA — Led by three individual champions, Roosevelt made a surprising run to its first ever team title Saturday  night.

The Rough Riders amassed 65 points and separated from a cluster of contenders in the finals round of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Girls Judo State championships at the Stan Sheriff Center.

"It's a big surprise," Roosevelt coach Ryan Shimokawa said. "I think going into it we were looking at four or five schools that had a chance. I think we had an outside chance. Pearl City is really strong. I think after the semis, I started to realize that we do have a small shot at this and I guess, at the end, we got lucky."

Roosevelt held a slim lead over three-time defending champion Pearl City entering the championship round, but had finalists in the first four title matches. A pair of freshmen, 108-pounder Menjam Tamang and 109-pounder Macy Higa, won their weight classes, while senior Kristen Kojima won her second title at 115 pounds.

"It feels great," Shimokawa said. "I think a lot of the girls tonight fought hard. There's a lot of talent in the entire state, (but) they just pulled through. they got lucky at some points in time and they just fought their hearts out. They did a great job."

Another Rough Riders' freshman, Xiao Lin Mai, reached the 103-pound final, but lost to St. Andrew's Priory senior Taylor Miyao. They also got a fifth-place finish by junior Rhea Quezon at 122 pounds.

"I think for them it means a lot and it shows determination," Shimokawa said of his youngsters. "We work closely with our wrestling program, so getting to big tournaments even before judo, just throughout the entire wrestling season, I think helps them prepare mentally for big types of events like states or OIA's."

Tamang, the top seed and OIA champion, won by ippon, denying Moanalua's Jackie Agena a second consecutive championship at 98 pounds.

"I had high expectations for myself, as any player would, but it's kind of surprising," Tamang said. It fells good when you realized you've come this far.

Higa, who was seeded second at 109 pounds, beat top-seeded Hilinai Meyer of Kamehameha, by yuko on a left harai-goshi.

"It feels really good" Higa said. "I'm really surprised that I was able to make it this far because I wanted to place and wanted to do well but this is far more than I ever thought I would get as a first year in high school."

Higa said the individual title was made even sweeter with her team winning as well.

"We worked together as a team and we were able to accomplish this and win a state championship for Roosevelt," Higa said.

Kojima, who was unseeded in the 115-pound bracket, bounced back from a third-place finish at the OIA championships. She defeated Kalani's Czarina Pineda-Abaya by waza-ari with a left tai-otoshi in Saturday's state final.

"We were on opposite sides of the bracket (at OIA's) and this is the first time I played her the whole season (asking about playing a serena)," said Kojima, who captured the weight class as a sophomore two years ago, but lost in last year's state final. "It just feels unbelievable. I don't know how to explain it in words."

Kojima, the lone senior and team captain, agreed with her coach that the team title came as a surprise.

"We didn't expect to win teams because we never actually came close before," said Kojima, who Shimokawa called the glue to the team.

"I'm real happy for her," Shimokawa said. "I think she worked hard in wrestling and judo. She wanted to do great in both. She had a great matchup, she had a great day. I guess she just pulled it out and persevered."

Shimokawa added that Kojima's leadership played a big part in Roosevelt's success this season.

"She did a lot, she was a good motivator," Shimokawa said. "I think she leads a lot by example. Just her work ethic, she just keeps coming, fighting and bringing the intensity in practice and a lot of the girls just respond to that."

Higa confirmed Shimokawa's thoughts about Kojima.

"She's a really important part of the team," Higa said. "She holds all of us together. She's just a really great person and she's an amazing judoka. I was really happy. It made me really proud to be one of her teammates and to be able to witness such an amazing thing."

Kojima beamed with pride when talking about her teammates after the trophy presentation.

"They're so amazing," Kojima said. "I'm so proud of them. They were with me in wrestling, too, and they did so good and I'm so proud of them.

Aiea finished second in the team standings with 50 points. Moanalua had 44 points and Pearl City and Punahou scored 42 points apiece to round out the top five.

Na Alii senior Kari Okubo won her second straight individual title in one of the more entertaining matches of the night. After winning at 139 pounds last year, she moved up a weight class to 154 and denied Kamehameha junior and top-seeded Jaclyn Fontanilla a third consecutive championship in the division.

"I just wanted it more and I just knew that God put me here for a reason and that reason was to fill the platform and give him the glory," said Okubo, who won by waza-ari. "I honestly couldn't have done it without my parents, my coaches, and just during that match my heart was just pumping and I just knew that I had to keep my head up and keep going and keep staying strong.

Okubo rallied from down a yuko — on a bad right ankle, no less — against the bigger and taller Fontanilla.

"It felt really good, because I knew I was coming into this competition as the second seed and the underdog and you know there was a lot of expectations but it was a challenge and I had to trust myself to get where I am right now," Okubo said. "I just knew that I had to be more aggressive. I knew that when she was taller I had to pull a little more to get her. I also had a really good trainer in my dad and last night we went to the beach and we practiced you know some sand training and just some last-minute things."

It was a redeeming win for Okubo, who was unable to finish the wrestling season due to a concussion in the winter.

"It just makes it that much sweeter just to go on the podium and be able to celebrate with my teammates and being a part of the action and not just sitting on the side and taking pictures," Okubo said.

Waipahu's Sabrina Hollins successfully defended her 220-pound state title by besting Moanalua's Arianna Harris by ippon.

"It feels good," said Hollins, who was unseeded after losing in the OIA championships two weeks ago. "I mean, actually I was expecting it, but at the same time I expected them to give me rubs."