The 121-pound division was filled with thorns — a handful of judoka owned various medal colors — but Hilo sophomore Seth Wilson walked out smelling like a rose and carrying gold.
On Saturday at the BIIF championships, there wasn’t a deeper field with so much stacked talent. Out of the 13 judoka, four captured medals last season.
Wilson lived up to his billing as the No. 1 seed and defeated Waiakea senior Cayden Rillon, who’s tough as they come, for his first BIIF title at Waiakea’s gym, where in something of a rarity all of the champs were first-time gold winners.
Last year, Wilson was second at 114 pounds. Rillon is a two-time champion at 132 pounds and dropped down a weight, which made him a well-deserved No. 2 seed and dangerous foe.
Waiakea sophomore Timothy Nakamoto was the 108 champ last year and moved up a class. He was the No. 4 seed and battled to bronze.
Hilo senior David Newpher was fourth at 121 last season. He was the No. 5 seed and took sixth.
In his first match, Wilson pinned Waiakea’s Josh Kitamura. He later beat Newpher by ippon and defeated Rillon for the championship.
“It feels good,” Wilson said. “I go to Shudokan (for club judo) and Cayden used to go the same club. He was always stronger than me. But at the BIIF team championships, I beat him for the first time. I really haven’t faced him during the season.
“I think I won just because I knew his moves beforehand. My only other sport is cross country. It helps with my endurance.”
The 121 division could have been even tougher if Waiakea sophomore Caleb Shimaoka didn’t jump up a weight at 132. Last year at 121, he was the runner-up. Shimaoka was the No. 1 seed at 132 and won gold over senior teammate Zen Sakane.
“That division was stacked out,” Hilo coach Kerwyn Tokeshi said. “Out of the whole tourney, that was the most competitive division. Seth battled and he’s tough. He really knows his stuff, and with that win, he’s undefeated with a 16-0 record.”
Wilson doesn’t talk much, but he leads with his hard work, a reason Tokeshi named him a captain on a team with just two seniors, Newpher and 220 first-year judoka Kukila Wong, who finished second to Konawaena freshman Hailama Anakalea.
“Seth is very, very humble. He’s quiet and humble,” Tokeshi said. “He’s respectful, hard-working and quiet. He lets his judo do the talking.”
Waiakea freshman Aden Leyson (108), Waiakea sophomore Kolby Namnama (114), Shimaoka (132), Waiakea senior Mason Morimoto (145), Konawaena senior Mark Inouye (178), Waiakea sophomore Isaac Ingall (198), Waiakea sophomore Kalsey Nacis (220), and Anakalea (275) all won their first golds.
Lone upset
There was only one major upset. Keaau’s Titus Estocado, the No. 1 seed at 161, lost to Waiakea junior and No. 5 seed Anson Spain early.
Waiakea sophomore and No. 2 seed Dean Miura defeated Spain for the championship. Estocado finished sixth.
The 161 class also had 13 judoka. It was deep but lacked medal winners. Estocado was runner-up last year while Miura was fourth. No one else placed in other weight classes.
Dominant POY
Shimaoka was voted the BIIF Player of the Year by the league’s coaches. And it was a pretty easy call.
“Caleb practices hard, and his technique and judo IQ are very high,” Waiakea assistant Brian Tanaka said. “He’s the player of the year because, basically, he won all his matches pretty easily this year and went undefeated.”
Girls
98 pounds
First place: Samantha Yamamoto, Waiakea
second: Lilliana Campbell, Hilo
103
First: Audie Madiam, Hilo
Second: Angela Viernes, Hilo
Third: Shanen Arellano, Kealakehe
Fourth: Kiryn Komata, Waiakea
Fifth: Kylie Boromeo, Keaau
109
First: LiAnn Yamamoto, Waiakea
Second: Kitana Heinicke, Konawaena
Third: Averie Medeiros, Hilo
115
First: Raelyn Ai-Yoneda, Waiakea
Second: Ashley Lavarias, Hilo
122
First: Katie Lee, Waiakea
Second: Talen Heinicke, Konawaena
Third: Aaliyah Ysaguirre, Kamehameha
Fourth: Kira Taylor, Waiakea
Fifth: Andrea Agus, Keaau
Sixth: Maria Gambing, Kealakehe
129
First: Cappi Winters, Keaau
Second: Anela Kaneshiro, Hilo
Third: Maia Apao, Kealakehe
139
First: Hula Kaho’okaulana, Keaau
Second: Kitana Lowery, Hilo
Third: Brooke Camero, Waiakea
Fourth: Kalia Desha, Waiakea
Fifth: Mary Galama, Keaau
Sixth: Kamda Miyazaki, Hilo
154
First: Dana Sugai, Konawaena
Second: Anela Manuia, Kamehameha
Third: Natalie Morimoto, Waiakea
Fourth: Emily Turmelle, Keaau
Fifth: Malia Romero, Hilo
Sixth: Shamma Nakama, Waiakea
172
First: Kapoina Bailey, Konawaena
Second: Jaye Lee-Kaiwi, Keaau
Third: Poerani Madriaga, Kamehameha
Fourth: Kilinoe Aki, Hilo
Fifth: Shylee Wasson, Keaau
220
First: Chirisivon Salle, Waiakea
Second: Iolani Mangoba, Waiakea
Third: Karlee-Rose Delos Reyes, Hilo
BIIF Co-Players of the Year
Dana Sugai, Konawaena
LiAnn Yamamoto, Waiakea
BIIF Coach of the Year
Kerwyn Tokeshi, Hilo
Jason Tanaka, Waiakea
Boys
108
First: Aden Leyson, Waiakea
Second: Kyler Dela Cruz, Waiakea
Third: Max Shibuya, Waiakea
Fourth: Kallen Hashizaki, Waiakea
Fifth: Anthony Rivera, Waiakea
Sixth: Travis Puleo, Hilo
121
First: Seth Wilson, Hilo
Second: Cayden Rillon, Waiakea
Third: Timothy Nakamoto, Waiakea
Fourth: Nicolas Mow, Waiakea
Fifth: Joseph Vento, Waiakea
Sixth: David Newpher, Hilo
132
First: Caleb Shimaoka, Waiakea
Second: Zen Sakane, Waiakea
Third: Heiden Aiwohi, Keaau
Fourth: Josh Ebesugawa, Waiakea
Fifth: Tait Kimura, Waiakea
Sixth: Justin Castaneda, Waiakea
145
First: Mason Morimoto, Waiakea
Second: Waylon Spain, Waiakea
Third: Hanalei Kaho’okaulana, Hilo
Fourth: Ian Manarpaac-Makuakane, Hilo
Fifth: Antonio Calamayan, Keaau
161
First: Dean-Vaughn Miura, Waiakea
Second: Anson Spain, Waiakea
Third: Jayka Akuo, Keaau
Fourth: Duncan Casto Iii, Keaau
Fifth: Xcel Akiona, Kamehameha
Sixth: Titus Estocado, Keaau
178
First: Mark Inouye, Konawaena
Second: Sanjay Thompson, Kealakehe
Third: Hyun Toan, Hilo
Fourth: Josiah Garan, Kealakehe
198
First: Isaac Ingall, Waiakea
Second: Kayden Souza, Keaau
Third: Clinton Poch, Keaau
Fourth: Jared Antonio, Waiakea
Fifth: Ethan Wong, Konawaena
Sixth: Travis Madamba, Keaau
220
First: Kalsey Nacis, Waiakea
Second: Kai Pai, Konawaena
275
First: Hailama Anakalea, Konawaena
Second: Kukila Wong, Hilo
Third: Ka’anoi Yglesias, Konawaena
BIIF Player of the Year
Caleb Shimaoka, Waiakea
BIIF Coach of the Year
Jason Tanaka, Waiakea
Top three finishers qualify for HHSAA tournament.