KEAAU – Just four weeks ago, they were wrestling their way to medals at the HHSAA championships in divisions 36 pounds apart.
But in the world of Big Island Interscholastic Federation regular-season judo, Keaau’s Ivory Ayers and Kamehameha’s Kayla Araki found themselves together on the same mat.
The weight difference, approximately 15 pounds, wasn’t all that noticeable Saturday until Ayers won by ippon late in the match at Keaau High.
“She has more mat awareness,” Cougars coach Miki Lum said of how her second-year judoka has improved.
Araki is the only girl on the roster for the Warriors, who have seen a big drop since a recent run that saw them claim six consecutive BIIF team titles.
Ayers (154) is one of three returning league champions for the Cougars, along with her sister Ebony Ayers (220) and Cherish Harris (139).
Ebony Ayers, also in her second year, didn’t compete Saturday, but instead intently watched her sister’s match from the scorer’s table.
“She’s learned to control herself more on the mat,” Lum said.
Araki and the Ayers sisters are also BIIF wrestling champions, with Araki grabbing bronze at states. The sophomore missed out on the BIIF judo finals last year with a concussion.
Team-wise, the outlook is rosier for the Kamehameha boys. First-year coach Sean Shinjo pointed to Joyden Madriaga and Chase Tanaka as title contenders.
Shinjo used to coach in the Oahu Interscholastic Association at Mililani. His first impression of the BIIF?
“I don’t see too many that are guaranteed BIIF champs,” he said. “It could go either way.”
That’s perhaps more true on the boys side.
Waiakea is the four-time champion, and Dayton Towata (132) is among its returning champions. The Warriors lost a bevy of seniors, including state champion Alan Ikehara and state runner-up Kayed Rodrigues.
Madriaga lost to then-Keaau senior Zephaniah Pavao in the BIIF judo finals last year in the heavyweight division, and he was BIIF runner-up in wrestling to Kealakehe’s Aaron Arellano at 220 in February. Madriaga and Arellano could meet up again at the judo championships.
With four judoka, Waveriders coach Cole Salera doesn’t have the depth that the Kealakehe boys wrestling team did in winning BIIFs, but he called Arellano the best contender of his bunch.
Hilo’s Cody Minemoto has dropped divisions since taking bronze at 198 last season behind two judoka who have graduated. Minemoto won both his matches by ippon at Keaau.
“He’s expected to play very high,” Vikings coach Jacob Shon said. “He can take it.”
Another Vikings to watch is Kolton Pang, the BIIF wrestling champ at 120, while the Cougars’ most experienced judoka is Tyler Beyer.
Konawaena doesn’t return any 2014 champions, though coach Rodney Branco does welcome back Lihau Matsuoka, who won a title two years ago. He also likes the progress made by junior Kawika Lawrence, a second-year judoka.
The Wildcats have only one female judoka, and Branco said most of his boys are bunched together in similar weight classes, which isn’t a good formula to compete for a team title.
“We’ll have a hard time against Hilo and Waiakea because they have full squads and veteran teams,” Branco said. “They’re the front-runners.”
The Vikings will try to defend their girls title behind a pair of decorated performers. Katie Funai is a reigning BIIF champion in judo (115) and wrestling and Marissa Guerra is a two-time BIIF judo champ (122) and joined Araki in taking bronze at the state wrestling meet. Also back for Hilo is Kassandra Tongapalan, who was fourth at the state judo meet last season at 139.
“It could go either way at this point,” Shon said in handicapping the team race between Hilo and Waiakea.
Salera said most of the Waveriders’ eight girls are novices , but he likes the potential shown by Teura Slade (108).