KEAAU – The quantity vs. quality dynamic at the BIIF team championships isn’t new, but Kamehameha coach Sean Shinjo sums it up nicely.
“It’s always a numbers’ game. If you put up 10 girls, they could all be junk,” he said. “I could put up the four best girls, and I’m going to lose every time.”
That’s not an apt comparison to this season, but Waiakea coach Jason Tanaka knows the sentiment. His Warriors boys and girls earned top seeds entering Saturday’s team finals at Konawaena, despite being slightly undermanned compared to their prime competition.
“I think our quality is better,” Tanaka said. “We’re not the clear-cut No. 1. We still have a lot work to do. I’m still going to push them though we’re seeded No. 1.”
Defending girls champion Keaau, the second seed, brought the biggest contingent to last Saturday’s dual meet at Kamehameha, with nine judoka.
After one match, coach Davida Caves gathered the Cougars together and asked them to sit in the stands and root on the boys squad, thus giving Keaau one of the larger cheering sections at Koaia Gym. All told, Keaau has 37 judoka.
“Our kids recruited each other,” Caves said. “I didn’t have to do anything.”
Said Shinjo: “To me, Keaau is the favorite, because the numbers they have. Pound for pound, I think Waiakea has the best girls.”
Which is not to say the Cougars don’t have top-end talent. Returning BIIF champions Ivory Ayers (172 pounds) and Ebony Ayers (220) each have placed at the HHSAA judo championships during their careers, and Mikele Pokakaa (122) also claimed a league crown last season.
Caves said all three were progressing nicely, giving a nod to her depth.
“It’s the new ones that are really doing better than expected,” she said. “For me, it’s about individual character building. It’s not about winning first, as long as we’re building character.
“Waiakea is really strong. They are not easy.”
Waiakea beat Keaau earlier this season with the help of returning BIIF champions LiAnn Yamamoto (103) and Kyana Shimabuku (115).
Not to put too much pressure on Shimabuku, but Tanaka targeted her possible matchup with Pokakaa as crucial to a Waiakea victory.
“That will be the deciding match,” Tanaka said.
On the boys side, he said five-time defending champion Waiakea would be able to compete in seven of 10 matches Saturday, while second-seeded Konawaena and third-seeded Hilo each could fill nine.
The individual championships follow April 23 at Waiakea. Among the top clashes could be between Hilo’s Seth Fukushima and Kamehameha’s Joyden Madriaga at 220.
On Saturday, Madriaga outlasted Fukushima, who drew too many penalties, evening the score at 1-1. Fukushima threw Madriaga earlier in the season, winning by ippon.
“Joyden played that match as best he could,” Shinjo said. “Joyden is a little smaller, and he had to use whatever advantage he could.”
