Thrice is nice. The Moanalua girls wrestling team won its third straight title over the weekend at the Texaco/HHSSA state wrestling champsionship tournament at the Cannon Activities Center in Laie. 

Sky Ramos (105 pounds) Kaitlyn Fong (110 pounds, Nahenahe Kalamau (125 pounds), and  Zaira Sugui (155 pounds)  took first in their weight categories. Kalei Yasumura (140 pounds) and Nohi Kukonu (145 pounds) came in second in their divisions. Together the team earned 238.5 points, far ahead of second place finishers Kamehameha Schools at 157 points.

“This was all about hard work” Fong told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in an article that was published Feb. 26.

Fong said she dedicated herself to the sport after struggling as a sophomore. She was proud to have found success as a senior.

“I’ve been wrestling my whole life, and I was looking forward to this moment,” Kalamau said in the same article.

Sugui thanked her parents and coaches for all their support “on and off the mat.” Ramos said winning felt “amazing” after all the years of training.

Junior Tyger Taam also three-peated in the boys’ 138 pound division, defeating Mililani’s Koen Shigemoto. Even though Taam was the only Moanalua wrestler to make it to the final round, the team overall was able to clinch third place behind Kamehameha Schools and Saint Louis School.

“All the hard work and all the cutting weight led to that moment,” Taam said in the same Honolulu Star-Advertiser interview.

This win brings Head Coach Sean Sakaida’s total state titles to a lucky 13.