Most of the Lahainaluna High School wrestling team has come through the Maui Style program with the Lahaina Roughnecks and Napili Surfriders.

LAHAINA – The Spartan, cramped wrestling room above the floor at the Jimmie H. Greig Gymnasium on the Lahainaluna High School campus is highlighted by a board of champions that honors the state titlists over the past half-decade. The names and championships won in that 50-year span cast a continuous beacon of inspiring light over the training mats for the program that pushes the student-athletes to new heights every winter.

Led by veteran co-head coaches Todd Hayase and Conrad Bolor, the Luna grapplers roll into the 2019-20 season on their drive to stay at the top of the Maui Interscholastic League standings and then into the Hawaii High School Athletic Association State Tournament.

Lahainaluna has won 13 of the last 14 boys MIL championships, top five finishes at states in that span and a state title in 2015. The girls have eight MIL championship belts and state trophies for 2015 and 2017.

“This is really an exciting year for us,” said Coach Todd from his counselor’s office at Lahaina Intermediate School last week. “We are a really young team this year. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have wrestling experience, as most of the team has come through the Maui Style program with the Lahaina Roughnecks and the Napili Surfriders. But as a high school team, we have a lot of younger wrestlers on the roster.”

Hayase and Bolor are assisted by a seasoned staff that includes Neal Nakata, Kim Ball, Zane Monteleone, Shane Cunanan, Donovan Seino, Sheldon Tateyama, Junior Boy Bolor, Zeff Dudoit, Nao Ah Puck and Keaka Kuaana. The team managers are Jasmyne Imamoto and Jenavieve Jackson.

Leading the 2019-20 charge are senior captains Nanea Estrella and Jesse “Fatty” Dudoit, and juniors Cael Yasutake and Kanoa Lanoza. They are all returning MIL champs and top placers at the state tournament, with Estrella a three-time HSAA titlist.

Other returning MIL champions include Alicia Frank, Shannon Jaramillo (2019 state champion) and Fayannie Rosario. Lanoza, Fatty Dudoit, Lydia Dudoit, Frank and Yasutake are all returning state placers from last season.

The team traveled to Oahu last week for the final tune-ups for the season at the Officials Tournament and the Paani Girls Tournament. Lahainaluna hosted the Garner Ivey Maui Invitational the week before at Lahaina Civic Center.

The MIL regular season begins on Jan. 4, the MIL Championships take place on Feb. 8, and the HHSAA State Wrestling Championships will be held on Feb. 19-20 at the Neil Blaisdell Center in Honolulu.

“This team really has a great attitude, and they work really hard and appreciate their effort. Also, our sincere mahalo to Lahainaluna – the staff and A.D. Scott Soldwisch and the trainers; and to the Luna wrestling ohana, the parents, families; and also to Kaanapali Beach Hotel; Kimo’s Restaurant; Starbucks Cannery Mall; Lappert’s Ice Cream; John Alexander and CJ Casco at the Lahainaluna Cafeteria; the Ah Puck ohana; Kai and Lani Keahi; and the Royal Lahaina Resort. Thank you all for your support,” concluded Coach Hayase.