WRESTLING ROLLS INTO CHRISTMAS WEEK

By Paradis Fejerang

Rolling into the holiday season, the ‘23-’24 ISA Wrestling saw its fourth wrestling weekend with two sites located at Guam High’s gymnasium and FD’s Jungle.

Tiyan, Southern, Okkodo, and Father Duenas met up at the FD location for their respective meets. It was a successful day for the Southern Dolphins and FD/ND teams as their meets, Southern against Tiyan followed by Okkodo and FD/ND against Okkodo followed by Tiyan, all resulted in wins for their male and female teams. 

Wrestlers of the Meets: The Okkodo Captain & Southern’s First-Time Wrestler

Ian Kim

Senior and captain of the Okkodo Bulldogs, Ian Kim’s electrifying match that earned him the title of Player of the Meet was during his match for the 182 lb. weight class against reigning champion, Father Duenas Friar Tristan Burgos.

Burgos and Kim have shaken hands on the mats before, most significantly during last year’s championship match for their weight division. Kim unfortunately lost that match and was only able to reach a silver placement in comparison to Burgos’ gold for the season, but is proud of how he performed today against the same competitor. 

Keeping his focus on himself for weigh-ins and pre-match, Kim was unaware that he would be having a rematch with Burgos until he looked up to see his opponent stepping onto the mat. Quickly getting over any nerves, Kim knew that his coaches would tell him to not care who his opposition is and wrestle his best no matter what.

With much of the crowd being returning audience members from last season, the gym seemed to perk up in anticipation to see what would happen after the athletes shook hands and the whistle blew. 

The match wasn’t just a simple proof of growth for Kim, but a great feat as he dominated the match by points to eventually accomplish a pin against his competitor in the second round.

“I feel amazing. It’s a big improvement for me and my wrestling that I was able to overcome someone I couldn’t beat last year,” Kim shares as he acknowledges the advances in his technique since his junior year loss to Burgos and goes on to recognize his new mentors this year. “My coaches Gavin and Josh are really pushing me in a way I’ve never been pushed before.”

“I’m going to go in and do the same thing [I did today]. Hopefully, I place number one,” Kim states in response to how he’ll approach those final matches to get to the gold.

After today, Kim has a clean 8 – 0 record for the season.

Tristan Acfalle

Junior at Southern High, but first-year wrestler Tristan Acfalle proved how useful hard work and a strong spirit can be against someone with more experience than you when he wrestled Okkodo Bulldog Keowanie Boretta.

Already familiar with each other due to Boretta’s former enrollment at Southern High and the two boys being teammates during the rugby season, Acfalle had a feeling this match was coming and that it would be a lot of work.

Acfalle jests about how he had seen Boretta earlier in the season and just recognizing Boretta’s skill level got into his head. “I was a bit nervous…I was like, ‘Damn, this is going to be a tough match.’”

As today was finally the day for the two of them to shake hands on the mat competing in the 170 lb. weight class, it was clear to the fans watching that of the athletes, Boretta came with much more experience in the sport. 

Displaying his technique early on in the match, Boretta had completed two takedowns before Acfalle could find his footing. However, into the second round when Acfalle’s mind seemed to clear and he was settling into the match, there was a sudden change in energy as Acfalle began to take charge of the mat.

With Acfalle controlling the match well into the third round, Boretta suffered a penalty for stalling as the crowd grew more immersed and time dwindled down for the underdog in the lead.

Even with Boretta’s reversal out of Acfalle’s offensive position before the match-ending whistle blew, it wasn’t enough for him to have his hand raised with a final score of 9 – 7 in Acfalle’s favor. 

“I’m always nervous. I guess I downplay myself a lot, but once I get onto the mat, I flow,” granting a moment of vulnerability, Acfalle shares that he experiences uneasiness before every match and especially this one. “Today it was the same. Once I stepped onto the mat, all the nervousness went away.”

Excited for his first all-island meet, Acfalle is looking forward to how this first season in wrestling will end and expects to do well for himself with plans of returning to the sport in his senior year.

Final Scores

Tiyan v. Southern (female)

Southern 36 – 23 Tiyan

235: SHS Daesha Fernandez (12); Forfeit

97: THS Arora Villaverde (9); Forfeit

102: THS Reana Sanchez (11); Forfeit

107: THS Keira Perez (12); Forfeit

113: SHS Bonita Taijeron (11) over THS Lucia Lowe (9); Fall @ 1 min, 11 secs

126: THS Mackenzie F. over SHS Gabrielle SanNicolas (12); Technical Fall in the second round

134: SHS Deajah Santos (11); Forfeit

143: SHS Jodee Taimanglo (9); Forfeit

155: SHS Skylar Nangauta (11); Forfeit

168: SHS Noka Lokeijak (9); Forfeit

(male)

Southern 66 – 22 Tiyan

126: THS Christian Valencia (11) over SHS Aiden Jesus (9); Fall @ 2 mins, 38 secs

132: THS Ian Santos (12) over SHS Jayden Quintanilla (10); Decision 11 – 3

138: SHS Jathan Augon; Forfeit

145: SHS Colin Naputi (12) over THS Caelan Borja (9); Fall @ 1 min, 23 seconds

152: SHS Eiden Retuyan (10) over THS Zachary Mendiola (12); Fall @ 1 min, 5 secs

160: SHS Tyler Crisostomo (12) over THS Craig Mafnas (12); Fall @ 1 min

170: SHS Tristan Acfalle (11); Forfeit

182: SHS Vaughn Cabrera (12); Forfeit

195: THS Gionno Masga (11) over SHS Cameron Tainatongo (11); Fall @ 2 mins, 26 secs

220: SHS Michael Jesus (12) over THS Jhett Villanueva (11); Fall @ 3 mins, 48 secs

285: THS Ty Samilliano (9) over SHS Javin Meno (10); Fall @ 1 min, 46 secs

106: SHS Kekoa Duenas (9); Forfeit

113: SHS Tano Duenas (11); Forfeit

120: SHS Ethan Topasna (11); Forfeit

Okkodo vs. Notre Dame (female)

Notre Dame 45 – 6 Okkodo

97: ND Joie Santos (12) over OHS Adriana Valera; Fall @ 2 mins

107: ND Tori DeBold (12) over OHS Keani Boretta; Fall @ 1 min, 37 secs

113: ND Chloe Taijeron (10) over OHS He’vea Santos; Decision 9 – 6

119: ND Celistina Aguon (10); Forfeit

126: ND Sophia Kelly (11); Forfeit

134: ND Cadence Horton (10) over OHS Alaehja Giltharngan; Fall @ 30 secs

143: OHS Maileah Laureano; Forfeit

168: ND Mia Naputi (12); Forfeit

184: ND Khloe Blas (10); Forfeit

Okkodo vs. Father Duenas

Father Duenas 65 – 12 Okkodo

132: FD Su’anu Duenas (12); Forfeit

138: FD Nathan Balbin (12); Forfeit

145: FD Sebastian-Sean Riley (12); Forfeit

152: OHS Jake Littlejohn; Forfeit

160: FD Giovanni Palad; Forfeit

170: FD Noah Garrido (12) over OHS Keowanie Boretta; Technical Fall in the third round

182: OHS Ian Kim (12) over FD Tristan Burgos; Fall @ 2 mins, 22 secs

195: FD Rylan Stanley over OHS Roman Chinen; Fall @ 1 min, 48 secs

220: FD Adrien Bordallo; Forfeit

285: FD Mason Taijeron over OHS Ashton Toves; Fall @ 49 secs

106: FD Elijah Ilagan over OHS Tyler Cruz; Fall @ 1 min, 47 secs

113: FD Caiden Alferos; Forfeit

120: FD Kyler Gambala; Forfeit

Southern vs. Okkodo (female)

Southern 39 – 18 Okkodo

235: SHS Daesha Fernandez (12); Forfeit

97: OHS Adriana Valera; Forfeit

107: OHS Keani Boretta; Forfeit

113: SHS Bonita Taijeron (11) over OHS He’vea Santos; Decision 6 – 3

119: SHS Gabrielle SanNicolas (12); Forfeit

126: SHS Dianna Appleby (9); Forfeit

134: SHS Deajah Santos (11) over OHS Alaehja Giltharngan; Fall @ 3 mins, 51 secs

143: OHS Maileah Laureano over SHS Jodee Taimanglo (9); Fall @ 5 mins, 27 secs

155: SHS Skylar Nangauta (11); Forfeit

168: SHS Noka Lokeijak (9); Forfeit

(male)

Southern 55 – 21 Okkodo

138: SHS Collin Naputi (12); Forfeit

145: SHS Feliz Cruz (9); Forfeit

152: SHS Eiden Retuyan (10) over OHS Jake Littlejohn; Major Decision 11 – 1

160: SHS Tyler Crisostomo (12); Forfeit

170: SHS Tristan Acfalle (11) over OHS Keowanie Boretta; Decision 9 – 7

182: SHS Vaughn Cabrera (12) over OHS Christopher Toves; Fall @ 49 secs

195: OHS Ian Kim (12) over SHS Cameron Tainatongo (11); Fall @ 1 min, 40 secs

220: SHS Michael Jesus (12) over OHS Roman Chinen; Fall @ 14 secs

285: OHS Ashton Toves over SHS Javin Meno (10); Fall @ 1 min, 42 secs

106: OHS Tyler Cruz over SHS Kekoa Duenas (9); Decision 8 – 3

113: SHS Tano Duenas (11); Forfeit

120: SHS Ethan Topasna (11); Forfeit

126: SHS Aiden Jesus (9); Forfeit

132: SHS Jayden Quintanilla (10); Forfeit

Tiyan vs. Notre Dame (female)

Notre Dame 42 – 6 Tiyan

107: ND Tori DeBold (12) over THS Keira Perez (12); Fall @ 1 min

113: ND Alieah Garrido (10) over THS Lucia Lowe (9); Fall @ 2 mins, 27 secs

119: ND Chloe Taijeron (10); Forfeit

126: ND Celistina Aguon (10) over THS Mackenzie F.; Decision 7 – 6

134: ND Cadence Horton (10); Forfeit

168: ND Mia Naputi (12); Forfeit

184: ND Khloe Blas (10); Forfeit

97: THS Arora Villaverde (9); Forfeit

102: ND Joie Santos (12) over THS Reana Sanchez (11); Decision 10 – 6

Tiyan vs. Father Duenas

Father Duenas 65 – 6 Tiyan

120: FD Caiden Alferos; Forfeit

126: FD Kyler Gambala over THS Kanen Arceo (10); Fall @ 5 mins, 51 secs

132: THS Ian Santos over FD Jake Materne; Fall @ 2 mins, 52 secs

138: FD Blade Dawson; Forfeit

145: FD Nathan Balbin (12) over THS Raynard Tongohan (12); Decision 9 – 7

152: FD Sebastian-Sean Riley (12) over THS Zachary Mendiola (12); Major Decision 13 – 5

160: FD Giovanni Palad over THS Craig Mafnas (12); Fall @ 49 secs

170: FD Noah Garrido (12); Forfeit

182: FD Rylan Stanley; Forfeit

195: FD Tristan Burgos over THS Gionno Masga (11); Major Decision 12 – 2

220: FD Adrien Bordallo over THS Jhett Villanueva (11); Fall @ 1 min, 1 sec

285: FD Mason Taijeron over THS Ty Samilliano (9); 3 mins, 8 secs

106: FD Elijah Ilagan; Forfeit

Final Meet & Championship

The final regular season meet will take place on Saturday, January 6 after an allotted week off from matches for the wrestlers to enjoy their holidays. 

On January 6, the JFK site will host Southern, GW, and FD/ND. Meanwhile, the Tiyan site will host Okkodo, Sanchez, and Guam High. Matches for both sites are set to begin at 10am.

For the Championships, a coaches meeting will take place on Tuesday, January 9 in which the locations of the weigh-ins/meet will be decided on.

Female weigh-ins for all-island are scheduled for Thursday, January 11 at 4 pm.

Male weigh-ins are set to take place the day after the female’s on Friday, January 12 at 4 pm. The start of the All-Island championship matches will begin once weigh-ins are completed. The All-Island championships will conclude on Saturday, January 13, beginning at 9 am.

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