WRESTLING TEAMS START TO FILL OUT

By Paradis Jolie Fejerang

It was a Mangilao wrestling Saturday as the ISA/IIAAG season rolled into its second week with dual meets at both Father Duenas’ Phoenix Center and George Washington High School. With more rosters filled out and football players back in the mix, this weekend’s bouts carried more intensity, more matchups, and a few early-season statement wins.

‘Royal Friars’ v. Bulldogs

At the Phoenix Center, the defending champions for both males and females — the Father Duenas Friars and Notre Dame Royals — picked up right where they left off, continuing their winning run from opening weekend. The combined FD/ND squad battled the Okkodo Bulldogs in the morning’s first dual, securing another sweep with the Friar boys winning 51–28 and the Royal girls edging out a competitive 36–27 victory.

The Royals’ win came hard-fought, as Okkodo’s lineup proved they weren’t intimidated by the reigning champs. The highlight came in the 143 weight class., where Bulldog Maileah Laureano outlasted Royal Kayla McIntosh in a grueling six-minute showdown that ended 12–9 in Laureano’s favor. Aside from their 143lb setback, the Royals earned two first-period pins that set the tone for their overall team win — Ana Lacado (102 lbs.) and Khloe Blas (168 lbs.) both made quick work of their opponents, Magari Aflleje and Chloe Cananan.

On the boys’ side, FD wasted no time asserting control. Sophomore 106-pounder Kole Gambala kicked off the Friars’ scoring with a 15-second pin over Okkodo’s Xavier Hidalgo. Gambala’s crowd-pumping start didn’t let the Bulldogs falter, however, as their 120lb. Tyler Cruz stood out by securing a major decision over Friar Massimo Borja. The tightest match of the morning came at 182 lbs., where Friar Cole Brub secured a 1-0 decision win over Bulldog Luis Dela Cruz with the singular point coming from a late penalty committed by Dela Cruz within the final two minutes of the match.

GW site: Islanders v. Panthers & Sharks v. Geckos

Over at George Washington High, the action stayed steady through to the afternoon as the John F. Kennedy Islanders faced the Guam High Panthers, followed by the Simon Sanchez Sharks taking on the host Geckos.

During the dual-meet between JFK and Guam High, both schools walked away with a split — the Panthers taking the girls’ win while the Islanders captured the boys’. The girls’ matches were brief but explosive: Guam High’s Leyla Araya (113 lbs.) scored a first-period pin over JFK’s Ariah Pangelinan, while JFK’s Elyana Cruz (119 lbs.) immediately evened things out with her own first-round pin against Panther Leilah Green. Without the impact of forfeits, the two teams would have finished the meet with a tie — proving that both rosters have solid contenders early in the season.

The final dual of the day saw the Simon Sanchez Sharks take the win over the George Washington Geckos, with team scores of 42–36 for the boys and 24–16 for the girls. Despite the official losses on paper, the Geckos actually won the majority of contested matches at both levels, with forfeits ultimately swinging the overall score.

For the girls, three of five matches went GW’s way, including a formidable performance by 97-pounder Destiny Cruz, who controlled her bout from start to finish against Sanchez’s Ehvalene Marques. Cruz’s constant pressure and near-fall points kept the crowd engaged as she closed out a dominant 10-point win to end the female side of the dual.

The Gecko boys’ roster saw a boost since football season ended with Geckos still reveling in their championship victory last weekend. The Gecko energy was up, with four of six matches going GW’s way. The championship’s Player of the Game, Rayn Rios, went as far as asking to bump up from his regular 195 to the 220lb. weight class just to ensure he’d have a match rather than a forfeit. As hoped, his gamble paid off when he delivered a decisive pin in 2:23, reminding the crowd that he is a former wrestling ‘MVP’ titleholder as well.

Upcoming Dual-Meets

The season’s momentum now shifts into midweek competition, with one of only two Wednesday meets on the calendar happening this Wednesday, November 12. Okkodo will take the hosting role for JFK, Tiyan, and Sanchez, while Father Duenas will once again open its doors but this time for Southern, GW, and Guam High. With teams rounding into shape and new rivalries emerging, the ISA/IIAAG wrestling season is just starting to heat up.

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