Zeller scores upset for Campbell in state girls wrestling semifinals

Feb. 25—The finals are set in the girls portion of the Texaco State Wrestling Championships at the Cannon Activity Center in Laie, and the Campbell Sabers came to play.

Junior Kaylie Zeller struck the first blow of the semifinal round for the Sabers, sticking Moanalua's Adriana Doang in 4 minutes, 49 seconds and ruining the sophomore's slam hopes.

Zeller, who took sixth at last year's state tournament at 97 pounds, was unseeded and needed to win in overtime just to get to the semis. She will meet Waiakea sophomore Shaniah Ferreira in the final round, which is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.

While Zeller took care of business in the first semifinal of the day, sophomore teammate Zoe Ahue-Bolosan pulled off an upset in the last one. She beat top-seeded senior Teizanna Paleafei of Farrington in the 235 semi and will face Pearl City's Serenia Meredith later today. In between, the Sabers' Bethany Chargualaf won one of the most anticipated matches of the semis. She took out Lahainaluna's Catherine Asami 4-2 in a 170 semi with two points in the third period to break a deadlock at 170 pounds. Things won't get any easier in the final, as she faces Pahoa senior Jezney Chang, who pinned all three of her opponents in this tournament and took second at states last year.

All of the other top seeds are into the final, including Pearl City's Taydem Uyemura. The junior has lost in the past two state finals but looks dominant this time around with two first-period pins and an early win over Hilo senior Maile Hunter when Uyemura caught her in a chicken wing and the Viking couldn't continue. Uyemura will meet Baldwin's Teata Mata'afa-Grove in her third attempt at state glory.

"I think I really progressed in the last few years," Uyemura said. "Honestly, now I can have fun with this, it is not so much pressure any more. Last year's loss (to Jax Realin of Kamehameha) bothered me. The first one I was still young and really immature, so it was just another match. "

Mikala Abe is the only other Pearl City girl to lose in three state finals. Uyemura has two more years to take the next step.

Baldwin's Sanairee Hasegawa upset Punahou's Tatiana Paragas at 120 pounds to reach the final. Paragas was second in the state last year at 107 pounds. Hasegawa is a freshman.

Kahuku's Maia Esera is still on track for her third state championship in three years. Kamehameha's Sky Realin, Kapolei's Eloise Woolsey and Nohilani Kukonu are one match away from repeating.

Finals matchups are:

100 pounds: Kaylie Zeller (Campbell) vs. Shaniah-Lee Ferreira (Waiakea)

105: Sky Ramos (Moanalua) vs. Emma-Grace Cabinian (Leilehua)

110: Kaitlyn Fong (Moanalua) vs. Anela Hokoana (Kamehameha)

115: Elle Mizue (Iolani) vs. Joy Jeremiah (Kamehameha)

120: Rylie Nishida (Kamehameha) vs. Sanairee Hasegawa (Baldwin)

125: Siana Boaz-Vasquez (Lahainaluna) vs. Nahenahe Kalamau (Moanalua)

130: Jax Realin (Kamehameha) vs. Crystin-Dior Treu (Lahainaluna)

135: Taydem Uyemura (Pearl City) vs. Te'ata Mata'afa Grove (Baldwin)

140: Eloise Woolsey (Kapolei) vs. Kaleialohamaikalani Yasumura (Moanalua)

145: Nohilani Kukonu (Moanalua) vs. Jahlia Miguel (Baldwin)

155: Zaira Sugui (Moanalua) vs. Leila Esera (Kahuku)

170: Jezney Chang (Pahoa) vs. Bethany Chargualaf (Campbell)

190: Maia Esera (Kahuku) vs. Janelle Mattos (Waipahu)

235: Serenia Meredith (Pearl City) vs. Zoe Ahue-Bolosan (Campbell)