LIHU‘E — Coming on the heels of the Young Guns Wrestling Clinic led by Jody Strittmatter, the post-clinic wrestling match and Kaua‘i Police Activities League wrestling championships on Saturday attracted a good number of participants to the old Kaua‘i High School gym.
“There were 42 wrestlers competing in age groups from 4 to 17 years old, and weighing in at 34 to 225 pounds,” said retired Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation Wrestling Director Mac Pigott. “The wrestlers competed in 45 matches across 16 scrambled division in the first time KIF Tournament Director Julia Matseshe ran the tournament in a digital format on her own.”
Pigott said last June, Matseshe helped direct the Sam Silva Memorial tournament with the Trackwrestling software, learning from the O‘ahu representative who came to help Kaua‘i. For the Saturday match, Matseshe was on her own.
“I am pleased to see the KIF Wrestling league progress and modernize with the Trackwrestling tournament software, Julia’s new tournament directing really enhances the experience for the student athletes and their families,” Pigott said.
“Now, anyone can follow the KIF tournaments online from anywhere in the world. Results are broken down by team, individual, or divisions. Stats including fastest fall, most fall, most points, are just a couple of key strokes away.”
During the boys tournament, Kobe Lewis of Waimea High School got the fastest pin at 44 seconds; Ian Cook of Kapa‘a got the most pins in the least time with three pins in 4 minutes, 29 seconds. On the girls mat, Bella Kellerman of Kaua‘i High School and Kailee Brunssen of Waimea High School finished tied for the most total match points at 13 each. The fastest pin belonged to Hailee Racca at just 21 seconds.
“Saturday was the last tournament for the youth this year, as high school wrestling starts up across the state,” Pigott said. “The first major Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association tournament is just three weeks away with the 55th Garner Ivey Invitational on Maui.”
Starting in December, KIF wrestlers will be involved in several different preseason events before the KIF league tournaments start on Jan. 13, 2024, at the new Kaua‘i High School gymnasium.
