Lee’s Trojans Ready To Hit Mats At State Championships
By Jack Danilewicz
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Without good teammates, the mat can be a lonely place for a wrestler. Mililani head coach Dr. Sam Lee makes sure that is never an issue with his boys.
“We’re a team on and off of the mat,” said Lee, who is in his 20th season at the school.“You’re all alone on the mat. We have good camaraderie - they’re real supportive of each other.”
To that end, success fuels the progression, and the Trojans were right on schedule last week as they prepared for the OIA championships. The stakes are even higher this weekend as the team readies itself for the state wrestling championships at Blaisdell Arena. Lee expected as many as seven to possibly qualify for the state meet.
The Trojans entered the post season all ready with work well-done, having taken third in league’s ultra-competitive Red West race in mid-February. They were edged out of the team title by first-place Pearl City and runner-up Campbell, but had a strong showing with Jasyn Inciong (98 pounds), Cody Uyejo (114), Nainoa Tompkins (120) and Chase Tantog (125) all winning individual Red West titles in their respective weight classes.
“We have high expectations for them all,” said Lee, who is assisted by coach John Robinson. “We’re where we want to be as far as our goals and accomplishments (to date). We expect to be competitive at the state (meet).”
As Lee scans his lineup card, the word “coachable” is a recurring term when describing his wrestlers, beginning with Inciong, one of several seniors.“He’s a good example of an overachiever. He’s not overly talented, but he keeps working at it, and he is very coachable.”
Uyejo and Tantog are sophomores and will be team leaders in their next two seasons of eligibility.“Cody is very athletic, and he has a good sense of balance. He has good hand-eye coordination, which is very good at this stage (as a second-year wrestler at the varsity level). He is very well-coordinated.
“Chase is kind of a hot and cold wrestler,” he added. “When he is on, he is on.”
Also positioning themselves for strong finishes were Kelii Kwon (145; 2nd), Joseph Lizama (130; 3rd), and Brian McArthur (135; 5th). Lee hoped all three would qualify for the state meet with solid performances last weekend at the OIA championships.
As in the Red West, Lee was expecting parity to be the order of the day last weekend in the OIA finals. The top six finishers in each weight class were to earn spots in this weekend’s state finals.
“The road will be arduous,” he said late last week on the eve of the OIA finals. “The East (competitors) will be very competitive.”
Preliminary rounds for the state meet begin at 10 a.m. Friday. The semifinals and championship rounds are set for Saturday, beginning also at 10 a.m.
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