St. Mary’s delivered a strong performance at the CAJ Invitational this weekend, finishing second overall in a very competitive field right behind Kinnick. What made the result even more impressive was that the Titans were missing several weight classes and did not have a full lineup, yet still managed to stay near the top of the standings.
Even with the gaps the Titans came thorught with three individual champions. Zen (160 lbs) dominated his bracket with confidence and controlled wrestling. Ponappa Karthachira (107 lbs) continued his strong season with fast technical wins with his
headlock. Ryan Murase (121 lbs) also claimed gold battling through a tough bracket to secure him a top spot on the podium.
The titans also earned several important podium finishes that boosted their score. Jiei Kawamatsu (285 lbs) and Jimin Kim(215 lbs) both took second place going through physical matches in the upper weight classes. Max Long (139 lbs), Kentaro Yamauchi (172 lbs), and Kei Fujita (189 lbs) each fought their way to third place adding valuable points to the team total.
In the girls’ division, Seisen placed second finishing just behind Kinnick. Their results are the effect of Mr. Yabui’s effective and hard practices. Despite not having a complete roster the Titans proved they remain one of the most competitive teams in Kanto and with more wrestlers returning in future tournaments St. Mary’s looks ready to build on this momentum as the season continues.
