Riding out an emotional wave that carried them through the season, Kahuku ran away with its fourth Chevron /Hawai'i High School Athletic Association Girls Wrestling Championship in seven years yesterday at Blaisdell Arena.

The Red Raiders finished with a team total of 152.5 points, easily outdistancing runner-up 'Iolani (106). Punahou (85) finished third, followed by Kamehameha (84), Baldwin (71), Kamehameha-Maui (68.5), Campbell (66), Kapolei and Pearl City (64 each) and Farrington (60).

Kahuku coach Reggie Torres said the Red Raiders dedicated their season to assistant coach Warner Pukahi Jr., who died of an aneurism on Nov. 10 at age 44.

"It motivated all of us, because we knew that even though he isn't here with us physically, he was here spiritually," said Torres, who also worked side-by-side with Pukahi coaching Kahuku's JV football team for 10 years. "Our kids went out there believing that. He was a teddy bear, but he also was all about ruggedness. In high school, his nickname was 'Rocky.' With him, it wasn't about wins or losses, it was about giving your best, never giving up and being happy, enjoying what you were doing.

"Thinking about him, that was our drive this year."

The Red Raiders had two individual champions — Danica Auna at 120 pounds and Amanda Soliai at 155.

Auna won the 2007 state title at 125 pounds but dropped down to 120 this season and lost to Kalani's Megan Yamaguchi in last week's O'ahu Interscholastic Association finals. Auna avenged that loss yesterday by pinning Yamaguchi at 4:28.

Soliai completed a perfect season by pinning Melody Aoki of St. Francis in 21 seconds. Torres said Soliai pinned every one of her opponents this season, except for an exhibition loss.

Kahuku also got runner-up finishes from Kalae Johnson at 108 pounds, Cianah Hee at 125 and Anela Santiago at 130, plus a fifth-place finish by Chelsy Eugenio at 114 and a sixth-place finish by Andrina Ramos at 103.

"We had a good team meeting Thursday night," Torres said. "We talked about what the other state championship teams had, and a lot of things were similar with this team. Those other teams were always close, and so is this team. We had great leaders. They all were not just good wrestlers, but good students, good kids with good work ethics.

"It was a coach's dream."

Farrington senior Tani Ader joined an elite group by becoming only the ninth girl in the 11-year history of the tournament to win three individual state championships. She won at 114 pounds as a sophomore, 120 pounds last year and 125 pounds yesterday, defeating Kahuku's Hee, 12-3.

"I feel really honored, there's no words to express it," Ader said. "It was my dream ever since eighth grade to win a state title, so it feels good getting this special recognition."

Like the Red Raiders, Ader said she drew inspiration from a former coach who was there in spirit. Sandy Obra, who guided the Governors to the 2004 state title, died suddenly and unexpectedly in September 2005.

"Every time I lace up my wrestling shoes, I think about him," Ader said. "He inspired me to win."

Ader said she also was inspired by the memory of former teammate Malia Segundo, who passed away last September.

'Iolani senior Megan Morisada was denied a chance to join Ader and the others in the three-title club when she lost to Punahou freshman Chrissy Chow in yesterday's 114 final.

After a scoreless first period, Morisada took a 2-0 lead on a takedown with 1:40 remaining in the second, but Chow closed it to 2-1 on an escape 37 seconds later. Chow then took a 3-2 lead on a reversal with 1:13 remaining and held on for the victory.

"It feels good, it was my goal," said Chow, whose brother Daniel won his third individual state title later last night. "That last minute, I was just trying to ride her out and keep her down."

Morisada had won the 108-pound title in 2006 and the 114 crown last year.

In other notable finals, 'Iolani's Keiko Akamine repeated as state champion at 103 pounds, edging Kamehameha's Macy Yonamine, 4-2.

And 'Iolani's Olivia Fatongia won the 220-pound title by pinning Radford's Brayanne Moe at 2:12, after finishing second to four-time champion Hoku Nohara the past two years.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.