Kadena's Isaiah Kahl takes control over Kinnick's Brady Mauldin at 152 pounds. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa — Isaiah Kahl had won his first five bouts in a Kadena wrestling uniform.
Things were looking mighty good for the junior transfer from Murrieta, Calif., as he got set to wrestle in the Rumble on the Rock final against Okinawan Yukiharu Kinjo on Dec. 13.
Kahl did not win. He lost in an 11-0 technical fall at 152 pounds to his Japanese opponent.
But Kahl got something he called much more valuable — lessons that made him a better wrestler as the season went along.
“He was really strong and aggressive and he caught me off guard,” Kahl said of Kinjo. “It was an awakening for me. For new opportunities and to get better, which meant I had to work harder to get better.”
It was what the Rumble experience taught him, Kahl said, and what his coach, Joey Wood, told him after that finals bout.
“Keep my head up,” Kahl said of Wood’s post-bout instructions. “That I shouldn’t focus on that match – learn from it, yes – but to look forward and focus on what’s to come. I improved by being more aware and tried not to get caught off guard. Stay focused any way I can.”
And get better he did, only losing once more the rest of the season. Kahl captured the 152-pound Far East weight class on Feb. 3, pinning Brady Mauldin of Nile C. Kinnick in 1 minute, 50 seconds.
For all that, plus helping Kadena sweeping both the individual freestyle and dual-meet banners, Kahl has been named Stars and Stripes Pacific’s wrestling Athlete of the Year.
Kahl transferred from a district in California where he wrestled collegiate folkstyle and had to learn some new things when stepping on the mats on Okinawa.
“I like freestyle,” Kahl said of a style that emphasizes throws and high-point turns, rather than technique as folkstyle emphasizes. “The turns are different here; you can get up to four points in freestyle. I was asking, ‘Oh, can you do that?’ when I first got here.”
“He’s an intuitive wrestler,” Wood said of Kahl.
Kahl’s only defeat after Rumble came in a 160-pound bout against Zen Twohig of St. Mary’s, in Kadena’s 33-18 Far East dual-meet championship round over the Titans.
That was about strategy, Wood said, lining up another wrestler at Kahl’s regular 152-pound weight to gain more team points, but also giving Kahl a challenge.
“I knew Zen was a really strong wrestler,” Wood said. After that defeat, Kahl “held his head high. He knew it was his last match (of the season). It was a perfect way to set him up for next year.”
And Kahl already has his goals set for next season; he’s due to graduate in June 2027 at Kadena.
“I want to be a two-time Far East champion, so I’m looking forward to working my way up there,” Kahl said.
Age: 16.
Place of birth: Brandon, Fla.
Sports he’s played: Wrestling, football, Jiu Jitsu.
Sports he enjoys watching: NFL, college and Olympic wrestling.
Favorite school subject: Physical Education.
Least favorite subject: Physics.
Favorite athlete: Bo Basset.
Favorite forms of entertainment: R&B, rap.
