The events of Dec. 8 encapsulated the sports year in Hawaii as results were all disappointing for many in the 50th State.

Even before the University of Hawaii basketball team lost that evening for the third time in four games, 63-56 to Pepperdine, happenings on the continent were disheartening.

In Seattle, Hawaii’s biggest mixed martial arts star, B.J. Penn, lost for the fourth time in his last six matches.

In Las Vegas, Manny Pacquiao, the Filipino boxing champion who is hugely popular in the islands, was knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez.

And in New York City, the Heisman Trophy voting results were announced with Manti Te’o of Laie second to Johnny Manziel.

But I don’t see that one as a loss.

Many of us were girded for Te’o to finish as the runner-up. We knew that the buzz in support of the Notre Dame linebacker in the days leading up to the announcement was just so much white noise because the ballots had already been turned in. Manziel, the Texas A&M quarterback, had the support when it mattered, in the weeks previous.

Still, I held out some hope that enough voters had actually read the Heisman Trophy mission statement and acted on the notion of Te’o meeting its ideals better than any other college football player in the land.

The former Punahou star gets the last shot at major gratification, anyway, as he leads the No. 1-ranked and undefeated Fighting Irish into the BCS national championship game Jan. 7 against Alabama.

In 2012, Te’o gave the sports world — especially our corner of it here in Hawaii — someone to cheer for and celebrate with when we really needed it. He was a human interest story of battling through sorrow; while things went perfectly for Notre Dame on the football field it was far from that off of it for its star as Te’o persevered after the death of his grandmother and girlfriend within hours of each other.

IN ADDITION to Te’o, other Hawaii products performed mightily as college and pro stars in 2012. To me, the most notable were Marcus Mariota (Saint Louis, Oregon), Kolten Wong (Kamehameha-Hawaii, St. Louis Cardinals organization), Chad Owens (Roosevelt, Toronto Argonauts), Max Unger (Hawaii Prep, Seattle Seahawks) and Brian Viloria (Waipahu, pro boxing).

Castle grad Bryan Clay had a chance to make Olympics history with a third decathlon medal. He didn’t make it out of the U.S. trials. But the positive manner in which Clay handled the disappointment made me as proud to share his home state as when he won the gold at the Beijing Games.

There weren’t as many silver linings for UH football, with as many players arrested for DUI before the season as wins in a 3-9 debut for coach Norm Chow. That didn’t help a financially strapped athletic department that was scammed out of $200,000. Athletic director Jim Donovan lost his job in the fallout, which was massive and expensive and shook public confidence in the university’s leadership.

At least you can depend on preps; I found inspiration from Nanakuli wrestler Joslynn Kahala Minczer’s ascent from homelessness to state champion.

CONTROVERSY AND scandal took the spotlight more than in most years nationally. Lance Armstrong’s fall. Bountygate. The sordid and sad Penn State saga.

At least the Nittany Lions bounced back on the field, and we all love a comeback story.

On Dec. 9, the morning after all those Hawaii-saddening sports results, Clay crossed the finish line at the Honolulu Marathon. He was in 4,631st place, hand-in-hand with his wife, flashing a smile as big as after winning the Olympic decathlon four years ago.

I’ll take that positive image and perspective with me while gladly putting 2012 in the past and moving forward to a brighter 2013.

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783.