Everybody who showed up and signed on the dotted line at the PIAA letter-of-intent signing ceremony on Wednesday morning at the Elks Lodge in Waikiki clearly is living the dream.
There was Davis Miyashiro-Saipa ia, Punahou’s All-State offensive lineman. The talented scholar-athlete saw many of his peers ink their letters in February.
Miyashiro-Saipa ia bided his time instead, and when an opportunity to sign with the University of Oregon opened up, he was ready.
"I’ll be a preferred walk-on and they’ll evaluate me at camp. I have to make the roster and work my way up," the 6-foot-2, 285-pound guard/tackle said.
He also considered the University of San Diego, Puget Sound, Pacific and St. Francis (Penn.).
"When I saw my financial-aid package, I saw a lot of opportunity was there. My dream has always been to play for a Division I college. I talked it over with my parents. They said, ‘Don’t worry about what we have to do. Just work hard.’ "
Seven of the signees hailed from Punahou. In addition to Miyashiro-Saipa ia, another blocker in the trenches will continue his career: Jared Caputy is on his way to the University of Puget Sound.
Baseball player Bo Coolen signed with Pepperdine. Three-sport athlete Keau Fey will play volleyball at Winthrop University (S.C.).
Buffanblu softball player Shelbie Pua Fujinaga signed with Colorado School of Mines.
Football player Kainoa McDonald will play for the University of Hawaii. Sydney Fonoga will play volleyball for George Mason University.
Fey has no qualms about traveling 4,663 miles to live her dream. Winthrop has players from Brazil and Iceland.
"I went to visit a few weeks ago. It’s a perfect fit for me. It’s the right size, 10,000 undergrad, I think, and it’s a beautiful campus," Fey said. "I really clicked with the volleyball team, so I think it’s going to be a good fit. I’m excited. I’m ready."
Fujinaga has a blueprint for her future at Colorado School of Mines. Former Hawaii boys basketball player of the year Kyle Pape ( Iolani) went there.
"It’s a really good engineering school," said Fujinaga, who is taking AP Calculus and AP Physics at Punahou. "My sister’s an engineer at Pearl Harbor. I don’t know what type of engineering I want to go into yet. I’ll figure it out in college, but eventually, I’ll want to come back home."
Southern Oregon landed two outstanding offensive players on the gridiron: Campbell big-play quarterback Isaac Hurd, and Mililani wide receiver Bronsen Ader.
"I talked to some people who went there and they said I’m going to like it," said Hurd, who has a 3.5 grade-point average. "They have a new coach and I really like him. He’s really dedicated and knows what he wants. I like the guys they have coming in. The quarterback they have now is going to have a shot at the NFL. I have a shot to learn from a guy who has experience. He’s going to be a senior, so I have a year to learn and pick it up, and then fight for the position the year after."
Hurd is interested in a career as an athletic trainer or physical therapist.
All-State basketball player Sarah Liva of Mililani parlayed her skill set on the court and in the classroom into a future as a hoopster for Portland State University.
"I went on an official visit. It’s beautiful. It rains a lot, but I’m not going to be outside all that much. They’ve been doing real well recently. I think they won their conference," the 6-foot-1 center said.
Another Mililani standout, volleyball player Jordyn Keamo, is on her way to Blinn College (Texas). She will join another island talent, former Farrington player Trinity Alualu.
"They won the national junior college championship," Keamo said. "They told me I’ll be a setter."
Military institutions left a big mark again. Last year, three island student-athletes signed with West Point. This time, West Point landed Campbell lineman Toese Tia, who comes from a military family.
"I feel honored. Humbled to have this opportunity. This is not the end, it’s the beginning of my future," said Tia, who has more family members in the military "than I can count."
"I’ll be the first officer to come out of my family. It’s hard work that pays off, always. I’ll start out at the prep school, then to the academy," Tia said.
Jerney Tago-Su’e, another Campbell Sabers football player, is on his way to New Mexico Military Institute. The linebacker plans on entering the Air Force via NMMI, aiming for a career as a pilot.
Pacific Islands Athletic Alliance Letter of intent signing dayat Elks Lodge, Waikiki
Name followed by high school, college
BASEBALL
Bo Coolen, Punahou, Pepperdine
Duane “Kama” Eldredge, Kamehameha, Feather River College
Casey Isa, Moanalua, Whitworth
Ethan Rosehill, Kamehameha, Fort Scott
BASKETBALL
Kealani Ryder, Kamehameha, McDaniel College
FOOTBALL
Bronsen Ader, Mililani, Southern Oregon
Kahekili Barrozo, Nanakuli, Shasta University
Gerime Bradley, McKinley, Reedley College
Jared Caputy, Punahou, Puget Sound
Isaac Hurd, Campbell, Southern Oregon
Dezmond Ka‘aihue, Nanakuli, Reedley College
Douglas Kema III, Campbell, Valley City State
Kainoa McDonald, Punahou, Hawaii
Davis Miyashiro-Saipa‘ia, Punahou, Oregon
Triston Pebria, Kapolei, Reedley College
Kainoa Perry, Campbell, New Mexico Military Institute
Ryan Reedy, Mililani, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Canaan Saole, Kaiser, Reedley College
Jerney Tago-Su‘e, Campbell, New Mexico Military Institute
Toese Tia, Campbell, West Point USMA
Ikaika Urasaki, Castle, Pacific University
Daniel Yoshiki, Saint Louis, University of Nebraska-Kearney
SOCCER
Kai Mahuka, Kapolei, Peninsula College
Paige Mahuka, Kapolei, Peninsula College
Ariel Stoyanow, Kapolei, Taft College
SOFTBALL
Taezha-Ann Cordero, Leilehua, Navarro College (Texas)
Shelbie Pua Fujinaga, Punahou, Colorado School of Mines
Caitlin Ramiscal, Moanalua, Pacific University
TRACK AND FIELD
Nakia James, Leilehua, Graceland
Kahili Novikoff, Kamehameha, Saint Martin’s
VOLLEYBALL
Sydney Fanoga, Punahou, George Mason
Keaupono Fey, Punahou, Winthrop
Bray Hitzeman, Kapolei, Northwestern Ohio
Jordyn Keamo, Mililani, Blinn College (Texas)
Kayla Kilaulani, Leilehua, Hawaii Pacific
Kaitlin Lanier, Kapolei, Saint Mary’s (Kansas)
Sarah Liva, Mililani, Portland State
Patrick Pascual, Damien, California-Mercer
Alexis Tam, Roosevelt, Western New Mexico
WRESTLING, JUDO
Angela Enos, Moanalua, Cumberlands
