A pattern of sustained excellence permeates the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Hall of Honor’s latest class.
Several of this year’s 12 inductees announced their presence as freshmen and maintained their standing over remarkable four-year careers. Even those who took a more gradual path established themselves among the state’s top athletes prior to peaking as seniors.
ESPN anchor Neil Everett will be the keynote speaker when the Hall of Honor’s 32nd class is formally inducted at Sunday’s 5:30 p.m. banquet at the Ala Moana Hotel.
Everett’s break from presenting highlights on “SportsCenter” includes addressing a group of athletes who provided a series of memorable moments over their careers, some seemingly as soon as they stepped on campus.
Seabury Hall’s Dakota Grossman began a run of four state cross country titles as a freshman and closed her career with a fourth gold in the 3,000-meter run while teaming with fellow inductee Alyssa Bettendorf to lead the Spartans to the school’s first track and field championship.
Mid-Pacific wrestling and judo standout Josh Terao never finished below the top step of the medal stand in eight state championship meets.
Punahou’s Jasmine Mau and Kamehameha’s Ryan Stack claimed 24 swimming golds and five team championships between them.
Larry Tuileta stepped into the starting lineup for a powerful Punahou volleyball program as a freshman, took over as the football team’s starting quarterback as a sophomore and led both teams to state titles as a senior.
Alohi Robins-Hardy was a force the moment she joined Kamehameha’s varsity volleyball team as a freshman and developed into one of the state’s top basketball players by the time she was done.
Mililani’s Alyssa Tobita won state tennis championships each of her first three years. Fellow Trojan Dayton Furuta was a three-sport standout, while Sarah Liva added her considerable talents to the volleyball and basketball teams as a senior after powering Hanalani earlier in her career.
Evan Enriques began collecting volleyball accolades early in his career at Kamehameha-Hawaii, while Jacob McEnroe developed into an explosive performer for Farrington’s football and basketball teams.
The group represents nine sports and four leagues and whatever their backgrounds or fields of specialty the 12 will be linked by one more accolade in their accomplished careers.