12 seniors inducted into Hawaii High School Athletic Association Hall of Honor

Imagine being associated with Olympic medalists, a World Series champion and a Super Bowl standout.

This year’s 12 inductees into the 2021 Hawaii High School Athletic Association Hall of Honor will have that distinction as well as forever having their names listed alongside the state’s elite student-athletes.

This year’s class is a diverse group, chosen from 12 different schools and representing the five HHSAA leagues — the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, the Oahu Interscholastic Association, the Kauai Interscholastic Federation, the Maui Interscholastic League and the Big Island Interscholastic Federation.

Highlighting the nominees is a student-athlete who became a first. Cayla Cabanban is the first competitive cheerleader selected. She also is the first from Sacred Hearts Academy. (Profiles of each of the nominees appear inside.)

Joining her will be student-athletes from the following leagues:

>> ILH—Alana Barthel (Le Jardin), Caleb Lomavita (Saint Louis), Shaye Story (Kamehameha), Lily Wahinekapu (‘Iolani);

>> OIA—Koby Moananu (Kaimuki), Titus Mokiao-Atimalala (Campbell) and Branden Pagurayan (Kapolei);

>> KIF—Alaka’i Gonsalves (Kapaa, KIF);

>> MIL—Teani Arakawa (King Kekaulike) and Shayna Kamaka (Baldwin)

>> BIIF—Kanani Araki (Kamehameha-Hawaii).

Whether this year’s group achieves the lofty heights of Bryan Clay (Olympic gold), Kawika and Erik Shoji (Olympic bronze), Shane Victorino (two World Series rings) or DeForest Buckner (two sacks in the Super Bowl) only time will tell.

Regardless, the Hall of Honor selection will remain a big achievement whatever endeavor they choose, whether it’s in athletics and serving the public.

“It was and continues to be an honor to be a part of the Hawaii High School Hall of Honor,” said Kawika Shoji, a 2006 inductee from ‘Iolani. “Hawaii has produced some tremendous athletes over the years, so to be a part of that list means a lot. It’s really fun to look back over the years and reminisce about my favorite athletes I watched or played with and against. … It’s special to honor our youth athletes’ accomplishments.”

Fran Weems, a 2005 inductee, may have set a gold standard for achievement.

Once homeless and raised in a foster home, Weems won state sprint titles in track and field. She is now a managing supervisor at one of the world’s top global communication firms in San Francisco and leads her office’s diversity, equity and inclusion committee group.

“I count being inducted into the Hawaii High School Hall of Honor as one of my top moments of being a student-athlete,” said Weems, who went to Cal on a track scholarship. “It’s the highest honor you can achieve in Hawaii high school athletics. I had always dreamed of being considered amongst the greats to represent Hawaii and my alma mater, Kealakehe. To have it become a reality was surreal. And then years later to be able to give the keynote and inspire the future generation of leaders was the icing on the cake.”

The Hall of Honor program has been recognizing the top 12 Hawaii senior student-athletes each year since 1983.

Each inductee will receive a $2,000 college scholarship, courtesy of the HHSAA and Enterprise Rent-A-Car. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser is a co-sponsor of the program.

Teani Arakawa, King Kekaulike soccer, cross country, track and field

Teani Arakawa and her King Kekaulike girls soccer program came up a goal short of its first state soccer title, but she had no problem getting over the line as far as the Hall of Honor is concerned.

Arakawa, the program’s career leader in goals and assists, becomes just the second King Kekaulike athlete to reach the elite club, behind Bailey Massenburg in 2009. Arakawa was a force from the beginning, qualifying for the state cross country meet and two state track and field events before her freshman year was up.

Arakawa played three sports in her prep career but stood out most on the soccer pitch.

She was a Star-Advertiser All-State first-teamer in her junior year and was selected the Gatorade Player of the Year and HHSAA all-tournament choice. Although Arakawa didn’t score a goal in the state tournament, her MIL champions shut out Punahou 1-0 and Pearl City 2-0 before falling 1-0 to Kamehameha in the state title tilt. Na Alii never got to take the next step with Arakawa’s senior season canceled.

Arakawa intends to play Division I soccer and major in exercise science at South Dakota State.

Kanani Araki, Kamehameha-Hawaii air riflery, swimming, track and field

When Kanani Araki entered high school, Kamehameha-Hawaii had never had a girl inducted into the Hall of Honor.

Four years later, she is the third Warrior on the elite list.

Araki joins Saydee Aganus (2018) and Chenoa Frederick (2020) among the school’s legends, but she did it with excellence in a completely different sport. Araki finished top 10 in the state air riflery tournament two years in a row, taking seventh as a sophomore and following it up with a fourth-place medal. She is the first athlete who competed in air riflery to reach the Hall of Honor.

Araki had her senior competition — and a possible showdown with defending champ Gianna Yokoe of Hilo — wiped out by the pandemic or she might have one more medal at home to go with all of the Civilian Marksmanship Program and National Rifle Association awards she has earned.

Araki earned eight letters in her career despite it being cut short, participating on the swimming team through her junior year and track and field until 11th grade.

Araki graduated from Kamehameha-Hawaii a semester early and will attend Grand Canyon University and major in psychology.

Alana Barthel, Le Jardin swimming

The Olympics inspired Alana Barthel to take swimming seriously. That dream hasn’t been realized quite yet, but a spot in the Hall of Honor is a good start.

Barthel, the first athlete from Le Jardin accepted into the elite club, finished second by four-tenths of a second to Baldwin senior Rebecca Gallimore in her first state tournament as a freshman and then never lost in the 100 backstroke again. She won the event the next year by a full second and then by nearly two seconds as a junior.

She erased Punahou legend and fellow Hall of Honor member Christel Simms from the record book with the effort, lowering the state meet’s fastest time by nearly a half-second to 55.24. Simms’ record had stood since 2009.

The state meet was canceled in 2021, but Barthel set the ILH record twice anyway and added a gold medal in the 100 freestyle. The All-American from Aulea Swim Club qualified for the 2021 Speedo Summer Chamionships recently.

Barthel finished high school with a sparkling 4.43 grade-point average and is committed to swim and study biochemistry at UC San Diego.

Cayla Cabanban, Sacred Hearts cheerleading

It began with wrestling, veered into gymnastics and peaked in competitive cheerleading for Cayla Cabanban. What could have been, perhaps, a wrestling career to match that of older brother Corey — a four-time state champion and Hall of Honor inductee in 2017 — was not meant to be.

Cayla Cabanban put all her passion and talent into cheer, and Sacred Hearts was far better for it. Four ILH titles and three state championships later — the possibility of a fourth state crown was interrupted by the global pandemic — she is arguably the best cheerleader in state history. Two national JAMZ championships and another national title in NCA make a resounding list of unmatched achievements.

“Cayla is something special and very deserving of this award. In 2021, she performed the most difficult stunt I’ve seen in Hawaii high school cheerleading history,” Lancers coach Cadey Vakauta said. “She’s also the best flyer in the state, but she’s also Hawaii’s sweetheart.”

Cabanban hopes to operate a dual-sport gym with brother Corey one day. She will cheer at UH this fall and major in criminal science.

Alaka‘i Gonsalves, Kapaa basketball, volleyball, cross country

If it wasn’t official before, it certainly is now: The Gonsalves clan is the first family of Kauai Island Federation sports.

Alaka‘i Gonsalves is the latest member of the family to earn a spot in the Hall of Honor, joining cousin Laakea, who joined the elite list last year. Alaka‘i’s father, Greg, was inducted in 1989 and his brother — Laakea’s father — Matthew was included in the 1991 class.

All four legends represented Kapaa, which has had six boys earn the scholarship since it was established in 1983.

All four of them played volleyball, and Alaka’i might have been the best of them if not for losing two complete seasons to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before his sport was shut down, Alaka’i Gonsalves led his Warriors to a KIF title and a spot in the state title match before losing to St. Francis.

Alaka‘i Gonsalves never missed a game in his prep basketball career, earning KIF all-star selections in both of his years on the varsity and being named a captain as a junior.

He also competed in two state cross country championships, the only one of the famous Gonsalves inductees to do so.

Alaka‘i Gonsalves will serve a two-year mission in Greece before deciding whether to attend BYU to study construction management.

Shayna Kamaka, Baldwin wrestling, volleyball, water polo

For all of the great wrestlers on Baldwin’s 2018 state champion girls wrestling team, Shayna Kamaka stands alone as the only member of the Hall of Honor.

Kamaka was a freshman on a group that included Waipuilani Estrella-Beauchamp, Jahnea Miguel, Siera Vida and Celine Gomes and lost in the semifinals before fighting back for third place. The Bears edged Kamehameha by a half point for their first and only state team title.

After Kamaka’s semifinal loss, all she did is roll off nine straight wins in the pressure cooker that is the state tournament, eight of them by pin. She took two state tournaments in that run, joining Miguel and Estrella-Beauchamp as the only girls in Baldwin history to double up. She would have entered her senior season No. 1 on Hawaiiprepworld.com’s pound-for-pound list and been in position as the only Bear to earn three state crowns, but the entire campaign was wiped out by the pandemic.

Kamaka also played volleyball and water polo and despite being ranked nationally in her weight class will attend Hawaii in hopes of earning a nursing degree rather than compete collegiately.

Caleb Lomavita, Saint Louis baseball

His talent across the board was immense, but Caleb Lomavita made the right choice about baseball.

His long, sometimes arduous journey peaked as a senior with the ILH championship. That included two home runs and a complete-game win over Mid-Pacific in the ILH semifinal round, and another homer against the Owls in the playoffs of the inaugural Oahu Baseball Classic — the latter a de facto state tourney event.

The four-year starter — as a pitcher/catcher/corner infielder/outfielder — batted .414 with two homers, eight RBIs and 10 runs scored in the abbreviated ILH regular season, with an on-base percentage of .455 and slugging percentage of .759. On the mound, he was 4-0 with an ERA of 1.71, striking out 30 in 282⁄3 innings.

“They don’t come like that very often. Our school will miss him,” Crusaders coach George Gusman said. “Myself, I’ve known him for five years and we talk, we confide in each other. I can tell him stuff. He can confide in me. To see him grow into a young man is incredible. You don’t just get like that, it’s the parents.”

Lomavita will play baseball at the University of California next season.

Koby Moananu, Kaimuki football, basketball, baseball

Dwindling enrollment at Kaimuki didn’t deter Koby Moananu from following his dream. The three-sport standout did his best work on the gridiron. As a junior in the fall of 2019, Moananu teamed up with Jayden Maiava — now a UNLV commit — for 64 receptions, 1,186 yards and 21 touchdowns. He also played full-time in the secondary. Kaimuki won the OIA Division II championship, overcoming top seed Roosevelt.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound senior capped his career with a .429 batting average on the baseball diamond. The cancellation of the football season limited what could have been a massive performance, but he has no regrets.

“To represent Kaimuki means to represent the greatest community and school on Oahu. Growing up, I used to practice with the varsity baseball team, with coach Reid Yoshikawa, as well as the varsity girls basketball team with Aunty Mona (Fa‘asoa) from fifth grade to high school, almost every day,” Moananu said. “To put on the Kaimuki jersey and to represent Kaimuki was an awesome feeling. Kaimuki has been a home to me for almost half my life and I am truly grateful.”

Moananu will be a preferred walk-on at Oregon State this fall.

Titus Mokiao-Atimalala, Campbell football

Everything his family asked of him, Titus Mokiao-Atimalala obliged. That included a sacrifice that most teen-aged boys would hate: video games.

“They gave me a little leeway, but we don’t have any video games,” he said.

That decision a few years back meant Mokiao-Atimalala and older brother Tamatoa put all their energy into academics and athletics. Titus will graduate with a 3.5 grade-point average and a scholarship to UCF. Tamatoa earned a scholarship to Hawaii in 2020.

“My parents said, wait until you get up there, and you can get what you want as long as you work out and study,” he said.

The All-State selection dominated as a junior in the fall of 2019 with 62 receptions for 1,136 yards and 18 receiving touchdowns. In 2018, as a sophomore, Mokiao-Atimalala hauled in 75 passes for 1,385 yards and 14 TDs.

He also had big plays as a safety last season, returning five picks for touchdowns. His production and academics led to 20 scholarship offers. In the end, his final list also included Hawaii, Maryland, Nebraska, UCLA and USC.

Branden Pagurayan, Kapolei wrestling, judo, bowling

It seems that Branden Pagurayan hit the books as hard as he hit his opponents.

Pagurayan sported a 4.036 grade-point average during his high school career at Kapolei, all the while becoming one of the greatest combat sports athletes in Hawaii history.

Pagurayan won state wrestling championships in his freshman and junior years, earning his second with a pin inside a minute. With two of the state’s hammers — Kamehameha’s Kanai Tapia and Boltyn Taam of Moanalua — moving into the Hurricanes wrestler’s weight class to test themselves, Pagurayan earned wins in 40 and 91 seconds to go with a 20-5 victory before losing a 3-2 nail-biter to Tapia to crush his dreams of becoming just the seventh boy to win four. Pagurayan was more than willing to run it back, but his senior season was canceled due to the pandemic.

Pagurayan, who wrestled at 152 pounds his whole career, moved up to 161 and 198 in judo and reached successive state finals, with a gold medal in his second one as a sophomore. He never got to add to it in his junior and senior seasons, with COVID-19 shutting both seasons down.

Pagurayan will move on to Wyoming, where he will wrestle and study physiology.

Shaye Story, Kamehameha water polo, swimming

From Day One, Shaye Story was a force in the water. The 5-foot-11 freshman led the Warriors water polo team in scoring and was an ILH first-team pick as the program captured the state championship.

By her sophomore year, she was named team MVP, landed another All-ILH first-team nod, and was selected to the Futures National team, playing in the USA National Team Selection Camp for a second year in a row.

The cancellation of the 2020 spring season didn’t stop Story from earning Junior Olympic All-American second-team status and another trip to the National Team Selection Camp.

Water polo, deemed a high-contact sport, was canceled again in 2021, but Story’s prowess as a swimmer wasn’t curtailed. She collected All-ILH first-team honors from freshman year to junior year in the 500 freestyle and 200 IM relay, adding first-team selections in the 200 freestyle as a sophomore and junior. She won gold in the 2020 state championships, placing first in the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle.

Story ended her swimming career with silver in the ILH 200 and 500. Her focus is now 100% in water polo. She will play for Stanford next season.

“The aspect of Stanford and its program that I am looking forward to the most is the limitless amount of opportunities I will have with the team.

“I canʻt wait to grow in a nurturing environment that breeds development,” said Story, who has a 4.1 grade-point average.

Lily Wahinekapu, ‘Iolani basketball, volleyball

The leading scorer of the Raiders girls basketball dynasty never sought attention, but her productivity and artistry on the hardwood were impossible to overlook.

‘Iolani won two state championships with the young standout leading the way. A third state title was probable if not for the cancellation of the 2020-21 season. The Raiders had nearly their entire roster back to defend the crown but wound up playing just two exhibition games, both wins over powerhouse Kamehameha.

Wahinekapu was the 2019-20 Star-Advertiser All-State Player of the Year as a junior after ‘Iolani won its second state title in a row. Wahinekapu averaged 16 points per game as a junior.

She was No. 4 on the Fab 15 as a sophomore. Wahinekapu was also No. 5 in All-Defense voting as a sophomore.

“She has an inner mamba. She’ll make a play or get you a bucket when you desperately need it,” Raiders coach Dean Young said. “When we were down late against Konawaena (in the 2020 state final), she told the girls in the team huddle, ‘I believe in you.’ Then she takes an offensive charge against Caiyle Kaupu to kill their momentum.”

Wahinekapu will play at Cal State Fullerton next season.

— Profiles by the Star-Advertiser’s Jerry Campany