Twelve join high school Hall of Honor
Advertiser Staff
A dozen of the state's finest athletes and students were selected yesterday to become the 20th class in the Nissan Hawai'i High School Hall of Honor. The program "recognizes excellence in athletics and perpetuates the accomplishments of Hawai'i's high school seniors."
Each athlete will receive a $2,000 college scholarship and gold ring. The Hall of Honor banquet is Sunday, June 2, at the Renaissance Ilikai Waikiki Hotel.
The 12 seniors showcased a multitude of talents. Kaua'i High's Tiana Mei Lum-Tucker set the standard for versatility, lettering in six sports —with all-state honors in volleyball and soccer — and maintaining a 3.9 grade point average.
Iolani sprinter Lauran Dignam tied a state championship meet record by winning five gold medals, including a record time (25.04) in the 200. She was also the ILH Player of the Year in soccer.
Kamehameha Schools' lineman Brandon Ala, heading to the University of Washington on a football scholarship, broke the ILH record by 11 feet when he threw the discus 196 feet, 11 inches.
Kalaheo's Brent "Ikaika" Alama-Francis earned all-state first-team honors in basketball and volleyball. Kamehameha's Tyler Perkins did the same in football and baseball.
Baldwin's Mahie Atay, The Advertiser's co-Player of the Year in soccer, closed her high school athletic career in the state basketball tournament. Ashley Ruff lifted Kamehameha to the state basketball title Friday after earning all-state first-team honors in softball.
Waimea's Abraham Apilado Jr., an all-state football player, was also the KIF shot put champion. Lahainaluna's Bart-Thomas Casco, an all-state football player on offense and defense, won a pair of state wrestling titles and qualified for state track. And Ashley Swart will leave Kaiser with six state swimming gold medals, state records in the 200 individual medley and 500 freestyle, and the OIA East cross country championship.
The honored student-athletes also include two who dominated their specialty, in Waiakea golfer Jarett Ha-mamoto and Punahou distance runner Todd Iacovelli. Hamamoto became the fourth to defend a state title. Iacovelli set records in winning the state cross country meet, and the 1,500 and 3,000 at the state track meet.
The honorees were picked by a committee "involved with sports either through education or media."
