Posted on: Thursday, February 3, 2005
UH secures cornerback
| • | Signing day a rite of passage |
| • | Ferd Lewis: Recruiting hole UH must patch |
| • | Afalava heads to OSU |
| • | UH football recruits |
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
The University of Hawai'i football team yesterday capped its recruiting campaign by securing a verbal commitment from Ulysses Dalton, a multi-purpose player from Vallejo (Calif.) High School.
Photos by Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser Dalton visited UH this past weekend.
"As soon as I got there, it felt right," he said. "It felt like a family. When it comes to football, everybody is all about work. I like that. That's what I'm trying to do."
Dalton said he was used as a running back, receiver and safety as a senior last season. As a junior, he rushed for nearly 900 yards. He will compete at cornerback for the Warriors.
"I'm ready for that," he said.
Vallejo coach Mike Wilson said Dalton "broke up a lot of passes," but did not have any interceptions because "people wouldn't throw in his area because they knew he was there."
Dalton was offered track scholarships from Sacramento State and Idaho.
His 300-meter-hurdle time of 39.1 seconds ranked 13th among California high school hurdlers last year.
Wilson said Dalton can run a quarter of a mile in 48 seconds.
"He's getting bigger and stronger," Wilson said. "He should be ready when he gets up there."
Dalton is the 14th defensive player in this UH recruiting class.
UH received commitments from three defensive tackles, two defensive ends, five linebackers, two cornerbacks and two safeties.
UH officials announced that 15 of the recruits who gave verbal commitments sent copies of their signed letters of intent by the 4:30 p.m. end of the business day. The NCAA recognizes a copy of the letter as binding commitment.
Slotback Davone Bess and quarterback Inoke Funaki, who recently returned from a church mission, are both enrolled in school and receiving football scholarships. They did not have to submit letters of intent.
Offensive lineman Laupepa Letuli, wide receiver Antwan Mahaley, defensive tackle Rocky Savaiigaea and linebacker Richard "R.J." Kiesel-Kaunahe said they signed their letters of intent yesterday.
Word of Life linebacker Brashton Satele will sign his letter during a school assembly today.
Wideout Jordan Slye, who lives in California, is awaiting a signature from his father, who lives in Seattle.
Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8051.
Afalava heads to OSU
Kahuku defensive back Al Afalava, who verbally committed to Brigham Young, instead signed a letter of intent with Oregon State yesterday.
The 6-foot, 190-pound senior was a two-time All-State selection.
It was the second year in a row that a Kahuku player changed his mind on signing day.
Last year, offensive lineman Jeremy Perry signed a letter of intent with the University of Hawai'i, but never faxed it to the school. Perry, like Afalava, later signed with Oregon State.
Soon after defensive tackle Tyson Alualu of Saint Louis School emerged from seclusion to fax a letter of commitment to California yesterday morning, the UH coaches locked in a commitment from the 6-foot-1, 180-pound Dalton.
Family, friends and flashbulbs were part of a ceremony at Kapolei Hale, where 11 Hawai'i prep athletes signed national letters of intent.
UH also is holding scholarships for safeties Chris Assily (Kaiser High, 2004 graduate) and Viliami Nauahi (Kahuku High, 2002). Both need to finish academic work necessary to enroll at UH in the fall.
Rocky Savaiigaea from Aiea HS is kissed by his mother Chicki Savaiigaea during the signing of the 2005 National Letter of Intent Day at Kapolei Hale.
