Savaiigaea was one of many players in Hawai'i, and hundreds nationwide, who signed national letters of intent yesterday, the first day high school football recruits could do so.

Savaiigaea joined 10 others, from schools such as McKinley, Castle, Kamehameha, Kapolei and Farrington, in a signing ceremony at Kapolei Hale. Kahuku and Kamehameha also held ceremonies.

With Mayor Mufi Hannemann in attendance — "I hope you take from this experience that we're all behind you," he said — the players pledged their allegiances at 7:01 a.m., as camera flashes lit up the room.

Proud parents stood behind their sons adorned with lei, bent over their contracts, some reading them, others immediately opening pens and scribbling their signatures.

The occasion allowed Savaiigaea a moment to reflect.

"I had dirty lickings my sophomore year," he said. "In a game against McKinley, I got whacked up on my side. I did a half-flip, with the top of my shoulder and my head on the ground. My feet were in the air.

"I didn't know if football was right for me. I thought 'I don't know if I'm cut out for football.' "

Now, the 6-foot-3, 295-pound defensive tackle is headed to the University of Hawai'i.

"This whole week, I think all of us here were waiting for this moment," Savaiigaea said. "I thought I was just going to come in and sign a paper; I wasn't expecting all the cameras and people."

Said McKinley's Raphael Ieru, a 6-4, 330-pound defensive lineman going to UH: "This is the day everyone looks forward to. Especially seeing your family, and they're all crying."

It brought a peaceful end to a three- to four-month barrage of attention from potential coaches hoping to persuade athletes to choose their institutions.

"I'm just thankful the phone stopped ringing," said Lee Leota-Lauvao, mother of Farrington offensive lineman Shaun Lauvao.

Mayor Hanneman shakes hands with HS football players during the 2005 National Letter Of Intent Day at Kapolei Hale.

Shaun Lauvao, who signed with Arizona State, said he enjoyed the experience.

"I got to see a bunch of different places," said Lauvao, who was also recruited by Brigham Young, California, Utah and Washington.

Kamehameha lineman Tyler Williams, who committed to Utah after receiving offers from Ohio, UNLV and Washington, called the past year, "stressful."

"I'm happy, and relieved it's over," he said. "This is a dream come true."

Williams' father, George, said, "I never realized it was this hectic. When it starts, you're eager and happy, but the kids are really pressured."

Receiving a scholarship — and all its financial benefits (see above) — was important to most of the athletes.

Castle linebacker Blaze Soares, who signed with UH, said, "It's either a full-ride or I wouldn't have gone to college.

"My family has nothing to worry about. I'll be taken care of."

Savaiigaea said he was preparing for this day all along.

"My main focus, my junior and senior year, was to get that football scholarship," he said.

His mother, Chicki, called it "a blessing," even though she and her husband had saved enough money to send him to college.

"We left it up to him to decide on that because it would be him going to the school and going through the situations," said Chicki Savaiigaea, whose family are UH season ticket holders.

"I didn't want to put that stress on my mom and dad," Savaiigaea said. "I didn't really tell them this, but that's why I worked so hard, it is my thank you to them. I want them to relax now and kick back. I don't want them to work overtime for me."