Inductees to Hall of Honor announced
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
The 23rd class of inductees to the Nissan Hawai'i High School Hall of Honor — including the first honorees from Kalani and Word of Life — was selected yesterday by a 13-member committee.
Each senior student-athlete will receive a $2,000 college scholarship and will be honored at an awards banquet June 5 at Sheraton Waikiki. In a new twist from the past 23 years, four prominent former Hawai'i high school athletes and coaches — Larry Ginoza, Eddie Hamada, Charlie Wedemeyer and Wally Yonamine — also will be honored at the dinner.
Miyashiro
The 12 Hall of Honor inductees are:
• Shanna-Lei Dacanay, Punahou (basketball, softball)
• Spencer Hafoka, Kahuku (football, track and field)
• Jessica Hanato, Konawaena (softball, basketball)
• Trenson Himalaya, Baldwin (football, basketball, track and field)
• Courtney Kessell, Kailua (softball)
• Michael Kopra, Hawai'i Prep (football, soccer)
• Tamari Miyashiro, Kalani (volleyball, basketball)
• Kyle Pape, Iolani (volleyball, basketball)
• Brashton Satele, Word of Life (football, basketball, track and field)
• C.J. Tausaga, 'Aiea (football, baseball)
• Futi Tavana, Kaua'i (volleyball, basketball)
• Fran Weems, Kealakehe (cross country, soccer, track and field)
Miyashiro, a two-time Advertiser All-State volleyball player, is the first from Kalani to be inducted into the Hall of Honor. She was the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Eastern Division Co-Player of the Year as a freshman in 2001, then won the honor by herself in 2003 and 2004.
What: Hawai'i high school awards recognition dinner Where: Sheraton Waikiki Hotel When: Sunday, June 5 Time: 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Twelve seniors will be honored for their excellence in athletics, academics and community service. Also, four contributors to local high school athletics will be acknowledged. Punahou School alumnus and current Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator, Norm Chow, will deliver the keynote address. Proceeds will benefit the HHSAA. For more information, contact the HHSAA at 587-4495.
In 2003, she led the Falcons to their first OIA championship in 31 years. Later that school year, Miyashiro was named OIA White Conference (Division II) Player of the Year in basketball.
NISSAN HALL OF HONOR
Satele, of Word of Life, was a second-team Advertiser All-State linebacker, and won the state discus championship nine days ago and came within 17 inches of the meet record with a mark of 184 feet, 7 inches.
The keynote speaker at the banquet will be Norm Chow, a former Waialua High School football coach who was offensive coordinator for the University of Southern California's reigning back-to-back national championship football team and the new offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans.
The emcee will be 2001 Miss America Angela Baraquio-Grey, a former three-sport athlete at Moanalua.
This year's Hall of Honor class, chosen by a panel of high school administrators, media and community members, will bring the Hall's total to 276, representing 48 high schools.
While selection is based primarily on athletic achievement, other qualities considered include leadership, versatility, sportsmanship, dedication, behavior on and off the field, academic achievement and involvement in school and community activities.
The Hall of Honor was established in 1982 by Nissan Motor Corp. in Hawai'i, Ltd., to "recognize excellence in athletics" as well as involvement in school and community. The first class was inducted in 1983.
Last November, the Hawai'i High School Athletic Association Foundation assumed control of the program and banquet, and later added an element to honor Ginoza, Hamada, Wedemeyer and Yonamine.
The Hall of Honor scholarship awards are part of a larger $30,000 donation Nissan made to the HHSAA in 2004.
"The Nissan Hall of Honor has been great in terms of recognizing our top athletes since 1983, and I just felt it was also important to recognize those who played and coached before that," said HHSAA executive director Keith Amemiya. "This dinner is a great opportunity to honor greats from the present and the past."
Ginoza, who graduated from Iolani in 1954, built a football dynasty as Wai'anae's head coach from 1965 to 1984. The Seariders won nine OIA championships and appeared in the Prep Bowl — symbolizing the mythical state title game — six times, winning three and tying once.
Hamada, a 1946 Iolani graduate, was head football coach at his alma mater for 27 seasons, winning three Interscholastic League of Honolulu championships and tying Ginoza's Wai'anae team in the 1980 Prep Bowl.
Wedemeyer, who graduated from Punahou in 1965, was a football, basketball and baseball standout for the Buffanblu and went on to play football for Michigan State before beginning a teaching and coaching career at Los Gatos (Calif.) High School.
Yonamine, a 1945 Farrington graduate, also starred in football, basketball and baseball at Lahainaluna and went on to play for the San Francisco 49ers before becoming a Hall of Fame baseball player for the Yomiuri Giants.
The Honolulu Advertiser is one of the Hall of Honor sponsors.
Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2456.
