Schools ranging from Nevada-Las Vegas and Montana Western to Hawai'i and UH-Hilo.

The occasion is a recognition luncheon for Maui Interscholastic League senior athletes who will be continuing their careers next season in college. It will be held tomorrow at the Maui Prince Hotel on National Letter of Intent signing day, beginning at 10 a.m.

A total of 29 athletes from six MIL schools will participate that day, and some, like Baldwin offensive lineman Sean Tesoro, will sign their official letters at the ceremony. Tesoro confirmed his commitment to UNLV, made in early December, yesterday.

"I'm still going to UNLV,'' the 6-foot-3, 297-pound Tesoro said via phone to The Maui News. "I am very excited about it. Ever since I made my decision, I have been able to concentrate more on school. I am signing there at the ceremony. Everything is good.''

Tesoro will be reunited with Jimmy Morimoto, a UNLV assistant who was Baldwin's head coach in 2005 and 2006.

"I am pretty excited to be back with coach Morimoto,'' Tesoro said. "I know I can always go to him if I need something, so it is great.''

Tesoro also had scholarship offers from Portland State, Weber State, and UH was ready to offer him a grayshirt — sitting out one season with the verbal guarantee of a scholarship next year — while Washington and Boise State were also showing interest.

Tesoro has looked far enough into the future to see that the Runnin' Rebels will play UH at Aloha Stadium in September 2009.

"I know I will be ready to play that one,'' he said.

Another Baldwin athlete who will attend the ceremony is Chase Nakamura, an all-state wide receiver in 2006 who was limited to four games in 2007 by a knee injury.

Nakamura spent the weekend at UH on an official visit, according to his father.

"They treated all the kids real well,'' Craig Nakamura said. "Chase really enjoyed the experience and the coaching staff.''

Nakamura injured his knee over the summer when he was impressive at camps in Oregon and California. After breaking the MIL record for touchdown receptions, piling up 20 in 12 games overall as a junior, the 6-3, 185-pound Nakamura remains undecided on his college choice, according to Craig Nakamura.

Baldwin's Keisha Shishido, a girls soccer standout, multi-state track champion Brittany Feiteira, and cheerleader Sherise Shimabuku all listed UH as their college destination. Baldwin football players Chansi Bolosan, Dylan Pua'a, Kalei Kamahele, Troy Aoki and Leti Langi will all play at Montana Western, an NAIA school.

The Bears' Nakamura, 2007 state 800-meter champion Joey Amescua, and quarterback Jordan Helle did not list college destinations, but will all be at the ceremony.

"Basically I have a couple of D-III schools — Puget Sound, Occidental College in L.A., and Menlo College in the Bay Area — that I am looking at,'' Helle said. "I am waiting to hear back on a couple, but I have an offer to walk on at Alcorn State in Mississippi. I'm just trying to wait and see what happens after signing day and see how it all sorts out.''

Helle has also been contacted by Drake University in Iowa, and Texas A&M-Commerce.

He is not worried about going anywhere on the Mainland, as long as football fits in with school. He is considering a major in journalism or communications.

"Yeah, whatever is the best fit academically and wherever football fits into that plan, I am open to wherever,'' Helle said.

Other notable MIL athletes going to the ceremony include three-time MIL individual girls golf champion Elyse Okada and 2007 state runner-up Kelcie Kawano of Maui High. Okada has already signed with Oregon State and Kawano listed her choice as Cal State-Northridge.

Michael Jahns, the 2007 MIL Player of the Year in baseball for St. Anthony, has already signed a scholarship agreement with Northwestern.

The luncheon is sponsored by the Maui Prince Hotel, Team 808 and Island Football.

Spokesman David NeSmith, the former Maui High football coach, said he was approached by old friends with Island Football to help with the idea last month.

"We wanted to help these athletes here on Maui and we came up with the idea; we wanted to see how we can highlight these athletes and this is the result of the ideas coming together,'' NeSmith said. "We have a lot of great athletes on this island who need the recognition. We are still in the infant stage, but we hope to make this an annual event.''

SIGNING-DAY LUNCH PARTICIPANTS

Tomorrow at Maui Prince Hotel

Baldwin—Football: Chase Nakamura, Sean Tesoro, Jordan Helle, Chansi Bolosan, Dylan Puaa, Kalei Kamahelei, Troy Aoki, Leti Langi. Cheerleading: Nikki Fernandez, Sherise Shimabuku. Soccer: Keisha Shishido. Track and field: Brittany Feiteira, Joey Amescua.

Kamehameha-Maui—Volleyball: Dreanne Shaw, Hulali DeLima, Makana Rosete, Kelsey Awai.

King Kekaulike—Football: Mikey Douglas, Josh Nelloms, Daniel McKeague, Jonah Jacintho, Jesse Henderson.

Maui High—Basketball: Ariel Gaorian. Golf: Elyse Okada, Kelcie Kawano, Richel Ped.

Seabury Hall—Soccer: Josue Corrales. Baseball: Chris Sugidono.

St. Anthony—Baseball: Michael Jahns.