In seeking to boost its pass coverage, the Hawai'i football team received a commitment from a cornerback whose first name is synonymous with defense.

Dee Maggitt of Lakes High in Lakewood, Wash., yesterday said he will accept a scholarship offer from the Warriors. Maggitt said he notified the UH coaches yesterday afternoon.

"I just loved the coaches and all of the players and Hawai'i in general," said Maggitt, who completed a week-long visit to O'ahu.

Maggitt, who is 5 feet 10 and 175 pounds, competed in last week's Aloha Prep Bowl all-star game at Aloha Stadium. After that, he went on his official UH recruiting visit.
"He's excited about being a Warrior," Lakes head coach Dave Miller said.

Maggitt said he also had received offers from Washington and Washington State.
One scouting service rated Maggitt as the top high school cornerback in Washington state.
"I've been at Lakes for 25 years, and he's the best shut-down corner we've ever had, and we've had some good ones," Miller said.
In the Aloha Prep Bowl, Maggitt did not allow All-State receiver Taz Stevenson of Mililani High to catch a pass.
"He did a great job on him," Miller said. "He's a guy you can put on the best receiver and he'll lock the guy down."
Miller said Maggitt's assets are "great feet, great hips, great competitor. He's got great anticipation on the ball and the breaks. He's got good jumping ability. He plays bigger than he is."
Miller added: "He's got the mentality you want in a corner, where every play is total competition. He doesn't ever get down. He plays hard every play. He's got great toughness. He'll come up and pop you."
In addition to cornerback, Maggitt was used as a slotback, punt returner and kickoff returner.
He is the starting point guard on Lakes' basketball team. He also is a member of the 4x100 relay team.
He earned a 1,540 score on the SAT.
"He works hard and he tries to get better every day," Miller said. "The sky's the limit. He's got great potential. We're excited about his future."
Lakes went 12-1 in each of the past two seasons.
"He comes from a winning progra, and he knows how to get the job done," Miller said. "He's also a team player who always puts the team before himself. They're getting a great guy, a guy you can add to your mix and build a team with, no doubt."
two earn scholarships
Quarterback Bryant Moniz, who started eight games as the injury replacement for Greg Alexander, and long-snapper Luke Ingram have been told they will be awarded UH football scholarships.
The compliance officers tried to sack the offer, claiming Moniz, who joined the Warriors in January, did not have enough time of service at UH to qualify for a scholarship. Moniz, a 2007 Leilehua High graduate, played a season at Fresno City College before returning to Hawai'i, where he spent two semesters attending a community college. The coaches argued that former UH quarterback Colt Brennan played a season of JC football and attended UH for one semester before receiving a scholarship from the Warriors.
Moniz delivered pizza to help offset the cost of his tuition and school expenses. Of his scholarship, Moniz said, "I'm still going to work."
Ingram, a second-year freshman from Mililani, had three off-target snaps in 95 attempts this past season. All of the snaps were caught.
"He did a great job for us," head coach Greg McMackin said.
It was remarkable considering that Ingram had lost about 15 pounds during the summer because of flu-like symptoms.
He also suffered a high-ankle sprain during a surfing incident, a painful condition that lasted through the first third of the season.