WAILUKU — Record-setting quarterback Jordan Helle of Baldwin High School has decided to attend Occidental College, an NCAA Division III school in Los Angeles.

Helle, a 6-foot-2, 215-pounder, and his family reached the decision over the weekend after taking a visit to the school earlier this month.

''I went to visit with my family and I just fell in love with the place,''Helle said to The Maui News. ''The football program is one of the top in the country when it comes to D-III, so that was also a deciding factor.''

The offense for the Tigers is similar to the spread attack that Baldwin has used to get to the state semifinals in each of the last three seasons.

''Yeah, that was another big thing, they run basically run the same type of offense — four wides and one back,'' Helle said. ''When it breaks down to the terminology it is also very similar, so that is another big plus.''

Helle passed for a Maui Interscholastic League single-season record 26 touchdowns in 2006 when he was just the third passer in league history to pass for more than 2,000 yards in a season. In 2007, when the league cut its games from 10 to seven, he was 60-for-130 for 1,127 yards, 14 TDs and five interceptions for the Bears, who finished 9-2.

Helle helped the Bears build their current 30-game MIL unbeaten (29-0-1) streak that dates back to October 2004.

Occidental College was 7-2 this season and has four quarterbacks from the 2007 roster eligible to return, including Punahou graduate John Morris. Morris will be a senior, as will returning starter Justin Goltz.

Helle is hopeful of seeing playing time for the Tigers. He has put on ''five to 10 pounds,'' since the Bears lost 41-34 to eventual state champion Leilehua in the state semifinals in November.

''They have a returning starter who is going to be a senior, but I have a good chance to go in and compete for playing time and possibly be the number two guy the first year,'' Helle said.

Helle's final decision came down to Occidental, Puget Sound — both D-III schools — and D-II Texas A&M Commerce, which offered a full scholarship. Division III schools cannot, by rule, offer athletic scholarships.

''The full ride at Commerce, that was pretty hard to turn down,'' Helle said. ''My parents told me not to worry about the finances, but it was hard to say no to Commerce. It was a good fit athletically and academically.''

Helle said he is glad to have the process of choosing a school over with.

''It is definitely a stressful process, a lot more strenuous than I anticipated,'' he said. ''It is a relief and now I can enjoy the last month of school and it is good to know where I will be going next year.''

Helle said that he has an odd feeling of being nearly done at Baldwin.

''It is pretty hard to believe — it has flown by,'' he said. ''I can remember my freshman year, going into that first football camp before school even started and here we are four years later at the end of a chapter. I'm pretty excited about the next chapter.''

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