HONOLULU — The Hawaii High School Athletic Association announced its 12-member class of the 2022 Hall of Honor for outstanding prep career achievement on Sunday morning.
The class of outgoing seniors was selected by a 13-member panel that includes high school athletic directors, coaches, and current and former sports writers. (Spectrum News Hawaii’s Brian McInnis is on the panel.)
The class is comprised of eight athletes from Oahu schools and four from the Neighbor Islands (two from Hawaii Island, and one each from Maui and Kauai). There are six private school athletes and six from public schools. There are seven girls and five boys.
All were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that wiped out all competition in the 2020-21 athletic calendar, and some saw two seasons disappear with spring 2020 also wiped out.
The awardees will each receive a $2,000 scholarship from the HHSAA and Enterprise Holdings. For the third straight year, there will be no awards banquet due to the COVID pandemic.
The class:
Aiva Arquette, Saint Louis boys basketball, baseball
Arquette, a 6-4 forward, led the Crusaders to their first basketball state championship since 1986 — for which he earned Honolulu Star-Advertiser Player of the Year — but he is even better known for his baseball exploits as a shortstop. He’s headed to Washington on a baseball scholarship.
O’shen Cazimero, Kohala boys basketball
The 5-9 Cazimero was the lynchpin of the 2020 Cowboys Division II hoops title team that was the toast of the town. The three-time BIIF Player of the Year is headed to Southwestern Oregon Community College to play basketball and will look to transfer to a four-year university.
Devin Kahahawai, Kamehameha girls volleyball
A unique blend of 6-foot-3 size, explosiveness and skill has Kahahawai, the Star-Advertiser Player of the Year and a two-time state champion, bound for the University of Texas on scholarship. She has extensive junior national team experience.
Jovi Lefotu, Iolani girls basketball, volleyball
Her prep career started with a pair of state championships playing alongside older sister Lily, but Lefotu ended her career with a third title leading the Raiders herself. The versatile 5-9 guard is bound for UH Manoa, where she will reunite with her sister as a Rainbow Wahine.
Kaliana Salazar-Harrell, Konawaena girls basketball
A hard-luck injury just before halftime of the state championship game prevented Salazar-Harrell from being able to achieve glory in the tradition of so many past Wildcat teams. She drew comparisons to past great Konawaena players like Chanelle Molina, Lia Galdeira and Dawnyelle Awa. She’s taking her talents to Cal State Fullerton to play hoops.
Ailana Agbayani, Iolani softball
Like Lefotu, Agbayani began her career playing alongside her older sister. Ailana and sibling Aleia, the daughters of former MLB player Benny Agbayani, the Iolani coach, teamed up to bring the Raiders their first title in 19 years in 2019. Ailana, a shortstop/ace pitcher, nearly achieved glory again in 2022 before falling to Maryknoll, but she is bound for BYU to play softball.
Grace Monahan, University Lab girls swimming
Monahan, bound for North Carolina State to swim, won six state gold medals — two each in her freshman, sophomore and senior seasons for the Junior Bows. She was untouchable in the 100 yard fly and 200 individual medley, winning both each year. She set a record in the 200 IM as a sophomore at 2:01.58.
Blaze Sumiye, Moanalua boys wrestling, judo, football
Sumiye was named captain on every wrestling, judo and football team he played on going back to his freshman year. He won three state golds in grappling (145-pound wrestling as sophomore, 160 wrestling as senior, 178 judo as senior) and was named third-team all-state by the Star-Advertiser as a Na Menehune defensive lineman as a senior. He’s bound for Providence University (Mont.) to wrestle.
Kale Spencer, Kamehameha Maui football, volleyball, basketball, track
A true multi-sport standout and captain for the Valley Isle Warriors, the 6-4 Spencer excelled the most in volleyball. He began his career as the starting setter and gradually transitioned to hitter. In basketball he was first-team all-MIL, while as a lineman he helped the football Warriors to the 2021 Division II title game. He is bound for Long Island University to play for the Sharks’ fledgling men’s volleyball program.
Teva Tafiti, Punahou football
The first-ever starting freshman for the Buffanblu, the quiet and versatile edge defender — he excelled at both linebacker and defensive line — garnered multiple Star-Advertiser all-state honors throughout his career. From a bevy of high-profile scholarship offers, he accepted that of Stanford.
Erin Hekiji, Mililani girls wrestling, judo
Hekiji remained in the 97-pound bracket for wrestling/98-pound bracket for judo the entirety of her career, and there she prospered with four total gold medals. She is taking her 4.1 cumulative GPA to Great Falls, Montana, where she will compete for the University of Providence in wrestling.
Kaleonahe Bukoski, Kauai girls soccer, volleyball
The KIF player of the year as a senior in both soccer and volleyball, Bukoski made the state Division II soccer all-tournament team on either side of a COVID-canceled junior year. While the Red Raiders came up short in the state final in both 2020 and 2022, Bukoski was lauded for her abilities nonetheless. She is headed to Pacific Luthern University in Tacoma, Wash., and will try out for the soccer team.
Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii.