Tagovailoa wins Pizza Hut Newcomer Award

Crusaders' junior quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was named the second winner of the annual Pizza Hut Newcomer Award, which recognizes superior performance by a student-athlete participating in his or her first year of varsity-level competition. Felipe Ojastro | SL

One year ago, not many outside of the Saint Louis football program knew much of Tua Tagovailoa.

What a difference a year makes.

Fast forward to the present and Tagovailoa is pegged as the next superstar to come through Kalaepohaku after a breakout sophomore season at the reins of the Crusader offense in 2014.

Tagovailoa, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound quarterback, was selected by the ScoringLive staff as this year's recipient of the Pizza Hut Newcomer Award, which recognizes superior performance by a student-athlete participating in his or her first year of varsity-level competition.

"It's a blessing, honestly," Tagovailoa said at a recent summer practice.

Tagovailoa took over the starting quarterback job from incumbent Ryder Kuhns after completing 65.1 percent (28 of 42) of his passes for 335 yards with seven touchdowns against zero interceptions in a pair of non-league games against eventual-state champion Mililani and national-ranked St. John Bosco (Calif.).

"It was really hard to start off," Tagovailoa said. "Coming up to the varsity level the speed is a lot different, but with Ryder Kuhns and his experience he kind of helped me a lot, as well as (offensive coordinator) Ron (Lee) with the offensive schemes and reading defenses a lot quicker, as well as getting into the film room."

During a five-game stretch last year, Tagovailoa threw 21 touchdown passes and connected on 77.2 percent (78 of 101) pass attempts and helped the Crusaders win each game. He threw for a season-high 430 yards on 20-of-25 passing in a win over Pac-Five and two weeks later put on a performance to remember in a thrilling win over Kamehameha. Tagovailoa threw for 399 yards with four TDs and ran for 190 yards and another score.

Saint Louis went 6-4, 6-2 in the ILH, and averaged more than 42 points and 486 yards per game behind Tagovailoa, who finished the year with 2,583 pass yards and a 68.2 completion percentage. In the 10 games he appeared in, Tagovailoa threw 33 touchdown passes and was intercepted just three times. He also led the team in rushing with 567 yards (6.5 yards per rush) and eight TDs.

Tagovailoa has turned his sights on the 2015 season, where he hopes to lead the Crusaders to their first Interscholastic League of Honolulu title since 2010.

"We've just got to work hard, on both defense and offense," Tagovailoa said. "There's a lot of kids that are coming from the JV to the varsity and a lot of guys that left, so it's a lot of new things going around as team. We've just got to jell as a team."

Other finalists for the Pizza Hut Newcomer Award this year were (in alphabetical order): Punahou freshman soccer player Kaile Halvorsen, Maryknoll sophomore pitcher Jarred Kaneshiro, Kaimuki sophomore basketball player Victoria Kintz, Nanakuli junior football player Randy Manewa, Saint Francis freshman softball player Sammie Ofoia and Maryknoll sophomore basketball player Justice Sueing.

Last year's inaugural winner was Saint Francis' Taylor Lau, who captured the girls' singles state tennis crown as a freshman.

To nominate an individual, visit ScoringLive.com/newcomer.