Kapolei's Tagovailoa-Amosa headed to Notre Dame


 



WAIKIKI — In the end, Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa followed his heart — all the way to South Bend, Ind.

The Kapolei defensive end brought his recruitment to a close Wednesday morning, along with about 50 other student-athletes who signed their National Letters of Intent in a signing ceremony at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel and Resort.

Tagovailoa-Amosa, who is rated as a four-star recruit by several national recruiting services, had more than a dozen scholarship offers that he narrowed down to three: Notre Dame, Southern California and Vanderbilt.

Ultimately, Tagovailoa-Amosa signed with the Fighting Irish when he put pen to paper Wednesday morning.

"Truly it's a blessing," Tagovailoa-Amosa said. "All the prayers and hard work is finally paying off and I'm just really grateful; All glory to God for the opportunity and I'm just really thankful for everything."

The 6-foot-4, 270-pound Tagovailoa-Amosa was selected as the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I Red Conference Defensive Player of the Year and earned All-Hawaii First Team honors. He collected 17 1/2 tackles for loss, 11 1/2 sacks and 10 pass break-ups — which made him a highly sought-after commodity.

"It definitely was really hectic," Tagovailoa-Amosa said. "It was difficult to decide because all these schools are great Division I schools and knowing that anywhere you go, you're going to get that great education, you're going to get good football, so definitely it was difficult, but I just thank God that I came to peace with one."

Notre Dame entered the picture relatively late — offering Tagovailoa-Amosa in early January. He visited the campus just one week before signing day.

"There were a lot of factors that played a role into this, but I think what really stood out to me was how their priorities — faith, family, football — aligns with mine and that's something that I really hold close to my heart," said Tagovailoa-Amosa.

Another premier defensive end, Punahou's Miki Suguturaga, also waited to reveal his college choice until Wednesday's signing ceremony. The 6-foot-5, 260-pound three-star recruit signed with Utah after some initial drama.

At first, Suguturaga's name placard had a University of Hawaii logo on it, but about 10 minutes prior to the start of the event, it was replaced with another one with a Utah logo.

"I just went to different schools across the U.S. and just a lot of seeing what other schools were like and getting a feeling of where I would fit best was mostly how I felt. At Utah, I would say I felt the best," Suguturaga said. "There's a huge family feeling, not only because my family all lives there and goes to school there and just with the community that they have it felt really welcoming and something that I can look forward to the next four years."

One of Suguturaga's Buffanblu teammates, Seyddrick Lakalaka, is also taking his talents to the mainland.

Lakalaka, a 6-foot-1, 220-pound outside linebacker followed in the steps of his older brother, Ronley, to San Diego State.

"I was familiar with the surrounding and I just felt comfortable there," Lakalaka said.

Seyddrick's oldest brother, Steven, just completed his eligibility with the University of Hawaii. The youngest Lakalaka said both brothers had a significant impact on him over the years.

"I learned to work hard and never give up," he said. "They're both hard workers, they really put out in the games and I just hope one day to be like them."

Meanwhile, one prep product opted to "defend Pride Rock."

Farrington quarterback Justin Uahinui walked away from a chance to play at Nihon University (Japan) to take a preferred walk-on spot at UH.

"Japan was a great opportunity, but to stay home at UH would help me develop more and it would just be a blessing to play in front of all my family and I'm happy to stay home," Uahinui said. "It took about a week to decide because they're both great opportunities and one was a one-of-a-kind opportunity, but I just wanted to further my education and career by staying home."

In addition to the 18 football players, more than 30 girls' soccer players also signed their NLIs.

A complete list of signees at Wednesday's event can be found below.

NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT SIGNING DAY CEREMONY
Wednesday at Sheraton Waikiki

FOOTBALL
Onesimus Clarke (Waianae), Oregon State
Ryan Kaneshiro (Hanalani), North Park
Andrew Kaufusi (Kaiser), Azusa Pacific
Seyddrick Lakalaka (Punahou), San Diego State
Christian Mejia (Kailua), Washington State
Braeden Lafaele Meyer (Saint Louis), Adams State
Michael Minihan (Saint Louis), Georgia Tech
Luke Ocreto-Penitusi (Campbell), Adams State
Omar Mareko (Kapolei), St. Francis
Tevita Otuvaka (Saint Francis), Arizona Western
Gage Kealoha Quinado-Reis (Kalani), Pacific Univ.
Jacob Drew Russell (Saint Louis), Adams State
Jonah Soakai (Radford), Adams State
Miki Suguturaga (Punahou), Utah
Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa (Kapolei), Notre Dame
Jack-Eli Tufono (Punahou), Idaho State
Justin Uahinui (Farrington), Hawaii
Charles Watson (Leilehua), Oregon State

MEN'S SOCCER
Tyler Ebisuya (Iolani), Chaminade
Christopher Jenkins (Kamehameha), Air Force Academy
Jace Tamayei (Roosevelt), Doane
Kohei Tomita (Mid-Pacific), Chaminade

SOFTBALL
Lena Kotrys (Waianae), Eastern Arizona

WOMEN'S SOCCER
Laulea Akana-Phillips (Kamehameha), Idaho State
Kamaile Aluli (Kahuku), Cal State-San Marcos
Kailee Balthazar-Chang (Kamehameha), Westminster
Lauryn Cabudol (Campbell), Southwestern Aseemblies of God
Asia Canon (Campbell), Holy Names
Jaelynn Chargualaf (Campbell), Ottawa
Chardonnay Curran (Campbell), Oregon
Chelsie DePonte (St. Andrew's Priory), Stony Brook
True Dydasco (Punahou), Oregon
Kiara Fairbairn (Punahou), American
Randi Fontes (Pearl City), Hawaii
Kapuamakamae Gomera-Stevens (Kamehameha), Washington State
Jordan Hill (Aiea), Azusa Pacific
Shea Kealoha Kauanui (Castle), Westminster
Kaile Leiolani Kauanui (Castle), Columbia Basin College
Kylee Kim-Bustillos (Iolani), Sacramento State
Skylar Littlefield (Baldwin), Sacramento State
Randi Macadangdang (Mililani), Azusa Pacific
Cambrie Motooka (Iolani), Occidental
Malia Napoleon (Mililani), Western Oregon
Tiana Ono (Aiea), Nevada
Shayla Padilla (Leilehua), Oral Roberts
Caitlin Amanda Perry (Kapolei), Chaminade
Brooke Ramos (Kamehameha), Kansas State
Alyssa Rasmussen (Punahou), Academy of Art
Taylor Rusnak (Haleakala Waldorf), Hawaii
Zoe Sano (Pearl City), Colorado School of Mines
Shantel Torres-Benito (Iolani), Peninsula
Mia York (Kalaheo), Adelphi
Alyssa Yoshida (Kapolei), Colorado State
Karey Ann Yoshioka (University Lab), Skagit Valley

WOMEN'S WATER POLO
Haley Crabtree (Punahou), Pitzer College
Kylee Giblin (Le Jardin), Villanova



Reach Kalani Takase at [email protected].




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