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Kalani Takase | ScoringLiveFebruary 1, 2017, 4:34pm
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 CEREMONYWednesday at Sheraton Waikiki
FOOTBALLOnesimus Clarke (Waianae), Oregon StateRyan Kaneshiro (Hanalani), North ParkAndrew Kaufusi (Kaiser), Azusa PacificSeyddrick Lakalaka (Punahou), San Diego StateChristian Mejia (Kailua), Washington StateBraeden Lafaele Meyer (Saint Louis), Adams StateMichael Minihan (Saint Louis), Georgia TechLuke Ocreto-Penitusi (Campbell), Adams StateOmar Mareko (Kapolei), St. Francis Tevita Otuvaka (Saint Francis), Arizona WesternGage Kealoha Quinado-Reis (Kalani), Pacific Univ.Jacob Drew Russell (Saint Louis), Adams StateJonah Soakai (Radford), Adams StateMiki Suguturaga (Punahou), UtahMyron Tagovailoa-Amosa (Kapolei), Notre DameJack-Eli Tufono (Punahou), Idaho StateJustin Uahinui (Farrington), HawaiiCharles Watson (Leilehua), Oregon State
MEN'S SOCCERTyler Ebisuya (Iolani), ChaminadeChristopher Jenkins (Kamehameha), Air Force AcademyJace Tamayei (Roosevelt), DoaneKohei Tomita (Mid-Pacific), Chaminade
SOFTBALLLena Kotrys (Waianae), Eastern Arizona
WOMEN'S SOCCERLaulea Akana-Phillips (Kamehameha), Idaho StateKamaile Aluli (Kahuku), Cal State-San MarcosKailee Balthazar-Chang (Kamehameha), WestminsterLauryn Cabudol (Campbell), Southwestern Aseemblies of GodAsia Canon (Campbell), Holy Names Jaelynn Chargualaf (Campbell), OttawaChardonnay Curran (Campbell), OregonChelsie DePonte (St. Andrew's Priory), Stony BrookTrue Dydasco (Punahou), OregonKiara Fairbairn (Punahou), AmericanRandi Fontes (Pearl City), HawaiiKapuamakamae Gomera-Stevens (Kamehameha), Washington StateJordan Hill (Aiea), Azusa PacificShea Kealoha Kauanui (Castle), WestminsterKaile Leiolani Kauanui (Castle), Columbia Basin CollegeKylee Kim-Bustillos (Iolani), Sacramento StateSkylar Littlefield (Baldwin), Sacramento StateRandi Macadangdang (Mililani), Azusa PacificCambrie Motooka (Iolani), OccidentalMalia Napoleon (Mililani), Western OregonTiana Ono (Aiea), NevadaShayla Padilla (Leilehua), Oral RobertsCaitlin Amanda Perry (Kapolei), ChaminadeBrooke Ramos (Kamehameha), Kansas StateAlyssa Rasmussen (Punahou), Academy of ArtTaylor Rusnak (Haleakala Waldorf), HawaiiZoe Sano (Pearl City), Colorado School of MinesShantel Torres-Benito (Iolani), PeninsulaMia York (Kalaheo), AdelphiAlyssa Yoshida (Kapolei), Colorado StateKarey Ann Yoshioka (University Lab), Skagit Valley
WOMEN'S WATER POLOHaley Crabtree (Punahou), Pitzer CollegeKylee Giblin (Le Jardin), Villanova
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