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In the 2019-'20 school year I shot a total of 91 games totaling over 10,000 photos taken.

Below are my top 10 photos selected from this school year. It was very difficult to choose my 10 favorite out of the thousands of photos I shot this school year. Hope you enjoy the set.

Failauga gets record, but Mules own the night

There are many photos to choose from Alfred Failauga's prolific high school prep career, but this specific photo is the play that solidified Failauga as the all-time rushing leader. Failauga broke the state rushing record in the second quarter against Leilehua. That night Waipahu unfortunately lost, 23-13, being limited to 120 yards of total offense, and Failauga ran for a total of 182 yards. In Failauga's career, he played on the varsity all four seasons, ran for 100-or-more rushing yards in 29 games and had 943 carries for 5,785 yards, an average of 6.1 yards per rush.

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Kahuku rallies by Mililani for Open title

The same night I was covering the state girls volleyball championship doubleheader at the Neal Blaisdell Center, and after I was done editing my photos I noticed the game was at halftime, so I decided to head over to the Aloha Stadium to catch some of the action. As soon as I got to the stadium the clock had approximately three minutes left in the third quarter, it was around 11 p.m. and both teams were still surprisingly scoreless. Kahuku and Mililani met earlier in the season on Aug. 16 and the Trojans shut out the Red Raiders, 32-0. Kahuku ended up winning its first ever OIA Open Division title and the team's 27th overall league crown.

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Kohala is king in Division II boys basketball

Kohala achieved something that it fell short of in 2007, that was winning its very first state basketball crown. The Kohala bench was full of emotion, jubilation and tears of joy as the final buzzer sounded. It was a nail-biting game in which the Cowboys managed to edge the Rough Riders, 51-48. Kohala was led by sophomore O'shen Cazimero, who scored a game high 23 points with three triples. He hit six of seven FTs and was named the Snapple/HHSAA Division II Tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Cazimero was later announced as ScoringLive's 2019 All-Hawaii D2 Boys Basketball Player of the Year. The Cowboys did it for their school and for Hawaii Island.

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Hilo stuns 'Iolani to win Division I state title

This game was one that you had to have been there to believe it. It ended in dramatic fashion where both teams were tied 17-17 and with two seconds left on the clock coach Kaeo Drummondo went all in, letting his kicker Keanu Keolanui attempt a record-tying 55-yard field goal to win it all or send them into overtime. I was standing at the goal line near the south end zone (where the ball would be traveling) ready to storm the field (if Hilo won). I watched the ball coming down and I wasn't sure it was gonna go in. The ball hit the crossbar and bounced over as the time expired ... it was something you see in a movie. Keolanui was the hero of the game being lifted and congratulated by his teammates and coaches. Hilo won its second First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Division I title in three years, both over ILH Division I teams.

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Mililani blanks Moanalua for its 18th OIA championship

Mililani's Mehana Ortiz held up the OIA Division I soccer plaque towards her team and the crowd. Ortiz netted the first goal of the title game in the 49th minute, off an assist by Shaunee Egloria against Moanalua. The photo came unexpectedly, and was somehow framed perfectly. Usually when someone holds up the plaque it's either upside down or turned the other way (not showing the championship print on the front). Luckily that night it wasn't the case. Ortiz is filled with jubilation, she is centered perfectly in the middle with her Trojan family surrounding her and most importantly, the photo is sharp. Usually with all the excitement there is a chance of motion blur or the photo being out of focus, but not this time.

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Trojans defend their crown on Menes' home floor

If I could describe a game filled with excitement, school spirit and featured two teams undefeated heading into a title, this would be it. After the conclusion of the OIA Division II game it was literally standing room only, it was loud with both Moanalua and Mililani fans, its student body, and athletes. When Mililani is in a title game,  they bring their student body in full force there was the cheerleaders and the football team supporting their fellow Trojans. The Trojans came in as underdogs and at a home-court disadvantage. At the end of the night the Trojans managed to repeat, outlasting Na Menehune in their own gymnasium 15-25, 28-26, 25-14, 21-25, 15-10. Mililani won its fourth overall league title that night and all came within the same decade. To end a thrilling night after Mililani received the championship plaque and sang their alma mater the Trojan student body stormed the court to celebrate with the team (which I was trapped in the middle of).

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No. 10 Iolani pins back No. 12 Damien

Capturing a touchdown score can be tricky, and sometimes you either have the shot or you don't, especially if you're on the 1-yard line anything can happen. Damien was down 24-0 with 2:37 left in the half. Quarterback Jake Holtz went under center up on the line and my assumption was Holtz was going to keep the ball and run it in down the middle with his solid line, or hand off the ball to Aperamo Sulu and he'll run the ball in, or it'll be a quick jet sweep to either Jarvis Natividad or Ezra Kaina. Like I said anything can happen, it's the 1-yard line, and as a photographer you have to react quickly enough or you'll miss the shot. Even with all my experience shooting football, I never seen a quarterback leap over the offensive line before for a score. From my perspective I was lucky, at the right spot at the right time, with a clear view of Holtz making the score, nobody blocking his face, and in the end result the photo is sharp.

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Rainbow Warriors bounce BYU to win Hawaii Bowl 

Way before hearing the news of coach Nick Rolovich heading to Pullman to coach the Washington State Cougars and Cole McDonald electing to the NFL Draft, the 2019 SoFi Hawaii Bowl was a great way to send off the seniors and coach Rolo for all they've done for the University of Hawaii football program. The game was a nail-biting thriller until Khoury Bethley came in with the game-sealing interception with 25 seconds left in the game; Bethley's second pick of the evening. The last time the Warriors beat the Cougars was in 2001. In the end, the 2019 Rainbow Warriors became the sixth team in NCAA FBS history to have three different receivers end the season with more than 1,000 yards in JoJo Ward, Jared Smart, and Cedric Byrd II.

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Iolani pulls away from Konawaena to repeat

Originally, before I shot this photo I had Lily Lefotu Wahinekapu cutting the net close up with only her and the basketball net in the frame. In the corner of eye I noticed the scoreboard was still on with the score and both names of teams still up. I quickly changed up my composition by adjusting my placement to make sure to fit Wahinekapu cutting the net and the scoreboard within the 8x10 frame (which surprisingly I was able to). In the end result, the scoreboard is visible with the score and the lights are illuminating Wahinekapu making her the subject of the photo. Lily Lefotu Wahinekapu became the Snapple/HHSAA Division I Tournament's Most Outstanding Player, as well as the 2019 Scoringlive All-Hawaii Girls Basketball Division I Player of the Year.

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Damien hands Waimea first loss, claims D2 crown

History was made for Damien Memorial School that night when the Girls Varsity Volleyball team won the school its very first state championship in a female sport in the New City Nissan Division II Girls Volleyball State Championships. Damien fielded their very first girls' varsity sport in the 2014 season (girls volleyball), and five years later became queens of the court. Coach Don Faumuina capped his fifth and final season with the Monarchs in style, as Damien swept undefeated Waimea from the KIF to claim the D2 crown 25-19, 25-11, 25-14.