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What might a 1982 Hawaii High School Athletic Association Hall of Honor class have looked like?
On Sunday, at the dinner celebrating this year’s inductees, a few of us chatted about that. We tossed around some names that we think would have made it if the hall existed prior.
I felt a bit sad for the “bubble year” standouts — those who completed illustrious high school sports careers and graduated in 1982.
This is just nostalgia, and maybe my memory from when I was 20 and barely out of high school myself are somewhat foggy. But — thanks to hawaiiprepworld.com, hhsaa.org, newspapers.com and the crystal-clear recollections of our venerable editor, Curtis Murayama, who covered prep sports closely in the late 1970s and early ’80s — we can look at the class of 1982 and cull some real standouts.
By no means is this a “things were better back then” rant — just a wistful what-if. Many things are better now — there are more opportunities for more students to participate in athletics and represent their families, schools and communities in prep sports. Classification and state championships in canoe paddling, cheer, flag football, judo, surfing and girls water polo were decades away in 1982.
Many of the best high school athletes in the 1981-82 school year were young ones who became members of the first classes of the Hall of Honor, which inducted its first 12 student-athletes in 1983.
The most memorable prep sports story of the 1981-82 school year centered on a coach: the death of Radford football’s John Velasco, and the Rams responding with upset victories, including the Oahu Prep Bowl — which was the closest thing we had to a state championship in football in those days.
There were certainly some great athletes in the graduating class of 1982.
Here are 10 who had the credentials to at least be considered among the 12 best of their school year:
Tammy Cartwright, Radford cross country and track and field: She won back-to-back individual cross country state championships, leading the Rams to the team championship both years. On the track, Cartwright was a two-time winner in the 3,200-meters and one second from winning it as a sophomore. She also earned a second and a third in the 1,600.
Ralden Chang, Campbell golf: became first in the 17-year history of the tournament to successfully defend that state individual championship.
“Compared to last year, this is more of a thrill to win again,” Chang told Frank Mauz, covering the tournament for the Advertiser at Kaluako‘i Golf Course on Molokai.
Millie Dydasco, Castle soccer: The senior forward scored four goals as the Knights beat Mililani 6-0 in the championship match of the first HHSAA girls state tournament.
Francis Fletcher, Maryknoll basketball: A three-time first-team All-Stater, he led the Spartans to three state championship games.
Heidi Friese, Punahou track and field: She won the 100, 200 and 100 hurdles at the state meet — twice, setting and breaking her own records along the way. She also anchored two winning relay teams both years, leading the Buffanblu to team victories both years.
“Had it not been for a knee injury in seventh grade, she probably would have continued in gymnastics,” according to her Punahou Hall of Fame write-up. “Instead she took to the track, and by high school was a specialist in the 100- and 200-meter sprints, 100-meter hurdles, 4×400-meter relay and 4×800-meter relay.”
Kurt Gouveia, Waianae football, basketball, baseball: In 1981 he was the state football Defensive Player of the Year (safety) and the OIA West Offensive Player of the Year (quarterback), while also making the all-division first team on defense. In 1980, when Waianae and ‘Iolani tied in the Prep Bowl, Gouveia was also first-team All-State on defense. As a senior, he was the OIA West basketball Player of the Year, leading the Seariders to a 12-2 regular season record, and he was also a pitcher for Waianae.
Kelsey Isa, Maui baseball: The shortstop and pitcher received MVP honors as the Sabers won the state championship.
Cliff Kaneaiakala, Kaiser football, basketball: The All-State Offensive Player of the Year as a senior thrived as one of the first of many great run-and-shoot quarterbacks, passing for more than 2,000 yards in a season — the first to do so in Hawaii high school football. He was also the starting shooting guard on the Cougars basketball team.
Rhani Peters, Kaiser football, basketball and track and field: In football, he was a three-year starter at receiver, including the Cougars’ run to the Prep Bowl in 1979; he was second-team All-State as a junior and first team as a senior. He dominated the jumping events at the state meet for three years. As a junior and senior, he swept all three. As a sophomore, he set records in the triple jump (47-4 1/2) and the high jump (6-7 1/2). He was third-team All-State in basketball.
Andy Roe, Kailua basketball: With star junior George Puou in foul trouble, Roe’s fourth quarter scoring surge led the Surfriders to the state championship over Maryknoll and helped Roe earn all-tournament MVP honors, and a spot on the All-State first team.
———
About five of these stars would have been can’t-miss if the hall existed, and others are certainly debatable. Two spots remain open if you want to add a favorite without knocking anyone here off the list. Or maybe you can come up with an entirely different dozen of your own.
Continue reading...
On Sunday, at the dinner celebrating this year’s inductees, a few of us chatted about that. We tossed around some names that we think would have made it if the hall existed prior.
I felt a bit sad for the “bubble year” standouts — those who completed illustrious high school sports careers and graduated in 1982.
This is just nostalgia, and maybe my memory from when I was 20 and barely out of high school myself are somewhat foggy. But — thanks to hawaiiprepworld.com, hhsaa.org, newspapers.com and the crystal-clear recollections of our venerable editor, Curtis Murayama, who covered prep sports closely in the late 1970s and early ’80s — we can look at the class of 1982 and cull some real standouts.
By no means is this a “things were better back then” rant — just a wistful what-if. Many things are better now — there are more opportunities for more students to participate in athletics and represent their families, schools and communities in prep sports. Classification and state championships in canoe paddling, cheer, flag football, judo, surfing and girls water polo were decades away in 1982.
Many of the best high school athletes in the 1981-82 school year were young ones who became members of the first classes of the Hall of Honor, which inducted its first 12 student-athletes in 1983.
The most memorable prep sports story of the 1981-82 school year centered on a coach: the death of Radford football’s John Velasco, and the Rams responding with upset victories, including the Oahu Prep Bowl — which was the closest thing we had to a state championship in football in those days.
There were certainly some great athletes in the graduating class of 1982.
Here are 10 who had the credentials to at least be considered among the 12 best of their school year:
Tammy Cartwright, Radford cross country and track and field: She won back-to-back individual cross country state championships, leading the Rams to the team championship both years. On the track, Cartwright was a two-time winner in the 3,200-meters and one second from winning it as a sophomore. She also earned a second and a third in the 1,600.
Ralden Chang, Campbell golf: became first in the 17-year history of the tournament to successfully defend that state individual championship.
“Compared to last year, this is more of a thrill to win again,” Chang told Frank Mauz, covering the tournament for the Advertiser at Kaluako‘i Golf Course on Molokai.
Millie Dydasco, Castle soccer: The senior forward scored four goals as the Knights beat Mililani 6-0 in the championship match of the first HHSAA girls state tournament.
Francis Fletcher, Maryknoll basketball: A three-time first-team All-Stater, he led the Spartans to three state championship games.
Heidi Friese, Punahou track and field: She won the 100, 200 and 100 hurdles at the state meet — twice, setting and breaking her own records along the way. She also anchored two winning relay teams both years, leading the Buffanblu to team victories both years.
“Had it not been for a knee injury in seventh grade, she probably would have continued in gymnastics,” according to her Punahou Hall of Fame write-up. “Instead she took to the track, and by high school was a specialist in the 100- and 200-meter sprints, 100-meter hurdles, 4×400-meter relay and 4×800-meter relay.”
Kurt Gouveia, Waianae football, basketball, baseball: In 1981 he was the state football Defensive Player of the Year (safety) and the OIA West Offensive Player of the Year (quarterback), while also making the all-division first team on defense. In 1980, when Waianae and ‘Iolani tied in the Prep Bowl, Gouveia was also first-team All-State on defense. As a senior, he was the OIA West basketball Player of the Year, leading the Seariders to a 12-2 regular season record, and he was also a pitcher for Waianae.
Kelsey Isa, Maui baseball: The shortstop and pitcher received MVP honors as the Sabers won the state championship.
Cliff Kaneaiakala, Kaiser football, basketball: The All-State Offensive Player of the Year as a senior thrived as one of the first of many great run-and-shoot quarterbacks, passing for more than 2,000 yards in a season — the first to do so in Hawaii high school football. He was also the starting shooting guard on the Cougars basketball team.
Rhani Peters, Kaiser football, basketball and track and field: In football, he was a three-year starter at receiver, including the Cougars’ run to the Prep Bowl in 1979; he was second-team All-State as a junior and first team as a senior. He dominated the jumping events at the state meet for three years. As a junior and senior, he swept all three. As a sophomore, he set records in the triple jump (47-4 1/2) and the high jump (6-7 1/2). He was third-team All-State in basketball.
Andy Roe, Kailua basketball: With star junior George Puou in foul trouble, Roe’s fourth quarter scoring surge led the Surfriders to the state championship over Maryknoll and helped Roe earn all-tournament MVP honors, and a spot on the All-State first team.
———
About five of these stars would have been can’t-miss if the hall existed, and others are certainly debatable. Two spots remain open if you want to add a favorite without knocking anyone here off the list. Or maybe you can come up with an entirely different dozen of your own.
Continue reading...
