StarBulletin.com

Players can make their picks tomorrow


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POSTED: Tuesday, February 02, 2010

What would signing day be without a little bit of drama?

While most of the state's top football prospects have charted their college destinations, a few figure to take the process into tomorrow's opening of the signing period.

“;You never know what's going to happen,”; said Doris Sullivan, who runs the Pacific Islands Athletic Alliance.

Most of the local recruits will make their commitments binding by signing a national letter of intent at an event hosted by the PIAA at the Sheraton Waikiki.

Those expected to reveal their decisions when the signing period begins at 7 a.m. include Kapolei safety Shaydon Akuna, Farrington linebacker V.J. Fehoko and Punahou defensive back Jeremy Ioane.

Akuna and Fehoko are rated as the state's top two prospects by rivals.com, with Ioane seventh.

Fehoko said he has narrowed his choices to Hawaii and Utah and will sit down with his family today to finalize his decision, which he'll announce tomorrow morning.

Fehoko took an official visit to UH this past weekend and to Utah the previous week and said he felt comfortable at both schools.

“;UH has been just been great from the get-go, them and Utah were the first schools to offer me,”; said Fehoko.

“;Come Wednesday morning, it's going to be pretty crazy.”;

In a late switch, Hawaii got a commitment from Kamehameha defensive end Beau Yap, who initially appeared headed to Baylor.

“;It just came all of a sudden. He went on a recruiting trip to Oregon State (last weekend) and decided he wanted to stay home instead,”; said Boyd Yap, Beau's father and a former UH running back.

While Beau, a second-team Star-Bulletin All-State selection, would follow his father's path by committing to UH, “;he's his own guy and he knew it was his decision all the way and whatever decision he made we'd support him,”; Boyd Yap said.

Boyd Yap said Beau came to his decision after returning home on Sunday and the family was thankful the UH coaching staff had a scholarship to offer after Beau's initial commitment to Baylor.

Receiver Allen Sampson of Plant (Tampa, Fla.) High School added his name to the list of mainland recruits expected to sign with the Warriors tomorrow. Sampson (5-foot-8, 155 pounds), Plant's leading receiver last season, said playing in the run-and-shoot was part of the attraction in making the cross-country commitment.

“;It's perfect,”; said Sampson, who projects to play slotback at UH. “;If God made an offense for me, that would be it.”;

Akuna took a recruiting trip to Florida State over the weekend and remained undecided yesterday, Kapolei head coach Darren Hernandez said.

“;It might go down to the wire,”; said Hernandez, who listed Arizona, Oregon State, West Virginia and Arkansas among the schools Akuna is considering.

Ioane spent his weekend visiting Notre Dame, which signed former Buffanblu teammates Manti Te'o and Robby Toma last year.

Kahuku defensive end Kona Schwenke also visited South Bend over the weekend, and Red Raiders head coach Reggie Torres indicated his decision-making process may not be resolved by tomorrow's on-campus signing ceremony.

 

Not just football

While much of the attention will be cast on the football signees, tomorrow's PIAA event will also include student-athletes signing in water polo, soccer, cross country and track and field.