Naighel Calderon becomes 1st Lanai inductee to Hall of Honor

The 2019 class of the Hawaii High School Hall of Honor includes three elite level basketball players, as well as a good number of neighbor island standouts.

Kalina Obrey of Kamehameha, the Star-Advertiser Girls Basketball All-State player of the year, was voted into the Hall by the selection committee. So was boys player of the year Kameron Ng of St. Francis. He is the first — and only — boy to be inducted from the school, which will close its doors.

Four-sport athlete Duke Clemens of Punahou was also voted in after making the all-state squad in both football and basketball. So was four-time wrestling champion Kelani Corbett of Leilehua.

The inductees also include the first-ever athlete from Lanai, Naighel Calderon.

The Hall of Honor banquet will be held on June 2 at Dole Cannery’s Pomaikai Ballroom.

The ’19 class is comprised of 12 inductees, In alphabetical order.

Naighel Calderon, Lanai baseball, football and basketball
Arguably the finest male athlete in Pine Lads history, Calderon tilted the long odds against him by competing year-round off-island. He spent almost all of his summer last year playing baseball across the nation in the top tournaments, and emerged as a college prospect. He was also a standout scorer for the Pine Lads’ MIL title-contending basketball team, and was a major weapon on Lanai’s eight-man football team that was MIL co-champion. Calderon, who blasted four home runs in one game this season, will walk on at Hawaii.

Duke Clemens, Punahou football, basketball, baseball, track and field
Clemens was a versatile first-team All-State offensive lineman for the high-scoring Buffanblu football squad. He was also No. 7 in the Boys Basketball All-State Fab 15. During the spring, he pitched for the baseball team, and as a senior, placed fourth in the state shot put.

Kelani Corbett, Leilehua wrestling
Corbett wrapped up her two-sport career as a four-time wrestling champion and was also a four-time medalist in judo. She is only the fifth female wrestler all-time to achieve the wrestling grand slam.

Kiran Costa, Kapaa soccer and volleyball
The versatile Warrior was the Kauai Interscholastic Federation boys soccer player of the year and was voted to the Star-Advertiser Boys Volleyball All-State Fab 15 at No. 11.

Sunshine Fontes, Pearl City soccer
Before injuring her knee late in the OIA playoffs, Fontes was already a two-time all-state selection, and as a junior she led the junior national team in scoring. Fontes is heading to UCLA on scholarship.

Dillon Gabriel, Mililani football
The steady and prolific All-State quarterback was a force from day one, becoming the all-time passing yardage leader with 9,848 yards. His 105 TD passes ranks second all time only to Timmy Chang. Gabriel is already enrolled at UCF this spring.

Ashley Gooman, Kamehameha wrestling
The three-time state champion came within one win of a slam, losing only to current national champion Tiare Ikei of Kaiser last year in the state final.

Faatui Tuitele, Saint Louis football
The standout defensive lineman was a stalwart force for the Crusaders, who began their three-year run of Open Division state championships when Tuitele joined the varsity as a sophomore. He was voted All-State defensive player of the year as a senior. His ability to absorb double- and triple-teams opened up the possibilities for Saint Louis’ defense. He received 39 scholarship offers as a result and signed with Washington.

Noah Wusstig, Moanalua judo and wrestling
Wusstig earned only the sixth ever grand slam in judo, winning all but one match by ippon (throw). Combined with his two wrestling titles, Wusstig registered six gold medals on the mat. Only Josh Terao of Mid-Pacific has earned more.

Mikayla Kekoa, Kohala volleyball, basketball and softball
Considered one of the greatest female athletes in Kohala history, Kekoa pitched the state’s fifth-smallest school to the championship game of the Division II softball final.

Kameron Ng, St. Francis basketball, football and volleyball
Arguably the most effective playmaking and scoring guard in prep basketball since Miah Ostrowski, Ng was a tireless scorer and passer. Even with a severely injured ankle, he returned early during his senior year and averaged 24 points per game. After moving up to DI, the Saints upset in the ILH playoffs to ‘Iolani, then lost to the Raiders in the tiebreaker battle for the ILH’s third state berth. He also led St. Francis to D-II state titles in ’17 and ’18. Ng will walk on at Hawaii.

Kalina Obrey, Kamehameha basketball and volleyball
The talented two-sport standout was key middle blocker for the volleyball squad. On the basketball court, she was a two-time All-State selection, earning player of the year honors as a senior. Her evolution from post scorer to wing playmaker in less than one year was stunning. Obrey will play at San Jose State next season.