HALL PASS: Kamehameha’s Kayla Afoa

Over the next 24 hours, Hawaii Prep World and the Star-Advertiser will release 12 small features on the 2017 inductees into the Hall of Honor ahead of Sunday’s ceremony.

Kayla Afoa began her high school career surrounded by winners before growing into one of the school’s best.

Afoa played on two state championship teams as a freshman, starting on a volleyball team that featured three other future Hall of Honor members in Alohi Robins-Hardy, Tianna Hallums and Sarah Lau. Afoa wasn’t just along for the ride, though, finishing top three on the team in attempts in the state tournament and burying seven kills in the state championship match.

Afoa went into her single season of soccer as one of three freshmen, Kapua Stevens and Brooke Ramos were the others, on a state title crew. She later suffered a knee injury and didn’t play the beautiful game again. She didn’t compete in the spring because of the injury, but served as a manager for a track and field team that finished third in the state.

By the time Afoa’s senior season rolled around, she collected another state title in volleyball after the graduation of the team’s senior leaders and led the Warriors in kills in the title match while joining the Star-Advertiser’s Fab 15 as the second-best player in the state. She also won her first state title in the long jump in track and field and added a silver-medal finish in the high jump.

Afoa was an unquestioned leader on the campus in her senior season, and Chris Blake’s volleyball team rode her to an ILH championship but fell one match short of a state title with a loss to ‘Iolani, but she was judged to be the second-best player in the state in the Star-Advertiser’s Fab 15 behind freshman Elena Oglivie of the Raiders.

Afoa wrapped up her prep career this month when she flew to her second consecutive state crown in the high jump, the first girl to repeat in the event since fellow Hall of Honor member Zhane Santiago of Kahuku in 2011 and the first to ever do it for Kamehameha. She collected eight track and field medals over the course of her career.

Afoa’s selection continues Kamehameha’s Hall of Honor streak to three years in a row. She plans to continue her education at Nevada.

Hall of Honor Members