2021 brought Aragon’s first regular sports season in a post-COVID lockdown. With it came several athletic successes, including a Central Coast Section Division V Championship in football, boys soccer’s first ever CCS Division I Championship and girls basketball’s CCS Division II Championship.
That’s not the only thing that is being celebrated at the end of the 2021-2022 school year. Following tradition, every year a committee of coaches come together to determine which Aragon athletes will have their names memorialized in Aragon history as Athlete of the Year. This year, the ceremony was held on May 18 in the Aragon theater.
For the first time since 2017, there was not one, but two male athletes of the year: Alan Tanielu and Solomone Hokafonu. Together, the duo led Aragon’s football team to its first CCS Championship win in 27 years. During the proceedings, the two sat side by side.
“I was shocked,” Hokafonu said. “I didn’t even think it was gonna go to me, I thought it was going to go to my friend right next to me. Then I heard them describing volleyball and I was like, ‘Wait I’m the only guy here that plays volleyball.’ To hear my name [is] a big deal to me and I know it’s because of the amazing coaching staff we have and our Lord in Heaven”
Hokafonu rushed for 1290 yards in 18 touchdowns and averaged 170 yards per game, 8.3 yards per carry.
“[Hokafonu] as a running back was really just a force and overall scored 20 touchdowns,” athletic director Steve Sell said.
Hokafanu started playing football because his uncles and older family members piqued his interest in the sport. Then, he fell in love with the sport.
“The most memorable times [are] probably having fun with the team and just laughing during practice and just really bonding and strengthening our bond with our teammates,” Hokafonu said.
“To hear my name [is] a big deal to me and I know it’s because of the amazing coaching staff we have and our Lord in Heaven”
Outside of sports, Hokafonu spends time with his family and participates in church activities.
Tanielu had a similar reaction to Hokafonu when he heard his name.
“I’m very shocked, but I’m very proud of myself,” Tanielu said. “I’ve worked very hard [the last four years]. It’s been a dream for me since freshman year to have my name on that banner in the gym and to receive this award, so I’m very blessed for it.”
He ran for 376 yards in three touchdowns and had 701 receiving yards in nine touchdown receptions.
“He kicked [points after touchdowns], picked up fumbles, interceptions,” Sell said. “He did everything for us, except drive the team bus.”
Football has come to mean a lot to Tanielu, and throughout his journey he’s had a strong support system.
“My parents [and] Coach Wu [have helped a lot],” Tanielu said. “He helped me find a way out of all the bad stuff out in life and he gave me an outlet to express myself through not only lifting, but through my sports.”
“It’s been a dream for me since freshman year to have my name on that banner in the gym and to receive this award”
Both Tanielu and Hokafonu see sports in their future.
Megan Grant was not only a David Stiles 12-Sport athlete, a student-athlete that competed in three sports for all four years of high school, but was also named female athlete of the year. Grant’s family joins her brothers as another one of Aragon’s athlete of the year: football, baseball and basketball players Devin Grant, who graduated in 2016, and Camron Grant, who graduated in 2019. Grant plays three sports: volleyball, softball and basketball.
Over the course of her athletics career at Aragon, Grant has been on three different CCS championship teams, two in basketball and one in softball. In softball, Grant has led the team to three Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division championships. Before then, Aragon had not won a PAL championship in softball since 1993.
“It was a surreal moment,” Grant said. “My brother got these same awards, and [looking] at them, watching them, it was like, I can’t wait to do that. And now I’m here and it’s great.”
In her 60 game softball career, Grant has a batting average of 0.562, 107 RBIs and 28 home runs.
“She’s one of the most dominant softball players in the history of our county,” Sell said. “I haven’t seen an athlete as dominant as her at our school, I’ve been here forever.”
Grant can constantly be found in the weight room, even during the off-season.
“I’ve never been the kid to say, ‘Oh, I’m just gonna go home after school,’” Grant said. “It’s usually a sporting event. Sometimes it’s tough but it’s also preparing you for life and that’s also one of the things that I love about sports.”
“She’s one of the most dominant softball players in the history of our county”
Grant surrounds herself with a strong support system, from family to coaches.
“[My mom has] really helped me become the person I am,” Grant said. “[Also Coach Wu has] been there even through the 6 a.m. workouts, just literally everything, just trying to get better, so I appreciate him.”
Grant will continue her softball career at UCLA.
The ceremony recognized many Dons for their contributions to the school’s community and athletics. For these lucky three, it’s a night they will not soon forget.
