CJ Caraang | SL

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Mililani High School classmates Kalakaua Timoteo and Eden Kawabe both took part in the Pacific Islands Athletic Alliance's National Letter of Intent Signing Day Ceremony Wednesday, but their respective paths could not be any more different.

Timoteo is a much-publicized and highly-touted 6-foot-3 wide receiver whose spotlight has shined brightly over the past three seasons on the gridiron. Kawabe, on the other hand, has largely gone under the radar as a hardly-imposing soccer player.

Nonetheless, the two shared the stage with nearly 70 other high school seniors at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel Wednesday morning.

Timoteo, a two-time ScoringLive All-Hawaii Division I First Team selection, signed with the University of Hawaii, honoring his verbal commitment he made following soon after 2014 state championship game.

"It was UH all the way. It's been UH since 2014," said Timoteo, a self-proclaimed longtime UH fan. "I just want to stay home and bring it back to what it used to be. Everybody talks about ‘what if these good players stayed in Hawaii' and this and that and maybe it's time we do something about it, maybe it's time we do stay home, so hopefully this is the start and this just opens the door a little bit more for them to come through and stick to Hawaii and make it something special again."

Timoteo was originally recruited by the staff of former Rainbow Warriors' coach Norm Chow. When Chow was fired on Nov. 1 and eventually replaced by former Nevada offensive coordinator Nick Rolovich, Timoteo said it only strengthened his commitment to the hometown team.

"It affected me, but in a good way," Timoteo said. "I wasn't so sure about playing under (former coach) Norm (Chow). I know (Nick) Rolovich is a good guy; he came to my house as soon as he got the job and he looked my mom in the eye and said he'd take care of me and if my mom believes it, then I'm sure because nine times out of ten, she knows what she's talking about and I learned that first hand."

McKenzie Milton, Timoteo's record-setting quarterback at Mililani, had given a verbal commitment to UH at the same time Timoteo did, but just last month changed his commitment to the University of Central Florida. Still, it didn't hinder Timoteo's desire to don the Green and White.

"Not really, because I call it ‘tunnel vision.' My eyes are always at the end of the tunnel, looking toward the light, so once I'm set on something I'm set on it," Timoteo said. "I don't go back on my word and once I say something I'm going to stick with it and I hope this proves that. I said that I was going to stay loyal throughout the whole way, I stayed committed and I hope that Hawaii realizes that. I hope that they realize what an honor it is for me to play for Hawaii and represent my home state in my home state."

Meanwhile, Kawabe will be far from home — more than 4,700 miles actually — after penning her Letter of Intent to play at the University of North Carolina.

Kawabe is believed to be the first women's soccer player from Hawaii to play for the Tar Heels. She will play for the winningest coach in NCAA history in Anson Dorrance, who spent the last 37 seasons at UNC's head coach.

"The campus is really nice and I like the coaches there," Kawabe said.  The coach there is kind of a legend so it's kind of an honor to play for him."

The distance didn't do much to deter Kawabe, who said she has visited the Chapel Hill campus three times.

"It's like a 12-hour flight," said Kawabe, who stands about 5 feet, 2 inches tall. "I kind of felt like the distance would be the same as if I were in California because I'm going to be away from my family anyway, so it's kind of the same."

North Carolina historically been one of the premiere women's college soccer programs in the country. Among its most notable alumni is two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time FIFA World Player of the Year, Mia Hamm.

"I'm really excited," Kawabe said. "I'm kind of nervous because it's such a big time school, but it's kind of like every girl's dream school so I'm really, really happy."

Kawabe gave a verbal commitment to the Tar Heels as a junior. Interestingly enough, she didn't even play high school soccer as a junior or senior.

"I just wanted to train more on my own because I felt that I could push myself more on my own rather than do what they're doing — not to say that high school soccer isn't good — but I feel like I could maybe do better by working on my own and working with my club trying to improve and get ready for college," Kawabe said Kawabe.

Kawabe said it wasn't an easy decision to make after suiting up for the Trojans as both a freshman and sophomore.

"It was kind of hard because all of my friends are on the (high school) team and I'm kind of the only one that doesn't really play with them and I kind of miss playing under the lights and stuff because it was really fun, but I feel like my decision was the right one because I'm trying to get ready for college," Kawabe said.

It wasn't as though Kawabe had to celebrate by herself Wednesday, however. She was one of 16 members of the Hawaii Surf Soccer Club to sign at the ceremony, which is the largest such event nationwide.

It was much the same for Timoteo, who soaked in the morning's festivities alongside Milton and their fellow Mililani teammate, running back Vavae Malepeai — who signed with the University of Southern California.

"It's great because we started off and we were just three sophomores and we were nothing special, we weren't the best, we weren't the next big thing but we knew we had some work to do," Timoteo said. "Junior season we won the championship and it was kind of like ‘wow, maybe we are kind of good, maybe we are something special,' and then senior year came around and we were just focused on having fun."

The trio helped the Trojans to consecutive league crowns and back-to-back appearances in the Division I state final. They won the school's only state football title in 2014.

"There's really nobody else that I'd want to spend this day with because looking back on all the hard work and the blood, sweat and tears that we put into this, I'm just glad that we all can sign today and that we're all going to D1 schools," Timoteo said.