Honokaa standout Josyah Napoleon-Umeda named Hawaii MaxPreps Player of the Year

Honokaa baseball standout Josyah Napoleon-Umeda was named Hawaii MaxPreps Player of the Year, a statewide honor that gives the Big Island a place in one of the highest-profile conversations in Hawaii prep sports.

For Honokaa, the recognition goes beyond a single trophy or headline. It reflects a season that impressed enough to rise above players across the islands and cast a spotlight on a BIIF program that does not always get the attention given to larger, more heavily recruited schools. The award also serves as a marker for the school, its coaches and the teammates who helped carry the program through the year.

That matters in a county where school sports remain woven into daily community life. A player from Honokaa earning a statewide title sends a message to younger athletes on Hawaii Island that major recognition is not limited to the biggest programs on Oahu. It shows that strong work in the BIIF can lead to broader visibility, and that a local field can produce a player whose name travels well beyond the island.

The honor may also have practical effects. Recognition from a platform like MaxPreps can draw more eyes to Honokaa baseball and to the Big Island’s overall talent pool, including college coaches and other evaluators who follow prep athletics for emerging players. For Napoleon-Umeda, it is a capstone to a standout high school season. For Honokaa, it is a public validation of a program that helped prepare him for that level of attention.

For Big Island fans, the award adds another reminder that statewide excellence can start in smaller places. Honokaa now has a player whose achievement will be remembered not just as a personal milestone, but as a point of pride for the school, the BIIF and the island’s next wave of baseball players.