Hall of Fame: Raymond “Rayno” Kekuhaupio Akana (1946)

In his Academy years (1943 – 46) Rayno won seven letters – football (two), track (three) and swimming (two). Captain of the 1945 football team, he was selected as first team end on the Advertiser Coaches All Star Team. This was a time when no separate offensive and defensive teams existed and players went “both ways.” In making its selection, the committee also recognized Rayno as the outstanding defensive player of the year.
This article appears as originally published in the Spring 1997 issue of the Punahou Bulletin.

A year later, Rayno was chosen captain of Punahou’s great ILH Championship track team of 1946. This team was the second Punahou team to participate Famous Penn Relays (the 1929 team was the first). It distinguished itself by winning the half-mile relay event anchored by Rayno.

 

On May 12, 1945, Rayno broke the existing long-standing ILH record for the 100-yard dash by running the event in 9.9 seconds. The previous record was held jointly by former Punahou stars Milton Beamer ’24 and James Kneubuhl ’34. He was undefeated also in the 220-yard dash and as anchor man on his winning half-mile and mile relay events.

In his two years at Dartmouth he starred in freshman football and then made the varsity team. Transferring to the University of Hawaii, he again made the varsity football squad. Unfortunately for Hawaii’s sport fans, his athletic career was terminated suddenly by a call from “Uncle Sam” to serve in our nation’s Armed Forces.

James Clark, one of Rayno’s sponsors and an outstanding lineman who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982, wrote, “Raymond Akana was truly one of Punahou’s greatest athletes. He was, in my opinion, the finest defensive end Punahou ever had. He epitomized what I consider to be the ideal Punahou man – always happy – loved by all – kind-hearted to a fault.” What better tribute could one have!

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