Punahou senior Manti Te'o has been named Sporting News' High School Athlete of the Year, the magazine announced on its Web site today.

Te'o, a linebacker, helped the Buffanblu to their first state football championship earlier this month.

Te'o has yet to make a college commitment, and plans to leave for a two-year Mormon mission in 2010.

The magazine released excerpts from Steve Greenberg's conversation with Te'o in its new edition:

On the NFL player whose style he resembles: "I think I'm kind of like the middle linebacker for the 49ers, Patrick Willis. The way he goes to the ball and how quick he is to the ball, you know he really wants to make all the plays that he can. I try to be like Ray Lewis, but I don't think I deliver the boom as well as he can. My favorite player is actually Ray Lewis. I watch him all the time. His leadership, the way he gathers up his players and helps to direct them. He's an example of what hard work can accomplish."

On what else happened in his life in 2008, besides a state championship: "I made Eagle Scout. That was a big thing for me. People who are in the Boy Scouts know it takes a lot of hard work, sacrifice and dedication to make Eagle Scout. And then I recently won the Dick Butkus award (given to the nation's best linebacker). It was an honor for me to receive it."

On his college status: "I have gone on two official visits, to UCLA and Notre Dame. I had great experiences at both universities, but I have a few more visits to go on -- Stanford, USC and BYU -- so I'm not really ready because of my lack of knowledge of the other three."