Two heartbreaks were too many for Sione Veikoso.
Before the 2008 season began, he had to deal with tragedy. The night the season ended, he was in tears again.
Today, when Serra plays for the CIF State Division III championship at Home Depot Center, the middle of the field will be manned by a high school junior who will wait for a little normality in his life.
"I can't just focus on football," Veikoso said. "You never know what life has in store for you. Tomorrow, nothing's guaranteed. You've got to take it day by day, game by game."
In the summer of 2008, the Veikoso family had a game plan. Saia, a senior, would start at center and then advance in life, scholarship in hand. Sione, a sophomore, would take over in 2009.
Until Saia tried to protect his family's church from taggers on the night of the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. Outmanned, Saia lost his left eye in the attack.
His football career was over. And it meant life was just beginning for Sione, who was thinking little more than preparing to play for the JV team.
"My dad (also named Sione) when it first happened, it was shaky for the family," the younger Sione said. "That was the first time I saw my dad cry. Right then and there, I knew I had to step up and take control."
He went to Coach Scott Altenberg and pleaded for a chance to take over the center position. All the coach could do was give him a shot.
"OK," Altenberg told him. "This is your chance; take over and carry your brother's name for the season." It wasn't as easy as it sounded, even if the youngster was 6-foot-1 and 250 pounds. It took a few tough lessons at first, then things began to smooth out. As the season approached, Altenberg broke the news. He had found his starting center. "I went into the season expecting to play JV, so I kind of regretted things," Veikoso said. "The whole offseason I was like 'I'm not going to do (varsity).' I could have lifted more ... As soon as Coach told me I was going to start, I was like 'Oh, crap.'" But he realized there was more to it than that. Saia would be around for his senior year and was still with the team, hoping beyond hope that he would be able to play again. A few weeks into the season, the brothers knew the reality. "He told me he was done with football right before the Taft game," Sione recalled. "He told me he stayed on the football team for the seniors. "It was heartbreaking, you know? He depended on football to be his path to college, but having that taken away from him, he had to change, he had to work at school. He wasn't a real good student; he was more of an athlete, but it was good for him. It opened up a new perspective." Saia is now at Cal State Dominguez Hills, majoring in political science. Sure, he could have been at a school playing football and calling back to his old coach for advice. Instead, he calls his old government teacher - Altenberg - and requests a ride on the team bus in order to discuss political policy. Oh, and dispense a little advice. "My brother's like my mentor to me right now," Sione said. "After every game he talks to me about how I did. Last year was like trying to fill in my brother's shoes, taking his position and trying to do my best for him. This season is more for me, not him. Last season I was trying to do it for the seniors, now it's more like for the unit, the line." Veikoso survived his sophomore season and earned second-team All-Del Rey League honors. This year, he jumped to the first team. "He had a quiet determination," Altenberg said. "He's not a rah-rah yeller kind of guy. He definitely, since his sophomore year, has been the anchor of our line. He's been a leader even though he was a sophomore, which was his brother's role." Veikoso helped the Cavaliers win the CIF-SS Northwest Division championship this year. A year ago, a 63-28 loss in the final was another turning point. "All I remember is me and Jason (Gibson) crying on the field last year," Veikoso said. "We were just sophomores. We tried our best, but to make it there and to lose like that was heartbreaking."
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