RANCHO CUCAMONGA - Bequeathing his running back position after a 1,000-yard sophomore season at Rancho Cucamonga High School pales in comparison with the sacrifices Sateki Finau has made in the last three years. Moving from his birthplace in California to his family's native Tonga three years ago would top the list if moving back to Rancho Cucamonga months later without his parents didn't.
Besides the CIF-SS Inland Division playoffs, which begin today against Murrieta Valley for the third-seeded Cougars, fast approaching for the senior is the tail end of his recruitment to play college football and his two-year Mormon mission, the two of which are intertwined.
The transient life Finau has known for the better part of three years has certainly prepared him for things to come.
"People come up to me and they can tell I'm a more mature person now," Finau said. "Especially when I came back from Tonga; it's not a third-world country, but it's not up to date. I didn't take things for granted after that."
Finau had just completed a breakout sophomore season that culminated in a CIF championship for Rancho Cucamonga when his parents broke the news that their financial struggles during the recession necessitated a move to Tonga, given the available job there for his mother.
After much back and forth, Finau moved from the city in which he had lived his entire life to an island isolated 8,000 miles southwest in the Pacific Ocean. The youngest of six children, Finau remained in Tonga until the family came to the arduous decision for him to return to Rancho Cucamonga for his final two years of high school. "I would choose my mom over anything," Finau said, "but my family knew it would be better for my future if I came back here to finish school. It was hard, but I came back."
Since returning to California, Finau has lived with his sister and her in-laws.
Still dealing with the transition, his junior football season was internally tumultuous for a couple of reasons, including a move to the defensive side of the ball for the first time since Pop Warner. Of course, the 5-foot-11, 195-pound Finau was so prolific as a safety/ linebacker that he may end up playing defense in college.
"If you don't ask him a question, he's not going to tell you much," Rancho Cucamonga coach Nick Baiz said. "You wouldn't know his parents were gone by the way he conducts himself.
"And with the football, he just seems like he wants to play, it doesn't matter where."
Finau very much missed his native running back his junior season but never once complained. The Rancho Cucamonga coaching staff didn't have any complaints either.
Finau's versatility on both sides of the ball was perfectly illustrated in a Sept. 25 game against defending CIF champion Covina Charter Oak last year. During the 35-25 victory, Finau had an interception, a sack, a blocked field-goal return for a touchdown, a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown.
"Some people don't do that in a career and he did it in the same game," Baiz said.
"Charter Oak must hate him, because he returned a kickoff for a touchdown against them this year."
In his final high school season, Finau's role has returned to that of his sophomore year. He has more than 1,400 rushing yards plus 19 total touchdowns to show for it, helping the Cougars to their second outright Baseline League championship in three years.
Ahead of Finau is his most difficult challenge yet, navigating the rugged Inland Division playoffs after two years in the less-competitive Central Division.
Following the postseason, Finau hopes he'll be signing a letter of intent in February to continue his career in college. Though he's had extensive contact with schools including UCLA, Utah, Arizona State and Washington, Finau believes his two-year Mormon mission, which will begin when he turns 19, is having a negative effect on his recruitment.
"It's kind of bittersweet, because if I didn't go on my mission, I'd have more offers," Finau said. "But I understand it's a business for them.
"When I come back, I'm going to be a more mature person and I'm going to be a more focused football player."
Sounds familiar.