A star rises in Hawaii

it's sometimes easy to forget about talented players in Hawaii, but this year college coaches searching for the next big thing from the Islands have flocked to the state to check out prime-time recruits such as linebacker V.J. Fehoko, offensive tackle Micah Hatchie, defensive tackle Graham Rowley and fullback Dustin Elisara.

But coaches are starting to whisper four-star defensive end Kona Schwenke, of Kahuku High, might be the best of all.

After an impressive showing at the Nike Training Camp in Palo Alto, Calif., the 6-foot-5, 215-pound Schwenke has become one of the nation's hottest targets. He has received scholarship offers from BYU, Colorado, Oregon State, San Diego State, UNLV, Utah, Hawaii and Washington.

"The Nike Camp went good, and I got to go up against some of the top linemen in the country," Schwenke said. "It really gave me a great chance to test myself against some of the nation's best players. I know I did well and impressed a lot of people."

At this point, BYU, Hawaii, Utah, Oregon State and Washington are his top teams. Schwenke is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and would like to go on a mission after he completes high school.

"I need to find coaches that understand that," he said. "The coaches will be huge in my decision. I need to be with coaches that'll help me get to the next level after college, and also appreciate my faith and support whatever decision I make with my mission."

So far, coaches have been receptive to that idea.

"I've kept in touch with BYU and Washington the most," Schwenke said. "I'm supposed to talk to the Utah coach soon. I haven't given him a call yet. I really like those three schools. I like the coaches at BYU and I'm a Mormon, so I'd like to stay active while I'm in school.

"I've never really researched Washington, but their coaches are cool and I like how they treat their players. I hope to learn a lot about Utah, too, when I talk to them."

Playing at Hawaii isn't out of the question, either.

"I talk to the Hawaii coaches, but I'm fine with going away," he said. "I just need to go on my mission first."

Schwenke doesn't have a true timeline on his decision. But he knows with the pressure of being one of the West's best and his pending mission, it might be best to get it done before the season starts.

"My dad wants me to narrow the schools down to a top five," he said. "From there, that'll make it easier to make the final choice."

Puu-Robinson, Rosa sign with Pac-10 teams

Three Maui Interscholastic League standouts - all defensive ends - signed national letters of intent to play at Football Bowl Subdivision (former Division I-A) schools on Wednesday, the first day the binding agreements could be signed.

Baldwin High School's Mana Rosa - the 2008 MIL Defensive Player of the Year - signed with Oregon State; Rosa's teammate and fellow defensive end-tight end Jordan Puu-Robinson, a first-team MIL All-Star, signed with Washington State; and 2006 Maui High graduate Kamaloni Vainikolo signed with Utah State as a transfer from El Camino Junior College.

Rosa grabbed some face time on ESPNU Wednesday morning as that network beamed in live to show Punahou's Manti Teo, the top-ranked line-backer in the nation by Rivals.com and Scout.com., and his eventual decision to sign with Notre Dame. Rosa was seated next to Teo, who turned down USC and UCLA , and Rosa was prominently in the screen as anchor Lowell Galindo interviewed Teo.

Puu-Robinson was also at the same gathering put on by the Pacific Sports Athletic Alliance at the Blaisdell Arena. Puu-Robinson transferred from Kamehameha Maui to Baldwin before his senior season and was a standout as a defensive end after being mainly a tight end for the Warriors.

''Jordan is another big-frame athletic guy who has played a few different positions in high school, primarily tight end and just learned defensive line this past year, his senior season,'' Washington State coach Paul Wulff said on the school's Web site. ''He has all the potential in the world and is going to have some growth and learning to do as he develops into his frame and his athleticism. The future could be very bright (and) if he wants to be a great player, he will be. We really like his potential to help us somewhere along the defensive line.''

Puu-Robinson (6-foot-4, 256 pounds) was a Baldwin team captain and finished ranked No. 54 on Scout.com's Northwest Hot 100 list that includes Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Utah, Idaho and British Columbia. He was rated No. 14 among tight ends in the West by Scout.com.

Puu-Robinson plans to pursue a degree in business at WSU, according to the Web site.

Vainikolo (6-2, 280), from Kihei, will have two years of eligibility for the Aggies. He will have a pair of teammates at USU from El Camino, Sean Enesi and Reuben Willis. Vainikolo played in seven games for a 9-1 El Camino team. He had 10 solo tackles, 14 assisted tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks, one pass breakup and two quarterback hurries and earned first-team all-conference honors.

At Maui High, he was a three-year starter and letterwinner for coach Curtis Lee. Vainikolo led the team in sacks and tackles for loss all three seasons and was a first-team MIL All-Star as a senior, in addition to being the team MVP.

Rosa is a Rivals.com three-star athlete, rated the 56th best strong-side defensive end by Rivals.com and the ninth-best prospect in Hawaii. He finished 22nd on the Northwest Hot 100 list. As a junior he had 62 tackles, 14 for loss, 6.5 sacks, four forced and recovered fumbles.

ESPN.com said ''Rosa is an aggressive defensive end prospect with a good motor and backside chase speed.''

Teo, perhaps the most-recruited football player in state history, pulled a shocker when he put on a Fighting Irish hat, indicating he would attend the Catholic school. Teo, a devout Mormon, told ESPNU that he has permission from coach Charlie Weis to take his two-year mission after his freshman season if he chooses.

Tom Lemming of CBS College Sports told The Associated Press that Notre Dame's signing of Teo could be huge. The Irish finished 7-6 after beating Hawaii 49-21 in the 2008 Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.

''I can't remember the last time they got a great player at the very end,'' Lemming said. ''He's their best linebacker recruit since Bob Crable 30 years ago.''

Meanwhile in Manoa, University of Hawaii coach Greg McMackin announced a class of 29.

''We're excited about our class this year, we've got a large class,'' McMackin said on the school's Web site. ''The coaches again worked very hard for a year recruiting these guys. You really don't know how guys play for you until they get on the field between the white lines. So, I don't ever go out and say this is the greatest class, or this is going to be the greatest class ever. I know it's a quality class, guys want to go to school and get their degrees. I've been in every home of the players we've recruited and met their parents, great families and good people.''

Of the 29 signees, 14 are offensive players and 15 are on the defensive side of the ball. A total of 20 are from high schools and nine are from the junior college ranks. Eleven of the 20 high school signees are from Hawaii high schools and all were selected to the all-state teams, including safeties Kamalani Alo and Aulola Tonga from Kahuku.

''The other thing that we did, as always, is we used Hawaii as our base,'' McMackin said. ''We had 12 players from the state of Hawaii and from Samoa, so we want to keep our good Hawaiian players home, and we've done that the last couple of years.''

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com

Four BIIF standouts expected to sign today

Four Big Island football players will begin life at the next level on Wednesday.

Hawaii Prep's Mika Nickel and Elliot Kastner and Hilo's Semisi Tokolahi and Jordan Loeffler will sign National Letters of Intent on National Signing Day -- the first day high school seniors can sign with Division I teams.

Kastner will sign with Ivy League school Dartmouth College, and Nickel will attend Utah State on a full scholarship. They will sign their letters of intent at 7 a.m. with a group of other Hawaii high school players at a signing day party hosted by Honolulu mayor Mufi Hannemann at the Neal Blaisdell Arena. The linemen played on the offensive and defensive lines for a Hawaii Prep team that went 7-2. Offensively, the Ka Makani averaged 4.8 yards per carry.

Kastner, a 6-foot-2, 250-pound lineman, was a first-team All-Big Island Interscholastic Federation selection on both sides of the ball. Of his 48 total tackles, 131/2 were for losses. He also had 31/2 sacks and one forced fumble.

The 6-2, 245-pound Nickel, who earned honorable mention All-BIIF honors on both sides of the ball, had 28 tackles and one sack.

Tokolahi, the BIIF Division I Defensive Player of the Year honors, will play for the University of Washington. The 6-3, 285-pounder registered 11 sacks for Hilo last season.

He was the most recruited BIIF player with scholarship offers from Washington, Washington State, Oregon State and Colorado.

Loeffler (6-5, 260) will sign with the University of Hawaii where he is projected as an offensive lineman.

For island players, this is the 'Poly Bowl'

Six players in Super Bowl XLIII have Polynesian heritage – a record number for the big game.

By Patrik Jonsson | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

from the February 2, 2009 edition

Tampa, Fla. - Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu thought of himself as just an ordinary southern California kid until he moved to Oregon as an 8-year-old to live with his uncle Salu.

Salu is Samoan through and through. He helped the boy connect with his island heritage, Polamalu now says, teaching him a "fire knife dance" and inspiring intricate Samoan wood carvings that he gave as presents to friends in high school.

The soft-spoken Polamalu credits his uncle's focus on their island roots for helping him get his team to Super Bowl XLIII. He caught the second-most interceptions in the league this year.

Polamalu is one of six players in Sunday's game whose heritage stretches deep into the South Pacific's Polynesian culture. It's a record number that marks the rapid ascension of the Pacific Rim into the sport and the deepening influence of island athletes on America's biggest sporting stage.

The fearsome Polynesian six are a source of cultural pride for millions of Polynesians, says Eni Faleomavaega, who is American Samoa's nonvoting representative in the House of Representatives.

"Regardless of who wins the Super Bowl, I know we will get together with all our Polynesian boys and their families for a victory celebration," Mr. Faleomavaega said in a statement. "I am excited because this is the first Super Bowl where we have so many Polynesians on the team rosters."

Cardinals guard Deuce Lutui is one of seven active NFL players to come from Tonga. Cardinals safety Aaron Francisco previously joined Steelers guard Chris Kemoeatu to win a state championship for Kahuku High School in Hawaii. Cardinals linebacker Pago Togafau, a Samoan, and Cardinals defensive end Travis LaBoy of Hawaii round out the Polynesian assembly.

"This is the Poly Bowl!" the Cardinals contingent yelled as they hugged and hammed for cameras at last week's media day at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.

"It's amazing for us to come all the way here from a tiny little rock," says Togafau.

Polynesian players began making serious inroads into the NFL in the early 1990s, with players like Junior Seau, who has revived his career in New England. "There's more and more of us coming up, too," Francisco told Honolulu Star-Bulletin columnist Dave Reardon last week.

Samoan players tend to be physically powerful, Polamalu says. But he also describes something else: A strong sense of family and faith – particularly powerful among people who live in small communities far from the mainland – can translate powerfully to team games like football that rely on shared sacrifice to achieve victory.

"Every athlete realizes that whether it's their family, their faith, or their culture, when they step onto the football field, they represent something," Polamalu says. "Me being Samoan, obviously it feels very special, especially the fact that there are not very many big Samoan players who have a shot of really making the Super Bowl."

That, however, appears to be changing.

Kahuku alums meet again

TAMPA, Fla. — If Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Chris Kemoeatu is blocking downfield and sees Arizona Cardinals safety Aaron Francisco in his path Sunday in Super Bowl XLIII, both know what will happen.

It's not the type of reunion the two former high school teammates at Kahuku relish. But they will set aside friendship for a championship.

"I'm heavier, so I'll get the best of him," says Kemoeatu, who is 6-3, 344 pounds compared to Francisco at 6-2, 216.

"Everybody back home keeps saying 'I hope you run into him on the field,' " Francisco says. "That'll be nice for those guys to see, but I don't know if that'll be good for me."

The two players have not yet talked since their teams advanced to the Super Bowl, but Kemoeatu said he planned to get in touch with Francisco this week. Francisco said the families of the Pacific Islanders (a group that includes Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu and Arizona's Deuce Lutui and Pago Togafau) were going to have dinner one night in Tampa.

Francisco's and Kemoeatu's presence in the Super Bowl is important in Kahuku, where some of the best surfing in the world can be found.

"I grew up surfing," Francisco says. "It was one of the first things I ever learned how to do."

Football has a special place in Kahuku, too. "It's a small country town," Kemoeatu says. "But football is everything to that little town. It brings everyone together."

In 2000, Kemoeatu and Francisco shared the same goal: to help Kahuku win its first state title. And they did, beating Saint Louis (Honolulu) for the title. Siuaki Livai, Kahuku's coach then, recalls contributions each player made in the game.

Kemoeatu had an injured knee ("swollen like a watermelon," Francisco says) but played both ways, recovering two fumbles — one to keep a Kahuku drive going and one to stop Saint Louis near Kahuku's goal line.

"He was struggling with his knee at halftime," Livai says. "He could barely walk. But he looked at me and said, 'Coach, we're bringing home the trophy.' "

Francisco had a big hit early in the game. "He leveled the receiver," Livai says.

After high school, the two players headed to the Rocky Mountains. Francisco played for Brigham Young, Kemoeatu for Utah. In head-to-head matchups, Kemoeatu is 3-2. The Utes won three of four games during their college careers, and Arizona defeated Pittsburgh in 2007.

Picked in the sixth round of the 2005 draft, Kemoeatu spent his first three seasons as a backup to Alan Faneca and moved into the starting lineup this season.

Francisco signed with the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2005 and sees most of his playing time on passing downs. He had an interception against Philadelphia in the NFC Championship game but fumbled it and the Eagles regained possession.

Early in the playoffs, Kemoeatu rooted for Carolina. His brother, Maake, plays for the Panthers, and it would have been brother vs. brother in the Super Bowl.

If not his brother, Kemoeatu wanted Francisco's Cardinals.

On Saturday, Kahuku residents will celebrate the success of their homegrown talents at a potluck dinner. Organizers of the event will show highlights of both players' careers, and Francisco and Kemoeatu planned to tape video messages.

"The whole community is excited and proud of these men," current Kahuku coach Reggie Torres says. "The thing is, who do you want to win? Some are saying Chris already has a ring, so it's Aaron's turn."

Hiram de Fries an unheralded but vital piece of Florida Gators' success

By BEN VOLIN

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Saturday, January 03, 2009

GAINESVILLE — Urban Meyer was in a hurry to leave Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for a recruiting trip on Dec. 19, the day of the Gators' final practice before Christmas break.

But Florida's coach stopped cold in his tracks when asked about a member of his staff, Hiram de Fries.Fascinating," Meyer said, breaking into a smile. "One of the most fascinating people I have ever met.

"How did you hear about him?"

It wasn't easy. De Fries, 67, isn't officially on the Gators staff, and he's adept at staying in the background of one of the most popular and scrutinized football programs in the country.

In the Gators' media guide, there's a mug shot of de Fries under the title of "Football Staff," but no bio.

Despite spending the past six seasons as Meyer's closest confidant at Utah and Florida, little has been revealed about de Fries, who politely declined to be interviewed for this story.

Meyer considers de Fries (pronounced "freeze'') "very important'' to his coaching success. The Hawaiian-born former lawyer and Shell Oil executive is sort of a guru to the Gators, dispensing wisdom and advice about life on and off the field.

"Every staff needs a little gray hair," said Chris Hill, the athletic director at Utah, where Meyer coached for two seasons before taking over at Florida. "He was a wonderful mentor for Urban. We had tremendous success in Urban's time here, and (de Fries) was really one of the key elements."

De Fries knows his Xs and Os - he was a center and long snapper at Colorado State in the 1960s - but his impact is mostly felt as a mentor and motivator.

"When coach Hiram says something, you listen," said Gators long snapper Butch Rowley, who has played five seasons with de Fries at Utah and Florida. "Football is not all about Xs and Os and players. It's about your lifestyle off the field, and if it weren't for coach Hiram, there would be a lot of different problems on our team. I can guarantee that."

De Fries was there for Meyer's undefeated, Fiesta Bowl-winning Utah team in 2004 and he was with Meyer when the Gators won the national championship in 2006. Now he hopes to be a part of another title run as Florida faces Oklahoma on Thursday night in the BCS Championship Game.

Immediate friendship

Meyer and de Fries met in 1990, when Meyer was a receivers coach at Colorado State and de Fries was on campus as a former CSU player. Meyer was impressed with de Fries' business success and leadership skills at Shell Oil, and they clicked.

Despite an age gap of 23 years, Meyer considers de Fries "one of my best friends I've ever had," and he asked him to join his staff at Utah six years ago as his "chemistry coach."

De Fries jumped at the chance, retiring from Shell to join Meyer as an unpaid consultant. After two years at Utah, Meyer didn't think twice about bringing de Fries with him to Florida as an unpaid volunteer.

Meyer put de Fries in charge of creating and updating his policy manual, which includes guidelines for conduct expected of players. If there's a misstep, Meyer consults de Fries before doling out punishment. When Meyer can't sit in on offensive or defensive meetings, de Fries is there to make sure players and coaches are adhering to Meyer's plan.

"Any staff decisions I have to make, I go through him, because he's been in human resources his whole life, a very successful businessman," Meyer said. "Every staff should have a guy like him - that doesn't have an agenda, just making sure everyone's on the same page."

If a player is having trouble in class, he talks to coach Hiram. If he has too many parking tickets, he talks to coach Hiram. When Meyer gets too fired up, coach Hiram is there to calm him down.

"If I ever had something I didn't want anyone to know, I'd tell coach Hiram," Rowley said. "He's probably the most fascinating person you'll ever meet. I feel like he's one of my grandpas."

Rowley said de Fries has a relationship "with every player on the team." De Fries doesn't make public appearances with the program, but he can be seen chatting with Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Tim Tebow and his father, Bob, after practice, or celebrating with players on the Georgia Dome turf after Florida beat Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.

"He's just a good guy that's a great role model for these kids," Meyer said.

Teacher of life

De Fries teaches the players the quirks he picked up in his years living in Hawaii - like eating eggs with spaghetti sauce or ways to prevent water from going up your nose when cliff diving.

He's not a chiropractor, but Utah players still asked de Fries to crack their backs and loosen their muscles on game days.

"He never told me a thing about football. His thing was just to develop young men," said Jesse Boone, a former offensive lineman at Utah. "He's kind of the glue that holds the whole family together."

At Utah, Meyer recruited several Polynesian players, and de Fries, who is Chinese/Hawaiian/Caucasian, was instrumental in their transition to life on the mainland, when they lived away from their families for the first time.

"He has a big heart," said Paul Soliai, a defensive tackle at Utah who now plays for the Dolphins. "I know he had other things to do, but he was always there for us, like another father figure."

Continue

SL Tribune 2008 All-State Football Team

The Salt Lake Tribune recently announced it's 2008 All State Football Team which included Cottownwood (Salt Lake City) running back Isi Sofele (pictured #3) as its 4A MVP.

"Sofele was simply the best running back the state had to offer this season. Playing for Cecil Thomas and being a driving force behind Cottonwood's march to the state title game, Sofele ran for 1,916 yards and 30 touchdowns. He also caught 19 passes for 300 yards and another four touchdowns."
Link


5A First Team
Bingham teammates LT Filiaga (LB, 6'0, 230, Sr) and Harvey Langi (RB, 6'1, 210, So) were selected to the first team along with Syracuse kicker Josh Kealamakia (6'2, 170, Jr).

Second team selections include: Linebacker A'i Ho-Ching (Alta, 6'0, 215, Jr), offensive lineman Sam Katoa (American Fork, 6'3, 240, Sr), offensive lineman Tuni Kanuch (Bingham, 6'2, 280, Jr), defensive lineman Tenny Palepoi (Skyline, 6'2, 250, Sr).

4A First Team
Cottonwood (Salt Lake City)
DB Asi Hosea (5'10, 177, Sr)
OL John Martinez (6'3, 277, Sr)
WR Alo Moli (6'5, 200, Sr)
RB Isi Sofele (5'8, 165, Sr)
OL Percy Taumoelau (6'5, 299, Sr)

Dixie (St George)
2nd Team DL Logan Taele (6'2, 245, Sr)

East (SLC)
2nd Team OL Stevie Tuikolovatu (6'2, 300, Sr)

Granger (SLC)
2nd Team DL Avalisi Lapuaho (6'4, 270, Sr), RB Manu Samani (6'0, 190, Sr)

Highland (SLC)
DL Latu Heimuli (6'4, 305, Sr)
2nd Team DL Muli Kinikini (5'11, 205, Sr)

Mountain Crest (Hyrum)
QB Alex Kuresa (So)

Timpview (Provo)
DL Bronson Kaufusi (6'7, 240, Jr)
OL Xavier Su'a Filo (6'4, 270, Sr)
RB Levi Te'o (5'10, 170, Sr)

Others selected were defensive lineman Wil Katoa (6'1, 295, Sr) of Judge Memorial (SLC) 2nd Team 3A, and Utility Player Nick Brown (6'2, 195, Sr) of Manti was 1st Team 2A.

Jordan Pu'u Robinson to Washington State

By ROBERT COLLIAS
Staff Writer
WAILUKU — Baldwin High School’s Jordan Puu-Robinbson verbally committed to accept a football scholarship from Washington State University on Tuesday.

The defensive end-tight end for the Bears said he has been told by the WSU staff that he will begin his college career as a defensive end, but could grow into a defensive tackle or tight end later.

The 6-foot-4, 248-pounder was ranked No. 37 on the Rivals.com Northwest Hot 100 list that was released in August. That list covers high school seniors in Hawaii, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Idaho.

Puu-Robinson joins DE-TE teammate Mana Rosa, who is verbally committed to Oregon State, as a Pacific-10 Conference recruit.

‘‘I told Mana already,’’ Puu-Robinson said. ‘‘He is excited that we are both going to be in the Pac-10. That is what we both wanted at the beginning of the year — to be in the Pac-10.’’

Puu-Robinson had to turn down offers from Idaho and Utah State when he committed to WSU.

Former Baldwin linebacker Jojo Dickson was Puu-Robinson’s host on a recruiting visit to Idaho last month. Ironically, that is where WSU came into focus for Puu-Robinson as he saw the Pullman, Wash., campus that is just nine miles away from UI in Moscow, Idaho.

‘‘It was tough to say no to Jojo and I had a great visit there,’’ Puu-Robinson said. ‘‘The players were cool, they have a great coaching staff and a lot of good Hawaii guys.’’

Likewise, it was hard to say no to Utah State where former Baldwin standout and head coach Chad Kauhaahaa would have been Puu-Robinson’s coach on the defensive line. Kauhaahaa helped Weber State to a Big Sky Conference title and the Football Championship Subdivision quarterfinals before getting the USU job earlier this month.

‘‘It was tough to tell Utah State no as well,’’ Puu-Robinson said. ‘‘Everybody knows how great a guy Chad is and being a former Baldwin D-lineman added to it. Everybody knows how his career is really rising.’’

Puu-Robinbson said he plans to study business management at WSU and is solid in his commitment. He will take an official visit there on Jan. 9, 2009.

‘‘First, we found it was a good school,’’ he said. ‘‘Academically and athletically we believe they are growing. It is a good coaching staff and I just can’t pass up the Pac-10. It is a good fit for me, a good small-town college atmosphere. I am a solid verbal. I plan on sticking with them all the way through.’’

The Cougars are coming off a 2-11 season in which they beat only Portland State and winless Washington and surrendered an NCAA record 570 points.

‘‘The coaching staff, they were put in a tough situation last year,’’ Puu-Robinson said. ‘‘They are not looking for a quick fix they are trying to do things the right way up there.’’

Puu-Robinson is looking forward to facing Rosa once a year for the next four or five years.

‘‘Yeah, that would be great get to play against my teammate,’’ Puu-Robinson said.

He added that his transfer from Kamehameha Schools Maui to Baldwin for his senior season ended up being the right move. He currently has a cumulative 3.3 grade-point average and a qualifying score on the SAT.

‘‘The transfer to Baldwin really opened things up for me,’’ he said. ‘‘I got an MIL championship and met a lot of good guys along the way, good teammates and good coaches and now here I am.’’

2008 Las Vegas RJ 4A All State Team

FIRST-TEAM
OFFENSE
OL Jeremiah Tofaeono, Cheyenne (6-4, 290, Sr.) — First-team All-Sunset Region offensive tackle. ... Also first-team All-Sunset at defensive line. ... Second-team all-state pick at offensive line as a junior.

OL Rodrick Tuisavalalo, Rancho (6-2, 270, Sr.) — First-team All-Sunrise Region at offensive guard. Also first-team All-Sunrise at defensive line. ... Advanced to 4A state golf tournament as a junior.

DEFENSE
LB Genesis Faga, Desert Pines (5-11, 180, Sr.) — Had 83 tackles, including 52 solos. ... Finished with four sacks. ... Sunrise Region defensive Player of the Year. ... First-team All-Sunrise at inside linebacker.

LB Liloa Nobriga, Palo Verde (6-3, 235, Sr.) — Had 185 tackles, including 36 solos. ... Had 10 tackles for loss. ... Had four sacks and an interception. ... First-team All-Sunrise Region at outside linebacker. ... Second-team all-state as a junior.

SECOND-TEAM
OFFENSE
OL Willie Tupou, Hug (6-1, 255, Sr.) — Helped Hawks average 243 rushing yards during regular season. ... First-team All-Northern Region at offensive guard and defensive tackle.


DEFENSE
DL Jeremiah Tofaeono, Cheyenne (6-4, 290, Sr.) — Big lineman helped Desert Shields allow an average of just 8.1 points. ... First-team All-Sunset Region.

LB Triton Manumaleuna, Cimarron-Memorial (5-11, 202, Sr.) — Had 115 tackles and four sacks. ... Intercepted a pass and recovered two fumbles. ... First-team All-Sunset Region at outside linebacker and tight end.

The Oregonian 2008 6A All State Football Team

Tualatin defensive back Levi Levasa was named 6A First Team. Zach Ka'ahanui (Central Catholic) was selected both for offensive and defensive line on the secon team. Levasa's teammate Alek Poti was an honorable mention selection at linebacker.

Sperry catch crucial

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Although there were many key plays made by CSU players Saturday in the Rams' 40-35 New Mexico Bowl win over Fresno State, tight end Kory Sperry came up with one of the biggest just before halftime. Sperry, a 6-foot-6, 250-pound senior from Pueblo, leapt between Fresno State defenders Sharrod Davis and Lorne Bell in the corner of the end zone to haul in a 22-yard touchdown pass with two seconds left in the first half."That's Billy and the O-line," Sperry said. "The O-line comes out there and has perfect protection and Billy puts a perfect ball out there. The rest was my job. They did all the work; I just had to come down with it."The touchdown catch, Sperry's sixth of the season, cut the Fresno State lead to 21-20 and gave CSU players the momentum they needed to come back and win in the second half."It definitely brought us back into the game," linebacker Ricky Brewer said. "Kory Sperry's a big playmaker, and he was able to give the whole team momentum in one play."

Vegas deals up home turf to UA’s Antolin

LAS VEGAS - Keola Antolin knows Las Vegas can get cold.

The Arizona Wildcats’ running back was 6 years old when his entire family — parents, siblings, grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins — moved from Kalihi on the island of O’ahu to Las Vegas.

One of Antolin’s first gifts upon arriving in the desert in December 1996 was a jacket, just heavy enough to keep him from freezing in temperatures that seemed downright Arctic compared to Hawaii.

“I knew it was going to be cold from the second I got here,” he said. “It’s just like that.”

Antolin couldn’t help but think of the past on Wednesday, when a rare snowstorm hit Las Vegas as the Wildcats began preparation for Saturday’s Las Vegas Bowl.

It’s been almost exactly 12 years since Antolin moved from the islands to Las Vegas.

Sin City is as much a part of Antolin’s story as his Hawaiian roots.

Antolin, 18, discovered football here. Won a state championship here, starring for Bishop Gorman High School. Became a Division I prospect here.

Left his mark here.

Antolin will split carries with Nicolas Grigsby when the Wildcats take on BYU at Sam Boyd Stadium. That the freshman is on the field at all is an accomplishment in itself. Antolin has rushed for 525 yards and 10 touchdowns for a UA team that has rediscovered the running game on the way to its first postseason appearance since 1998.

“You’ve got to have the reliability factor,” said UA running backs coach Dana Dimel. “Keola’s been very, very consistent and very, very reliable.”

Keola discovered Las Vegas and football almost simultaneously.

The Antolins moved to Las Vegas in 1996 hoping to take advantage of the construction boom.

Conrad Antolin, Keola’s father, came first to Sin City with his father and brother-in-law. Within a few months, the men sent for their families.

Keola, the third of Conrad and Nancy Antolin’s four children, arrived in Las Vegas just in December, just in time to enroll in school for the spring semester.

Within months, Keola — and most of his new friends — signed up for Pop Warner youth football.

Coaches noticed Antolin’s speed right away. His quick reflexes, the result of a martial arts background, made him a natural fit in the backfield.

“Right from the get-go, the coaches put him at running back,” Conrad Antolin said Wednesday. “He was just one of those kids that could play football.

“He went to high school, where everyone was bigger and faster, and it was just kind of the same. He did well.”

Keola’s size was an issue, even then. He stood just 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighed 150 pounds as a freshman at Bishop Gorman; four years later, he’s listed — generously — at 5-8, 180.

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Kevin Mawae named to ProBowl

C KEVIN MAWAE

C Kevin Mawae: 7th Pro Bowl

Mawae will be making his seventh Pro Bowl appearance and his first since the 2004 season. He made six consecutive Pro Bowls from 1999-04. The 15-year veteran is part of an offensive line that has allowed an NFL-low eight sacks in 2008. Mawae has played a key role in opening holes for the league’s fifth-ranked rushing attack that features Pro Bowler Chris Johnson (1,159 yards, 8 TDs) and LenDale White (700 yards), who is tied for second in the league with 14 rushing touchdowns. Mawae, a key contributor in Tennessee’s franchise-record 332 rushing yards at Kansas City in Week 7, leads all active offensive linemen with 224 career games played.

Provo Daily Herald Elite 11, All-Valley Football Team

Timpview (Provo) junior defensive end Bronson Kaufusi has been selected Defensive MVP by the Daily Herald. Kaufusi's coach, Louis Wong was named 4A Coach of the Year. Timpview's Xavier Su'a-Filo and Mountain View's (Orem) Anthony Heimuli were named to the Elite 11 Team.

DEFENSIVE MVP: BRONSON KAUFUSI, Junior Defensive End, Timpview
He led Timpview in defensive points in the team's scoring system and was often the attention of double-teams. He had 33 unassisted tackles and 23 assisted tackles. He also led the team with nine sacks.

4A COACH OF THE YEAR: LOUIS WONG, Timpview
Coached the T'Birds to a 13-0 record and their third straight 4A state title. Under Wong, Timpview now has the longest winning streak in the state, a 35 straight games, a state record.

ELITE 11
XAVIER SU'A-FILO, Senior Offensive Line, Timpview
He has been a dominant force on the offensive line and has emerged one of the top Division I prospects in the country. He was forced into action on defense in the state title game and blocked a punt that set up a Timpview touchdown that proved to be a pivotal play in Timpview's 4A title win.

ANTHONY HEIMULI, Senior Running Back, Mountain View
He rushed for 1,234 yards on 139 carries and scored 12 touchdowns. He also had eight catches for 120 yards and a touchdown. He had six games with over 100 yards and three games where he rushed over 200 yards. On defense, he had 40 tackles and six sacks.

ALL-VALLEY TEAM
RB: JoJo Pili, Sr., Timpanogos RB: Levi Te'o, Sr., Timpview
OL: Sam Katoa, Sr., American Fork
DL: Likio Pope, Jr., Provo

Honorable Mention:
Mountain View: TJ Mounga
Orem: Alihi Faalafua
Pleasant Grove: Sefa Tanoai, Armond Naoupu, Sebastian Naoupu
Salem Hills: Kolapa Wolfgramm
Spanish Fork: Tevita Vaitohi, Uili Makai
Timpview: Ofa Latu

Alcorn State's Bronson Carvalho All-SWAC

Bronson Carvalho was named to the 2008 SWAC Football All-Conference selections. Carvalho, a senior from Kapaa, HI, was a part an offensive line that totaled 3435 offensive yards. He was also named to the Pre-Season 2nd Team All-SWAC. Carvalho is the younger brother of Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Brennan Carvalho.

Kauha'aha'a joining Utah State staff

ife is moving at lightning speed for Chad Kauhaahaa.

The 1991 Baldwin High School graduate - and Bears head football coach from 2002 to 2004 - found out Sunday night that he landed a job at Utah State to be the Aggies' defensive line coach.

Kauhaahaa, who was a starting defensive end for a Western Athletic Conference championship team at Utah in 1995 before graduating from that school in 1996, is believed to be the first Mauian to land a football coaching job for an NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) school.

He has been the defensive line coach for Weber State for the past four seasons and the Wildcats just finished a 10-4 season that included a Big Sky Conference title and a run to the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) quarterfinals. The Wildcats' season ended Saturday with a 24-13 loss at Montana and when Kauhaahaa arrived home on Sunday, he hammered out the details of his move to Logan to join the Aggies' staff under new Utah State coach Gary Andersen.

''I am extremely excited about this opportunity to get to move on to the D-I level,'' Kauhaahaa said Monday via phone. ''This is what I left Maui for. I gave myself a timeline - I gave myself five years and I was fortunate to land it this year. It is not only big for myself, but for my family.''

Kauhaahaa admits he doesn't know much about Logan.

''You know what, I am going to find out tomorrow what Logan is all about,'' he said. ''I heard it is about an hour and 20 minutes away. It is a little bit further up north, but that is what I have got to do - find out more about it. It is further north, so there is more snow and it is colder, so that may not be very smart for a Kihei guy like me. But I have got to take what is there. The great thing about Utah State is there is a nice indoor facility, so hopefully coach Andersen puts us in there when it is too cold.''

In his first interview about the new job, Kauhaahaa said he needed to tell his team before talking to any media. He hadn't planned on talking to the media this soon.

''You know what, this is the first day and I wanted to break it to the team first,'' he said. ''I spoke to my Hawaii recruits and everything has been real positive.''

Kauhaahaa said he hadn't even spoken to lifelong friend Jimmy Morimoto, currently the director of football operations at Nevada-Las Vegas and the man who succeeded Kau-haahaa at Baldwin.

''I haven't spoken to anybody just yet,'' he said. ''I had to keep this hush, hush. The whole coaching deal you have got to keep things quiet because you don't want anything to leak out. We were coaching in the postseason, so basically we wanted to keep everything quiet.''

One of the first Weber State players to approach Kauhaahaa after Monday's team meeting was Cody Nakamura, a standout wide receiver at Baldwin who just finished his junior season for WSU. Nakamura, now a tight end, finished his season with 48 receptions for 729 yards and a team-best 10 touchdown grabs. Nakamura was a second-team all-Big Sky selection.

''That was real positive,'' Kauhaahaa said. ''Cody came by and spoke to me and he was real happy. He knows what my goals are. Cody took it well and he wished me the best of luck.''

Nakamura had a break out campaign in 2008 after catching just 10 passes for 71 yards in his first two seasons.

''Oh yeah, Cody had a great season, but you know what, it will be even better next year,'' Kauhaahaa said. ''He was second-team all-conference this year when he should have been first team. In my position and with my recruits, I am leaving a solid foundation here - better than when it started, much smoother for the next guy to get things done. Cody is a big part of that.''

Kauhaahaa is one of three assistants to leave Weber State after its stellar season. He has been building a relationship with Andersen, who took over for a fired Brent Guy after a 3-9 season. Kauhaahaa and Andersen both played at Utah under current Weber head coach Ron McBride. Andersen came to Utah State from the Utah staff.

''Coach Andersen played for coach Mac and then worked for coach Mac at Utah,'' Kauhaahaa said. ''He is a Utah grad like myself and a Ron McBride product. He has worked at Utah under Kyle Whittingham and Urban Meyer. They all go back to Idaho State - they are really close.''

Kauhaahaa has a staff meeting in Logan on Wednesday and hopes to be at Aloha Stadium for a postseason all-star game Friday.

''I think Gary Andersen is the perfect fit (for Utah State),'' Kauhaahaa said. ''He is a Utah guy, his number one goal is to recruit Utah first. I think it is the right place to be successful. The facilities are beautiful, brand new. Recruiting-wise that is a huge selling point.

''There are good players there already. We have to make sure we recruit even better players. These guys really showed some signs they could be good. Now it is our turn to turn the corner.''

Kauhaahaa said it is all in his life game plan.

''When I was head coach at Baldwin, I wanted to be a college coach,'' he said. ''When I was at Weber, I wanted to be a D-I coach. After I get settled in at Utah State, we will see what that next goal is.''

This move appears to close the possibility of Kauhaahaa returning to Maui any time soon. He is in the fourth year of a five-year leave of absence from the state Department of Education, a window that shuts next year.

''You never know because a lot of things can happen in a year - this is college football,'' he said. ''Right now my goal is to be the best D-line coach I can be at Utah State. It is a great opportunity and I am grateful for Gary Andersen giving me a shot. I really believe that with the staff he is putting together, I think we are going to do well. We are not going to come in there with the goal to win a few games. Our first year we want to be bowl eligible.''

Kauhaahaa said he will keep the same recruiting areas he had for Weber - Hawaii, Los Angeles, Alaska and Dallas. He confirmed he is recruiting more than one player from Maui.

''I am fired up, man,'' he said. ''Excited for the new challenge and that I will continue to recruit the kids from Hawaii. The WAC is what I grew up with and played in, so I definitely know the WAC. A couple other WAC schools recruit Hawaii players, but I think I have a little advantage because, shucks, I am a Hawaii guy.''

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com

Deseret News All State Utah Football Team

The Deseret News has selected their 2008 All State 5A and 4A Teams. Timpview (Provo) offensive lineman Xavier Su'a-Filo was named 4A MVP.

Class 4A MVP
Xavier Su’a-Filo
Timpview, 6-5, 290, Sr.
One of the elite offensive lineman in the
entire country. Not only was he a dominant
presence at his left tackle position all
year, but when his team needed him to
step up defensively in the semifinals and
championship game, he was dominant
there as well. He’s received offers from
LSU, Notre Dame and USC.

5A First Team
LT Filiaga: LB, 6'0, 235, Sr-96 tackles, 8 hurries, 5 sacks
A'i Ho-Ching: LB, Alta, 6'0, 215-74 tackles, his 16.5 sacks led 5A
Tuni Kanuch: OL, Bingham, 6'2, 280, Jr
Josh Kealamakia: K, Syracuse, 6'2, 170, Jr-28-of-38 touchbacks, 10 FGs, 25-of-26 PATs
Harvey Langi: RB, Bingham, 6'1, 210, Soph-1,377 yards, 17 TDs
Tenny Palepoi: DL Skyline, 6'2, 250, Sr-59 tackles, 10 sacks, 31 hurries

4A First Team
Latu Heimuli: DL, Highland, 6'3, 305, Sr-56 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 3-year, 2-way starter
Bronson Kaufusi: DL, Timpview, 6'7, 240, Jr-Tremendously quick, 53 tackles, 8.5 sacks
John Martinez: OL, Cottonwood, 6'3, 290, Sr-2-time all-Americangraded out at 90%
Alo Moli: WR, Cottonwood, 6'5, 200, Sr-57 receptions, 987 yards, 9 TDs
Isi Sofele: RB, Cottonwood, 5'8, 165, Sr-259 carries, 1,916 yards, 30 TDs
Percy Taumoelau: OL, Cottonwood, 6'5, 295, Sr-2-year starter, nationallyrecruited

Link to 5A, 4A All State Team

Link to 3A, 2A, 1A All State Team

NAVY KEY: KAIPO MUST BE SHARP

Navy is expected to start Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada at quarterback today and that is somewhat a roll of the dice since the senior has not played in more than a month. Kaheaku-Enhada has been sidelined with a nagging hamstring injury since leaving the Temple game during the third quarter on Nov. 1. Navy needs Kaheaku-Enhada to be sharp and at full speed in order to win. At his best, the native Hawaiian is a master at directing the triple-option offense. However, Kaheaku-Enhada was clearly tentative, a step slow and had no burst versus Temple. Head coach Ken Niumatalolo must gauge quickly if Kaheaku-Enhada is close to 100 percent and be prepared to insert sophomore Ricky Dobbs if he is not.

Cody Kekipi named All Northeast Conference

Cody Kekipi (Waimanalo. Hawaii/Punahou) have been named to the Northeast Conference All Conference First Team. Junior center Kekipi was a strong part of the Red Flash’s offensive line all season long. He led an offense that accumulated 2,668 yards this season. Behind Kekipi, quarterback George Little (Duquesne, Pa./Duquesne) passed for 1,734 yards on 151 completions, averaging 173.4 passing yards per game.

2008 All Wac Football Team

University of Hawai'i junior center John Estes was selected first team All WAC for the second year row. Joining Estes on the first team was Nevada running back Vai Taua who ran for 1420 yards and 14 TDs in a breakout season. Taua also had 29 receptions for 226 yards and 2 TDs. Hawai'i defensive linemen David Veikune and Keala Watson were selected to the second team along with Idaho offensive lineman Mike Iupati. Veikune, who was named to the first team last season, leads the WAC in fumbles forced (4) and ranks fourth in both sacks (8.0) and tackles for loss (15.0). He also accumulated 64 tackles on the year. Watson has 28 tackles including 6.0 for loss and 2.0 sacks.