HAWAII FOOTBALL
Warriors land 2 from Moanalua
Three years ago, Quinton Tang and Stanford Leti were just happy to suit up and play football at Moanalua.
Under the watchful eye of new coach Arnold Martinez, both prospered on the field and in the weight room. As of yesterday, they were the newest recruits of the University of Hawaii.
"Those guys, it's a great situation for them. They're like sons to me, and I'll be able to see them. They'll still be at my house eating, and me and my wife tutor them," Martinez said.
Tang, a bruising 5-foot-11, 220-pound linebacker, also played running back for Moanalua as the team qualified for the Division II state tournament, a first in school history.
Leti, a 6-1, 195-pound option quarterback with breakaway speed, dished out as many hits as he received in the open field. He rushed for 139 yards on 16 carries, including touchdowns of 39 and 2 yards, in a semifinal loss at Iolani. He also played slotback, catching two passes for 44 yards.
Leti, who played both ways, excelled at safety for the Menehunes, a position he is likely to continue playing at the next level.
"I love the kids, and I think they'll flourish," said Martinez, noting a strong trust factor with UH defensive backs coach Rich Miano.
"Rich has been real close to their families, so we'll have a lot of supervision and academic monitoring," Martinez said.
In Moanalua's program, Leti and Tang have climbed closer than ever to becoming NCAA Division I qualifiers. Martinez believes both could qualify before the school year is done. If they don't qualify, they will still enroll at UH, he said.