HAWAII GROWN REPORT
Taumua comes up big when it counts most
Arizona State kicker Thomas Weber just doesn't miss.
The 2007 Lou Groza Award winner was 30-for-31 in his career and 6-for-6 on field-goal tries this season when he lined up for a kick against UNLV to force a second overtime Saturday night as the Sun Devils trailed by three.
The ball left his foot cleanly, but wound up landing behind him as Rebels defensive tackle Malo Taumua (Aiea '05) made the biggest play of his career. The 6-foot, 270-pound sophomore blocked the kick to seal the upset of 13th-ranked Arizona State, which entered the game as a 23-point favorite.
The play earned Taumua Mountain West Conference Co-Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
Taumua and offensive lineman Johan Asiata, a 2003 graduate of the National Guard Youth Challenge Academy in Kapolei, both start for the Rebels. Also on the UNLV roster are 6-foot-2, 360-pound sophomore offensive lineman Ramsey Feagai (Radford '06), junior long snapper Kamu Kapanui (Kamehameha '05) and freshmen Sean Tesoro (Baldwin '08) and Alexander Mauga (Aiea '08).
The loss was a crippling blow for any title hopes starting left guard Shawn Lauvao (Farrington '05) and his teammates may have had.
Lauvao has started 12 games for Arizona State, which hosts No. 3 Georgia this week.
» Idaho freshman linebacker Robert Siavii (Leilehua '08) had three tackles and a sack for the Vandals in 51-28 loss to Western Michigan. Sophomore linebacker JoJo Dickson (Baldwin '07) didn't play due to a shoulder injury.
» California junior Tyson Alualu (Saint Louis '05) led his team with eight tackles and a sack in a 35-27 loss to Maryland that knocked the Golden Bears out of the Associated Press Top 25.
» Southern California senior linebacker Kaluka Maiava (Baldwin '05) had three tackles in the top-ranked Trojans' 35-3 blowout of then-fifth-ranked Ohio State.
» Washington junior defensive end Daniel Teo-Nesheim (Hawaii Prep '05) had four solo tackles and assisted on another for a 2-yard loss in a 55-14 drubbing at the hands of No. 2 Oklahoma.
» After missing the first two games of the season with a hamstring injury, Navy senior quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada (Kapolei '04) completed all three pass attempts for 45 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 28 yards before leaving in the second quarter due to heat exhaustion in a 41-31 loss to Duke.
WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
» Regis University (Colo.) true freshman
Cassidee Young (Kamehameha '08) had 13 digs, two aces and a kill in a five-set loss to Colorado School of Mines. After 10 matches, Young leads the team with 103 digs (3.32 per game) and is second with nine aces.
» Fairfield senior Brandi Higa (Hawaii Baptist '05) became the ninth player in school history with 1,000 digs in a three-set loss to Connecticut. Higa had 12 digs in the game to give her 1,006 for her career. The accomplishment comes a week after she set a school record with 34 digs in a single match against Towson University. Freshman Haililani Pokipala (Sacred Hearts '08) added four digs and an ace for the Stags.
» Syracuse freshman Ashley Williams (Kamehameha '08) had 16 digs and senior Marissa Kanemura (University '05) had 12 digs and an ace for the Orange in two losses to close out the Big Orange Tournament on Sunday.
MEN'S SOCCER
» Southern Methodist sophomore
Kekoa Osorio (Kamehameha '07) was named to the Prego's Express Italian Men's Soccer Invitational all-tournament team after leading the Mustangs to consecutive victories. Osorio has played in all six games for undefeated SMU (5-0-1).
» Pacific (Ore.) junior Kevin Fujimoto (Kalani '06) scored a goal in the 33rd minute of a 2-0 victory over La Verne.
WOMEN'S SOCCER
» Loyola Marymount freshman
Erin Rementer (Punahou '08) scored a goal on an assist from fellow first-year player
Brittney Sanford (Punahou '08) in a 3-0 win over Cal State Bakersfield.