StarBulletin.com

Hawaii football gets 2 from Kapolei


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POSTED: Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Dustin Elisara and Tuulauena Lolohea share many of the same qualities.

On the field, both were integral members of Kapolei's linebacker corps, measuring up at 6-foot-2 with similar builds and statistics.

Now after a weekend recruiting visit to Hawaii, they share another trait in common after committing to join the Warriors.

“;It's going to be good fun playing with him,”; Lolohea said. “;We talked about it and felt it was the best thing for the both of us.”;

The national letter of intent signing period for football begins Feb. 3.

Elisara, a 6-foot-2, 252-pound middle linebacker, was the Hurricanes' leading tackler with 89 stops, including two sacks and two interceptions. He also visited Oregon State and Arizona.

“;It takes a lot of weight off my shoulders. I made my decision and feel comfortable with it,”; Elisara said. “;You can't beat staying home and having your family there and all the support from the local people.”;

Elisara was also ranked ninth nationally by rivals.com as a fullback, but prefers running to the ball over running with it.

Lolohea (6-2, 245), who transferred from Radford, also drew heavy interest after tallying 86 tackles with 11 sacks as an outside linebacker for the Hurricanes. He was named the defensive most valuable player in the HUB Goodwill Senior Bowl last month.

While they bear similarities on the field, they're easier to distinguish away from the action.

“;Good guys, two totally different personalities,”; Kapolei head coach Darren Hernandez said. “;T is a rah-rah type of leader and Dustin is the strong, silent type. Doesn't say much, but does what he has to do.”;

Receiver Darius Bright, a transfer from City College of San Francisco, also recently committed to UH. Bright (6-foot-2, 225 pounds) canceled a trip to Oklahoma last week so he could work on enrolling at UH for the spring semester. He consulted with his family in choosing the Warriors.

“;I already knew the football was good, but they were talking to me about the academic side of it,”; said Bright, who is originally from North Carolina.