The two Interscholastic League of Honolulu standouts are therefore the mainstays of the Star-Bulletin All-State Team.
Uso, who shattered the ILH single-season record for receiving yardage, is the Offensive Player of the Year.
He hauled in 57 passes for 1,125 yards to surpass former teammate Donny Utu's previous ILH record of 1,029 yards.
The 6-foot, 175-pound Uso, considered by many to be the fastest football player in the state, scored 13 times while leading Punahou to an 8-2 ILH record. He averaged 19.7 yards a catch.
The 6-1, 300-pound Taamu is the defensive player of the year.
He was the big bear of defensive linemen.
It took double- and triple-teaming to keep Taamu away from the quarterback, and he constantly forced opposition offenses to adjust.
"Great explosion, great balance" were two of the adjectives used by coaches and opposing players to describe Taamu.
But strength - enormous strength - was what made "Big Ed" the man offensive linemen least wanted to meet on the line of scrimmage.
Despite Iolani's 4-6 ILH record, Taamu was, by far, the most intimidating of all defensive linemen on the local prep scene.
Our coach of the year is McKinley High's fourth-year head coach, David Tanuvasa.
The former University of Hawaii lineman led the Tigers from a fourth-place finish in the White Conference to a hard-fought 20-15 loss to Red Conference foe Campbell in the Oahu Interscholastic Association playoff semifinals. He turned around a team that finished 2-4 in the 1995 White Conference season.
At quarterback is the most effective passer of 1996, St. Louis junior Jason Gesser.
Throughout his entire year - including two preseason games, 10 ILH games and the Prep Bowl - Gesser was intercepted only once, an amazing feat of accuracy and timing.
Usually playing less than a full game, Gesser threw for more touchdowns than any quarterback - 24 - and amassed 2,185 yards.
He completed 104 of 175 attempts.
His center, Galahad Carreira, is our choice at center. Carreira's careful delivery of the snaps was critical to the superb season Gesser enjoyed.
Joining Carreira on the offensive line are St. Louis' two-time all-stater Dominic Raiola, Kamehameha's Steven Grace, Waianae's Kika Kaululaau, and Punahou's Mike Souza.
The only other all-state repeater besides Raiola is St. Louis' Wes Tufaga, who once again is a selection to the defensive backfield.
Two of last year's all-staters, wide receiver Paulson Leong of Farrington and linebacker Jacob Yoro of St. Louis, are now seniors but did not repeat for different reasons. Leong did not play wide receiver this past season and Yoro suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury that made him miss much of the ILH season.
Receiver Gordon Schilling was a gold schilling for St. Louis, making 19 catches for 489 yards and scoring eight times. The senior, always distinguishable by his red shoes, was a game-breaker. A bright new addition to the all-state defense is Waianae's junior defensive lineman White Sosene who ripped the lid off many an OIA Red Conference offensive line in 1996.
Also in the defensive backfield is Waianae's Dauthille Dizon, wearing the number of 1995 defensive player of the year, Chris Paogofie, Dizon was a surprisingly strong successor in the Seariders' lineup.
Dizon seemed to be everywhere and, at 5-6, 150 pounds, he packed a mean hit.
At utility, there could be only one choice: Waimea's Sean Jardin.
The 5-7, 155-pound resident of Kalaheo, Kauai, scored 18 touchdowns and had 22 point-after kicks for the Menehunes. He was also a major threat as a punt returner (had one return for touchdown of 90 yards) and played superbly at safety with five interceptions.
At kicker, Castle's Kiha Scholtz is the pick. With nine field goals through the White Conference season and the playoffs, several of substantial distance, he is beyond a doubt the best at his specialty.
QB: Jason Gesser, St. Louis Offense
WR: Tafiti Uso, Punahou
SB: Gordon Schilling, St. Louis
RB: Danny Makainai, Punahou
RB: Clifford Russell, Campbell
RB: Jacob Ordenstein, Kamehameha
OL: Steven Grace, Kamehameha
OL: Donimic Raiola, St. Louis
OL: Galahad Carreira, St. Louis
OL: Kika Kaululaau, Waianae
OL: Mike Souza, Punahou
Utility: Sean Jardin, Waimea
Kicker: Kiha Scholtz, Castle
DL: White Sosene, Waianae Defense
DL: Tony Tata, St. Louis
DL: Ed Taamu, Iolani
LB: Derek Zoller, Campbell
LB: James Sunia, St. Louis
LB: Benie Pave, Waianae
LB: Fabian Fonoti, St. Louis
DB: Wes Tufaga, St. Louis
DB: Ted Mahelona, Waianae
DB: Danilo Viloria, Campbell
DB: Dauthille Dizon, WaianaeOffensive Player of the Year: Tafiti Uso
Defensive Player of the Year: Ed Taamu
QB Noah King, Punahou Offense
WR Randyn Akiona, St. Louis
WR Corin Korenaga, Iolani
RB Solomon Lealao, McKinley
RB John West, Leilehua
RB Josh Fuller, Kailua
OL Pono Mathewson, Waianae
OL Rockne Freitas, Kamehameha
OL Manly Kanoa, Kamehameha
OL Roy DeCaires, St. Louis
OL John Kadala, Kaiser
DL Mario Palahame, Farrington Defense
DL Fa'aolo Alovao, St. Louis
DL Kainoa Evangelista, Waianae
DL Tavita Tovio, Farrington
LB Charley Sione, Waianae
LB Kaiser Lauti, Waipahu
LB Saafiga Foster, Punahou
LB Solomon Lealao, McKinley
DB Chris Valdez, Castle
DB Jeff Terry, Radford
DB Marcus Meaney, Iolani