Saturday, August 21, 1999

Paogofie
named IPFL’s
Defensive Player
of the Year

Klaneski and Ma'afala also
earn honors on the eve of
the Hammerheads' title tilt

Star-Bulletin staff

Former Waianae High star Chris Paogofie was named the Defensive Player of the Year and former Rainbow Eddie Klaneski was named Special Teams Player of the Year at the Indoor Professional Football League awards banquet in Austin, Texas, last night.

Only one other member of the Hawaii Hammerheads received recognition. Guard Roy Ma'afala earned Hawaii's only berth on the all-star team, to the surprise of the Hammerheads' coaching staff.

League spokesman Landon Thomas said he wasn't sure why Paogofie and Klaneski were left off the all-star team after being given individual awards.

Paogofie and Klaneski were nominees for the Most Valuable Player award, which went to Mississippi Fire Dogs quarterback John Fourcade.

Hawaii head coach Guy Benjamin lost out to Texas Terminators coach Duane Duncum for Coach of the Year.

The Offensive Player of the Year is Terminators quarterback James Brown.

The Hammerheads (11-6) are in Austin for tonight's championship game against the Terminators (12-4) at the Travis County Expo Center. The game can be heard on the radio at 1500 AM beginning at 3 p.m.