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Thursday, February 8, 2001
UH builds A coach saying he didn't have a good recruiting class is like your neighbor bad-mouthing his brand-new car. It's not going to happen.
for tomorrow
Warriors' recruiting class
'Kahuku seven' sign
is rated first in the WAC,
74th in nation
Local signeesBy Paul Arnett
Star-BulletinSo football fans can fully expect the University of Hawaii coaching staff to say the 25 scholarships signed away today are building blocks toward a brighter tomorrow for the Warriors.
The projected stars of the show are mainland recruits Isaak Sopoaga, Nate Ilaoa and Mike Bass. All three faxed or signed letters of intent yesterday.
Sopoaga is a junior college All-American defensive tackle, who should boost Hawaii's front in a hurry. The 6-foot-4, 290-pounder from College of the Canyons (Calif.), who had 31 sacks last season, turned down Nebraska and Texas A&M.
Bass is another jewel in Jones' crown. He rushed for nearly 3,000 yards in the fall at Centennial High in Southern California. Ilaoa was the Washington Post's Metro player of the year as a receiver, but Jones has indicated he may look at him as a defensive back.
Although Jones couldn't comment on the class until today, it was confirmed that 17 of the letters had arrived as of yesterday afternoon. Three more junior college players -- Mike Holt of Grand Rapids (Mich.) College, Hiram Travis of Los Angeles Harbour College and Donny Faaliliu of El Camino (Calif.) College -- are already signed, sealed, delivered and expected to take part in spring football.
Five local recruits are the fewest the UH coaching staff has signed since taking over three years ago. Last season, the coaches landed 14 from the island chain, but such was not the case this time around.
"We're sorry those guys decided to play elsewhere," UH assistant coach Mike Cavanaugh said. "They're going to miss out on a great thing here."
The five who did decide to stay -- St. Louis School running back Pesefea Fiaseu and linebacker Ikaika Curnan, Kaimuki High receivers Kila Kamakawiwo'ole and Justin Faimealelei, and Kailua High offensive lineman Lokahi Travis -- already have signed their letters.
The Hawaii coaches expect to be one or two over the legal limit of 25, but said there may be some problems getting everyone academically eligible.
Hawaii was rated No. 1 in the WAC in recruiting by Rivals.com. That's the good news. The bad news is, the Warriors are No. 74 nationally, close to future WAC member Louisiana Tech, which came in at No. 72.
Jones has said that he doesn't pay too much attention to what the polls reflect, preferring to rely on his coaching staff, which went far and wide for recruiting.
Eight of the prospects are from junior colleges, not nearly as high as the 14 Jones signed his first year in the program. The three already on campus will have the added advantage of spring practice, which should help their development through fall camp.
With Tim Chang at the helm for the foreseeable future, there weren't a lot of quarterbacks lining up to sit on the bench. Hawaii did land something of a project in the 6-foot-6, 220-pound Jeff Rhode.
The Churchill High product from Oregon fell into Jones' lap after Pac-10 programs Oregon and Oregon State passed on him. Different publications said Rhode needed more development before he would be ready for the rigors of Division I football.
Lamar Broadway, who was Bass' teammate at Centennial High in Corona, Calif., was a quarterback as well, but will likely be moved to defensive back since Hawaii has so many signal-callers left in their stable, including junior college transfers Nick Rolovich and Jared Flint. Sophomore Mike Harrison told Jones he was withdrawing from the program after the loss to Nevada-Las Vegas last December.
There appears to be several bright prospects at defensive back. Hawaii loses its top two cornerbacks, but does return talented safeties Nate Jackson and Jacob Espiau.
"One of our areas of concern going in was the secondary," Jones said. "We feel like we've fulfilled our needs and this should be another strong recruiting class."
Kahuku and Brigham Young graduate Kingsley Ah You, now a counselor at his high school alma mater, was like a proud uncle yesterday -- seven times over. ‘Kahuku seven’
sign lettersNorth Shore pipeline to
Utah and BYU is as strong as everBy Dave Reardon
Star-BulletinAs he recorded video of the Red Raiders' football letter of intent signings at the school campus, he took one last shot.
"You sure, Bid Daddy?" he playfully asked Chris Kemoe'atu, as the stud of the state's recruiting class inked the paperwork binding him to the University of Utah.
Kemoe'atu just smiled a little wider and signed away, perhaps thinking for a split-second about joining teammates Aaron Francisco and Saia Hafoka in Provo.
Yes, the pipeline from the North Shore of Oahu to the state of Utah is alive and well.
Five players from state-champion Kahuku signed letters of intent to play football for either the University of Utah or Brigham Young University.
As expected, Star-Bulletin All-State Lineman of the Year Kemoe'atu and linebacker Semisi Livai signed with Utah, and all-state safety Francisco and receiver Saia Hafoka made good on their verbal commitments to BYU.
In a bit of a surprise, though, 6-foot-3, 290-pound all-state lineman Raymond Manumaleuna also signed a pact with Utah. Manumaleuna only recently took a college entrance exam, but the Utes were so impressed with his quick feet and potential that they offered him a conditional scholarship Sunday.
Also, lineman Sioape Lautaha signed with St. Mary's (Kansas) and lineman Joe Spurrier will join an already-strong Hawaii contingent at West Virginia State.
"This is a very hard-working group of guys," Kahuku coach Siuaki Livai said. "The key for all of them is their parents are very supportive of them."
Also yesterday, Kaimuki alumnus David Tautofi signed with UCLA. He's played the past two seasons at Fresno City College.
Tautofi, a 6-foot-3, 280-pound cousin of San Diego Chargers' star Junior Seau, was an All-Valley Conference first-team linebacker last season.
At St. Louis yesterday morning, five Crusaders signed, including two with the University of Hawaii.
Defensive lineman Lyle Maiava signed with Wisconsin after having verbally committed to Oregon in January.
Maiava said Wisconsin was his first choice all along, because of the school's computer engineering program. But the Badgers did not have a scholarship available for him until last week.
Maiava joins Kamehameha offensive lineman Donovan Raiola, who also signed with Wisconsin.
Also at St. Louis, Star-Bulletin Back of the Year Pesefea Fiaseu and all-state linebacker Ikaika Curnan officially became University of Hawaii Warriors.
Fiaseu was UH's first verbal commitment, in December.
Curnan came extremely close to also choosing Wisconsin before selecting Hawaii last week.
"Well, the hard part's over already," Curnan said before signing today. "This is the easy part."
The other signees at St. Louis were linebacker Joseph Lobendahn, who selected Washington over Wisconsin, and defensive lineman Lafaele Manupuna, who chose Colorado.
Manupuna, a late verbal commitment, chose the Buffaloes over Oregon, Arizona, Washington and Hawaii.
"This bunch is a group of good leaders on the field and on campus," St. Louis coach Cal Lee said. "We're real proud of all their accomplishments and it looks like a bright future for all."
At Kailua, offensive lineman Travis Lokahi signed with Hawaii.
At Kaimuki, Justin Fai-mealelei and Kila Kamakawiwo'ole both signed with Hawaii as expected. Both are versatile athletes who could play offense or defense.
There was speculation as late as last week that Iolani lineman Willie Kava would de-commit from Washington and switch to Hawaii. But he signed with the Huskies yesterday.
Local signees and commitments
Name Position Ht. Wt. High School College Ikaika Curnan LB 6-0 230 St. Louis Hawaii Justin Faimealelei WR 6-2 205 Kaimuki Hawaii Pesefea Fiaseu RB 5-11 220 St. Louis Hawaii Aaron Francisco DB 6-4 190 Kahuku BYU Saia Hafoka WR 5-10 165 Kahuku BYU Kila Kamakawiwo‘ole WR 6-2 200 Kaimuki Hawaii Willie Kava OL 6-3 280 Iolani Washington Chris Kemoe‘atu OL/DL 6-5 330 Kahuku Utah Sioape Lautaha OL 6-0 260 Kahuku W. Va. State Semisi Livai LB 6-0 200 Kahuku Utah Joe Lobendahn LB 6-0 205 St. Louis Washington Lyle Maiava DL 6-2 300 St. Louis Wisconsin Raymond Manumaleuna OL/DL 6-3 290 Kahuku Utah Lafaele Manupuna DL 6-2 250 St. Louis Colorado Donovan Raiola OL 6-2 280 Kamehameha Wisconsin Joe Spurrier OL 5-11 300 Kahuku St. Mary’s (Kan.) *Elia Tauala DL 6-4 275 Roosevelt Utah *David Tautofi LB 6-3 280 Kaimuki UCLA *Francisco Tipoti OL 6-6 320 McKinley Washington Lokahi Travis OL 6-3 280 Kailua Hawaii *Aukuso Tuiolemotu OL 6-3 300 McKinley S.D. St. *Tauala is a junior college transfer from Santa Ana (Calif.) College
*Tautofi is a junior college transfer from Fresno City College
*Tipoti is a junior college transfer from City College of San Francisco
*Tuiolemotu is a junior college transfer from City College of San Francisco