The Hawaii football team's defensive line next season will be the most experienced the Warriors have had in a long time. Travis LaBoy, Isaac Sopoaga, Lance Samuseva, Kevin Jackson and Lui Fuga will all be seniors. Jones on a crusade
to refill line
Prospect watch
By Dave Reardon and Jason Kaneshiro
dreardon@starbulletin.com | jkaneshiro@starbulletin.comThat bodes well for 2003, but could cause a problem the following year. Who will fill the void when those five are gone?
Big things are expected from Abu Ma'afala and Tala Esera, who were freshmen this year, as they continue to improve. But they won't be able to do it by themselves.
"That's a key area for us in recruiting this year because we'll be losing so many quality players," UH coach June Jones said.
Jones can't speak about specific recruits, but it's obvious the Warriors will go hard after the St. Louis School defensive end duo of Tolifili Liufau and Wilson Afoa.
Liufau is the Star-Bulletin's No. 1 prospect in the state. With his weight at around 300 pounds at last report, Liufau figures to play tackle in college. Rivals ranks him as the 24th best defensive tackle prospect in the nation.
Afoa is relatively unknown, but is certain to draw more recruiting attention after being named the state's defensive player of the year.
Hawaii, which has yet to secure a verbal commitment this winter, needs to get Liufau and Afoa to consider it a successful recruiting class.
Mainland prospects include Eric Stewart, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound defensive end who is also looking at USC, Michigan State, Arizona and Washington.
North Shore to Happy Valley?: Kahuku safety Viliami Nauahi has a visit scheduled for Penn State.
Nittany Lion secondary coach Brian Norwood, a former Radford and UH athlete, has had his eye on Nauahi for quite some time.
Penn State also recruited Kahuku defensive lineman Jonathan Mapu last year. Mapu ended up at Tennessee.
"I talk to Jonathan once in a while," Nauahi said. "We don't talk that much about recruiting, but he did tell me it's important to keep my options open."
Hawaii, Brigham Young and Utah have offered scholarships to Nauahi, an agile and rangy - but also strong at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds - centerfielder-type safety.
Surfriders O-line update: Kailua offensive lineman Xavier Ho'olulu has trips to San Diego State, Utah and Hawaii lined up for January. Teammate Pat So'oalo is looking at Hawaii and Oregon, but will concentrate on taking the SAT in January before going on any trips.
Both said they are leaning toward Hawaii, where they would rejoin offensive line high school teammates Marques Kaonohi, Sam Satele and Kahai LaCount.
Off the board: Wesley Jefferson, a 6-foot-2, 245-pound linebacker from Brandywine, Md., considered one of the best five at his position in the nation, has dropped Hawaii from among the schools he is considering and is mulling offers from Maryland, Notre Dame and Miami. Other visits are slated for Ohio State and Virginia.
Hercules Satele, a 6-3, 252-pound offensive lineman from Long Beach Poly, expressed interest in Hawaii when the Jackrabbits were here to play Kahuku last fall. But his choices are now narrowed to Alabama, Oregon, USC, Texas A&M, UCLA, Washington and Wisconsin.
On the trail: Quarterback prospect Jason "Keoni" Akina is the brother of UH quarterback Kainoa Akina and the son of Texas assistant coach and former UH assistant Duane Akina. Keoni Akina was one of the Austin, Texas, area's best quarterbacks this year, even though his high school, Charles Akins, played its first varsity season. ... Running back Mike Liti, for whom Hawaii is battling with USC among others, was named Orange County offensive player of the year by the Orange Country Register.
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The Star-Bulletin's top 20 college football prospects from Hawaii high schools are ranked by Jason Kaneshiro and Dave Reardon after consultation with high school and college coaches. Other prospects are listed in alphabetical order. Out-of-state prospects considering Hawaii are compiled with assistance from coaches and recruiting services. The lists will be updated until Feb. 5, national letter of intent day, when high school players can first make their commitments binding. Asterisks indicate a player has been offered a scholarship by that college. Dates in parentheses are visit weekends. Prospect watch
HAWAII'S TOP PROSPECTS
No. Player Pos. School Ht. Wt. Colleges 1. Tolifili Liufau DE St. Louis 6-3 310 USC, Wash. St (Dec. 13), Hawaii*, Wash. 2. Jason Rivers WR St. Louis 6-2 193 Hawaii*, Ore., Wash. St. (Dec. 13), Wash. 3. Viliami Nauahi DB Kahuku 6-2 200 Hawaii*, BYU* (Jan. 16), Wash., Penn St., Utah* 4. R.J. Willing OL Kamehameha 6-5 300 Ore., Wash., BYU, Utah, Hawaii, Alabama 5. Pat So'oalo OL Kailua 6-6 285 Hawaii*, Ore., Wash. St., Utah, Alabama, Dixie 6. Brandon Rodd OL Aiea 6-5 275 Hawaii* (Dec. 6), Wash. St., Ariz. St., Ore. (Jan. 17), San Diego St. (Jan. 3), Utah (Jan. 24) 7. Wilson Afoa DL St. Louis 6-3 260 Wash. St., Wash., Hawaii*, Alabama, San Jose St. 8. Michael Lafaele OL Farrington 6-1 275 Hawaii* 9. Jeremy Inferrera OL St. Louis 6-3 270 Hawaii*, Ore., Wash., Wash. St. 10. Timo Paepule DB St. Louis 6-0 210 Wash., Utah, Hawaii*, Alabama 11. Quin Ah You DL Kahuku 6-3 310 Hawaii 12. Xavier Ho'olulu OL Kailua 6-4 290 Hawaii*, San Diego St., Alabama, Ore., Utah 13. George Perry DB Kahuku 5-11 165 Hawaii 14. Bobby George QB St. Louis 6-0 185 Utah, Wash., Hawaii 15. Frank Fernandez OL St. Louis 6-2 275 Stanford 16. Joseph Napeahi OL Kahuku 6-3 320 Hawaii 17. Taase Jennings OL McKinley 6-3 345 San Francisco CC 18. Tu Tui DB Kahuku 6-1 195 Wash., Hawaii 19. David Alisa LB Kahuku 6-1 230 Hawaii 20. Blake Wong DB Iolani 6-1 190 Wash., Ore., Colo., Nevada OTHER PROSPECTS FROM HAWAII
Player Pos. School Ht. Wt. Colleges Ikaika Asinsin RB Nanakuli 6-1 245 Nevada, Dixie Aliikea Basham WR Campbell 6-2 180 Hawaii Shane Butcher WR St. Louis 5-10 165 Justin Cabansag RB St. Louis 5-8 195 Matt Culver DB Punahou 6-2 190 McShane Dator QB Pac-Five 6-2 205 New Mexico, Tulane Stan Fisher DB Punahou 6-3 185 Vili Fonokalafi DE Kailua 6-1 240 Dixie Kala Ka'aihue LB Iolani 6-1 228 Reyn Kaupiko OL Kamehameha 6-0 265 Nevada, Air Force, Navy Mapa Malupo RB Campbell 6-1 210 Menlo Brandyn McCall DE Pac-Five 6-5 202 Karl Noa DE Kamehameha 6-3 215 Hawaii Chris Perreira DL St. Louis 6-2 270 Hawaii Caleb Spencer QB Kamehameha 6-1 170 Daniel Tautofi LB Kaimuki 6-2 230 Josh Vierra WR Kamehameha 5-10 160 Matai Ware OL Aiea 6-3 270 Levi Wyman OL Aiea 6-1 240 MAINLAND AND SAMOA PLAYERS RECRUITED BY UH
Player Pos. Town Ht. Wt. Colleges Keoni Akina QB Austin, Texas 6-0 185 Hawaii, San Diego St., Baylor, SMU, Ray Bass CB Corona, Calif. 5-11 173 Hawaii*, Cal (Dec. 20), Colo. (Dec. 13) Jesus Gamboa LB Harbor City, Calif. 6-0 225 Colo. St., Hawaii, Fresno St., Wash., San Diego St., Ore. Maikolo (Mike) Liti RB Santa Ana, Calif. N/A N/A Hawaii*, Colo. St.*, UCLA, USC Shane Lopes QB Goleta, Calif. 5-11 180 Ore. St., Boston College, Hawaii, Ariz., Notre Dame Brett Martin LB Corona, Calif. 6-1 215 Colo., USC, Cal, Hawaii*, Ore., Wash. Armani Purcell LB Pago Pago, N/A N/A Hawaii Am. Samoa Desmond Reed CB Temple City, 5-9 175 USC, Colo. St., Hawaii, Notre Dame, Wash., Calif. Jack Rolovich QB San Marin, Calif. 6-3 195 Hawaii, Cal Joe Sample P/K Garnett, Kan. 6-0 210 Kan., Kan. St., Hawaii, Okla., Colo. St. Devin Stearns WR Gardena, Calif. 6-2 175 Ariz.*, Ariz. St.*, Colo*., Hawaii, UCLA* Eric Stewart DL Santa Cruz, Calif. 6-3 225 USC, Mich. St., Ariz., Wash., Hawaii Drew Tate QB Baytown, Texas 5-11 170 Texas A&M*, Iowa, Hawaii, Houston, Tenn.