Warriors see
family grow

William Monteilh and brothers Kirk and Kermit Alexander grew up in the same Los Angeles neighborhood more than 50 years ago.

Now the sons of William and Kirk are often neighbors -- in the Hawaii football team's defensive backfield at practice.

Monteilh's son, Keao, is a sophomore cornerback who will likely start against USC tomorrow. Kirk's son, also named Kirk, is a true freshman safety who saw a lot of action with the first and second defenses in fall camp. He will likely get in on special teams tomorrow.

"When they first told me who the Alexander boy was, they told me Kermit was his uncle," the elder Monteilh said. "I told him 'Give me your dad's number.' Forty years we hadn't seen each other. We all used to play ball in the street together in L.A., back in grammar school. Then (Kermit) went to Mt. Carmel High School, I went to Fremont."

Monteilh later met a woman from Hawaii at Los Angeles City College. He married Maraea and they moved to the islands to raise a family. Keao is the youngest of their eight children.

Kermit Alexander and his wife, Tami, attended UH's practice yesterday, and he and William Monteilh resumed their friendship.

"This is a reunion ... a family reunion," Alexander said, after meeting one of Monteilh's grandchildren.

Football fans know Kermit Alexander for a stellar 14-year NFL career as a defensive back with the 49ers, Rams and Eagles. He was a running back at UCLA and was the outstanding offensive player in the 1963 Hula Bowl.

"I had a great game and I surfed every day and had a wonderful time," he said.

He said he has lots of reasons to root for Hawaii tomorrow.

"I always root for UCLA and whoever is playing against SC. Hawaii's a natural. My nephew's here, and now I know I have other friends who are here."

Patton out: Junior cornerback Kenny Patton shook his head and said he won't be able to play tomorrow.

Patton underwent arthroscopic knee surgery Aug. 22. He tested the knee yesterday and decided he's better off trying to come back next week at Michigan State, or, more likely, Sept. 24 at Idaho since UH has a bye after the Spartans game.

Trojans warned: USC coach Pete Carroll warned his players this week about postgame fights between UH players and opponents, according to a report in Wednesday's editions of the Orange County Register.

Because UH will use the shady side of the field for its sideline, the teams will be forced to cross paths to the locker rooms at halftime and after the game.

"We're not going to cross at the same time," Carroll said in the OCR.

Hawaii coach June Jones said yesterday too much was made of a botched tape exchange and the fact that Jones and Carroll did not shake hands after USC's 61-32 victory over Hawaii at the Los Angeles Coliseum in 2003.

"I looked at him, said 'Good game.' I wanted to talk to my team and he knew that. There's no hard feelings any which way," Jones said. "He's done a fantastic job, every job he's had. I have nothing but good feelings about Pete Carroll."

Game sold out: Tomorrow's game is officially sold out, UH announced yesterday afternoon as the last 1,000 tickets were sold.

It is the first sellout of a UH home game since Nov. 30, 2002, when UH played Alabama.

Hawaii's 62-7 loss to USC on Sept. 4, 1999, also filled Aloha Stadium. It was the first game of Jones' UH coaching career.

Short yardage: Senior slotback Nate Ilaoa made a nice leaping catch yesterday, prompting senior right guard Brandon Eaton to exclaim, "Yeah, that's the Nasty (Ilaoa's nickname) I know." Ilaoa hasn't played in a game since the 2003 opener because of knee problems. ... NFL Films taped interviews with UH coaches and players yesterday. ... UH students and other volunteers will collect money for Hurricane Katrina at the stadium entrances tomorrow. Donations go to the American Red Cross. ... Four free buses will take students to and from the game. They will pick up students at 11 a.m. in front of Gateway House and leave the stadium 45 minutes after the game.