After watching his brother earn a Division I football scholarship, Ipulasi Eselu clung to the advice passed down by his older sibling.

“;He said education is first if you want to go anywhere,”; Eselu recalled of his talks with Savai'i. “;He would give me lectures on how to be a good person.”;

Now like Savai'i, a tight end at California, the Moanalua senior-to-be has a scholarship awaiting him following graduation after committing to Hawaii.

“;This is big for me,”; Eselu said. “;I look forward to going to the next level and competing with high intensity.”;

Eselu (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) plays outside linebacker for Moanalua, but is projected to grow into a defensive end in college. Moanalua coach Arnold Martinez said he plans to play Eselu at end in certain packages along with dropping him into coverage or having him rush the passer.

“;Lasi's kind of like another coach on the defense for me,”; Martinez said. “;Great football IQ and then obviously he has great dimensions and he's able to make plays. ... Just a real versatile player for us off the edge.”;

Eselu's father, Raymond, is an assistant coach with the Menehune, and his uncle is kumu hula O'Brien Eselu.

He's the second Moanalua player to commit to UH this summer, joining offensive lineman Frank Loyd.

“;I'm really happy for guys like that who commit themselves to a goal and do the things necessary to make that dream happen,”; Martinez said. “;It gives the younger guys something to aspire to.”;

Yet another Eselu brother is among those youngsters. Nainoa will be a Moanalua sophomore, and already measures in at 6-1 and 210 pounds.