On the outside, he was a self-described “;fat boy”; whose mother wouldn't let him play Pop Warner football.

Inside? Hauoli Jamora grew up watching Kahuku football, vowing one day to play for the Red Raiders.

But the optimistic kid found himself relocating from Hauula to California. After moving back to Oahu—“;I was begging my mom about Kahuku,”; he said—they returned to Hauula for a short time.

Then came a move to Pearl City, and Jamora's dream wouldn't die. In fact, he spent his sophomore year catching the bus from Pearl City to Kahuku, getting to the bus stop at 5 a.m., transferring in Haleiwa and arriving at school after 7. Then came wrestling practices after school, then another long haul back to Pearl City.

Jamora hadn't even played a down of football for Kahuku, but he was content. Within two years, Jamora transformed into one of the state's top recruits.

His eye-popping performances wowed coaches and media, who in turn voted Jamora the Star-Bulletin defensive player of the year.

Kahuku's defense was particularly effective, a 3-4 system that put Jamora's strength and quickness to good use. Whether it was long fumble returns for touchdowns or blocked punts in the end zone, Jamora's motor never slowed.

It all came because he wouldn't stop working.

“;The explosiveness, that came through the extra work we put in. The weight room, the running, everything,”; said Jamora, who moved to Laie by his junior year, living with his grandmother, Leona Kulesa.

Once a 5-foot-10, 180-pound eighth-grader, Jamora is now 6-3 and 235 pounds, widely recruited and solidly qualified. His 3.3 grade-point average opened doors: Arizona, Boise State, BYU, Hawaii, Oregon State, Washington and Wyoming have scholarship offers on the table.

The state final loss to Kamehameha still stings, especially when he recalls the missed tackle on a scramble by Warriors quarterback T.C. Campbell on a key third and long. But there are no regrets about all the miles and sweat. He's taken what he's learned from Reggie Torres—his football, wrestling and judo coach—to heart.

“;There's always hype,”; Jamora said, “;but humility is something we all need.”;