Re: Spencer Hafoka

[Sportsbow]

Did any local newspaper say that Hafoka committed to UH? I don't recall any of them saying that. I know that they said that he was leaning towards UH, but not committed.

On the BYU board, there's an article about one of our local papers saying that he committed.
LINK: http://byu.scout.com/2/332152.html

Hawaii, Utah or someplace else?
By Talo Steves TBS Managing Editor
Date: Dec 17, 2004

If you believe what you read in a Hawaii newspaper, then you can expect Spencer Hafoka to be a Rainbow Warrior. If you believe what sources tied to the University of Utah are saying, then look for Hafoka to be suiting up in candy scarlet next year. If you believe what Spencer Hafoka is saying, then you’ll need to prepare yourself for a third possibility.

Spencer Hafoka, a 6’2", 170 pound, 4.4 forty Latter-day Saint speedster has ripped up high school football fields all season long. Catching passes for gaudy numbers, Hafoka was one of six Kahuku High School stars to make Hawaii’s All-Star Classic bowl game that honors the island’s top athletes.
Here are a few examples of why Hafoka was rewarded with the bowl invitation. Kahuku began the season against rival and powerhouse program St. Louis High School. For the game, Hafoka was the recipient of only three receptions. Ordinarily, three receptions for an entire game isn’t going to raise any eyebrows, but it’s not the number of receptions that makes his performance during the St. Louis game so spectacular. Hafoka took advantage of those three receptions and turned them into a 164 yards and three touchdowns.

Against Aiea High School, Hafoka caught 9 receptions for 171 yards and 4 touchdowns. However, Kahuku failed to repeat last years state title performance, losing in the semi-finals in what was an off day for the team.

“We lost in the semi-finals to Lelehua High School,” Hafoka said. “We were just off. I mean, our linemen and our quarterback were off. We tried to run it and we got stuffed. The passing was there but our quarterback just couldn’t connect. Sometimes it was under thrown and stuff, so we went back to the run and we just got stuffed.”

With Kahuku’s season over, Hafoka is now firmly entrenched in the recruiting process as college coaches are in Hawaii this week to do in-home visits with the Hawaiian star.

“I talked to [Coach Steve Kaufusi] last week but he should be coming in tonight, so I’ll see him tomorrow,” said Hafoka. “He came for our all star game but then he left and I had just missed him.”

Along with Kaufusi, former fullback and BYU Alum Kalani Sitaki will be meeting with Hafoka, not as a BYU Alum, but rather as the newest assistant coach for the University of Utah.

“[Coach Sitaki] comes in tomorrow,” Hafoka informed TBS. “He‘s already here today but I‘ll see him tomorrow.”

Coach Sitaki will do his best to try and shore up Hafoka’s interest in the University of Utah. Having already tripped to the University, Hafoka did at one time express an interest in playing for the Utes when Urban Meyer was head coach there.

“Well after I took my trip there I was thinking whether Urban Meyer was going to stay, but I wasn’t to sure,” said Hafoka. “Now that he’s gone and it’s a whole new coaching staff, and not really knowing anyone there. I took a trip there already.”

Reports have suggested that some within the current Utah coaching staff feel Hafoka has already committed to the University of Utah.

“No, I’m not committed to anyone right now,” Hafoka said.

In addition to the reports of being committed to play football at the University of Utah, a local Hawaiian newspaper reported Hafoka had committed to the University of Hawaii in what has become a merry-go-round of false reports for the Kahuku star.

“Oh no, I don’t know where he got that from,” Hafoka said. “The reporter, all I remember him asking is if I had attended a UH Game, and I said, ’Oh yeah, I’ve been to a couple of their games and it’s good. Then all of a sudden, I read it and I was surprised, I was like what? It wasn’t a straight up question.”

Spencer’s father Finau Hafoka confirms his son’s statement.

“No, that was a mistake,” said Finau Hafoka. “Everyone keeps calling me about that. I guess there was an article in the paper or something. I asked [Kaufusi] if he had heard about the article and he said yes, but I told him it wasn’t true.”

With the word out of the Hafoka camp that Spencer Hafoka has neither committed to Hawaii nor to the University of Utah, Hafoka has kept his eye firmly on the coaching developments of his church school at BYU. With Robert Anae being named as BYU’s new offensive coordinator under newly named head coach Bronco Mendenhall, Hafoka is very excited about the new coaching staff at BYU.

“Oh, it’s good and I heard it’s going to be good,” said an enthusiastic Hafoka. “I heard [Anae’s] going to be the OC, and I’m excited to meet him when I come up for the trip the second week of January. I think it’s the 13th or 14th along with about four or five Hawaiian players.”

“It’s just exciting you know. I’ve met Bronco and the energy he gives off is just intense man. Yeah, their [Texas Tech[ offense is one of the top. [Coach Anae] fits in well at BYU. It’s the type of offense I love and where I would fit in. Where most of the time you’re passing and it’s going to be a challenge to be able to join a team where they pass a lot instead of just running the ball. It’s going to be exciting. I’m excited for [Anae] and to go to the football program at BYU.”

To go to the BYU football program? It sounds as if Hafoka is warming up to the idea of possibly playing for the cougars.

Hafoka concluded: “I think every school is a good school but, yeah. [BYU’s] environment is beyond the others according to the church. I think that it’s more important than football. I highly agree with the honor code. I think that’s a plus for me to go there.”

[H20]

They didn't say he commited. But the way the local papers are putting it they're making it seem as if Hawaii is his favorite. I remember one paper saying that Utah was his favorite but after the coach left Hawaii became his favorite. Thats probably what they're talking about.

[Sportsbow]

They didn't say he commited. But the way the local papers are putting it they're making it seem as if Hawaii is his favorite. I remember one paper saying that Utah was his favorite but after the coach left Hawaii became his favorite. Thats probably what they're talking about.

There's a huge difference when a player says "LEANING TO UH" compared to "COMMITTING TO UH!" If that writer for BYU (Talo Steves)don't know the difference between the two, then he should quit doing it, because it makes him look stupid! Who knows! Maybe he is!

[H20]

Yeah I have no idea why he would put words in thier mouths. Hopefully the two papers will respond or something, probably not. Unless we really did miss something.