-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Hawaii Blog - Day One
By Chris Fetters
Northwest Recruiting Analyst
Posted May 23, 2012
WAIKIKI - It's not all sun and fun in Hawaii in May; it's also football time. Not only are high schools taking part in Spring Football, but players are taking advantage of camps and combines in an attempt to boost their recruiting stock even more. Scout.com is in the Aloha State this week, going to high schools and getting a feel for things in preparation for the PIAA combine on Saturday.
Pagano is The News - Moanalua's Scott Pagano seems to be the toast of Oahu, especially since the 6-foot-4, 275-pound defensive tackle recently picked up an offer from USC. With Moanalua currently going through an exam week, Scout.com will be there Thursday to see the Menehune go through a walk-through of what their practices will be like starting next week. That means getting a first-hand look at Pagano and also his thoughts on how recruiting is going, how he's been able to balance the process out considering all the options in front of him, and what his next move is.
Kahuku Continues to Pump Out Talent - Kahuku High School might be as far away as you can get geographically from Honolulu, but if you went strictly by the number of players they put into colleges they'd be right up there with the best programs of the ILH (Interscholastic League of Honolulu), including Saint Louis, Punahou and Kamehameha. The recruiting class of 2013 is no different, as the University of Hawaii already has verbal commitments from players like OL John Wa'a and linebacker Rashaan Falemalu, younger brother of current Warrior Paipai Falemalu. Scout.com will head out to Kahuku on Wednesday to see the team go through a workout under the leadership of their head coach, Reggie Torres.
Buff 'n Blue Still One of the Best - Speaking of Punahou, the Buff 'n Blue continue to be the toast of the ILH. While the Red Raiders won the state title, they had to go through a hard-fought 30-24 slugfest against Punahou to earn that crown. Led by Scout.com's No. 2 MLB nationally - Isaac Savaiinaea and top sophomore Canton Kaumatule - Punahou is expected to get right back to Aloha Stadium this fall. We are also expected to see Savaiinaea Saturday at the annual Pacific Islands Athletic Alliance Hawaii High School Combine.
The Longest Running Combine in the Pacific Rolls On - With pre-registration at an all-time high, the 2012 PIAA Hawaii High School Combine is going to be one best ever. I'll have a preview of the combine later in the week, but here's a quick list of the players expected to participate Saturday at Saint Louis:
WR Kainoa Abreu - Saint Louis
OL Michael Boyd - Farrington
OL Mitchell Boyd - Farrington
DL Titus Failauga - Mid Pacific/Pac-5
LB Colton Goeas - Saint Louis
DL Canton Kaumatule (2015) - Punahou
OL Reeve Koehler - Saint Louis
OL/DL Austen Koki - Pearl City
LB Jacob Lacaden (2014) Saint Louis
LB Ronley Lakalaka (2015) Punahou
LB Isaac Savaiinaea - Punahou
WR Jeremy Tabuyo - Saint Louis
LB Johnny Tapusoa - Kahuku
LB Ryan Tuiasoa - Punahou
DT Kennedy Tuimasealii - Waianae
TE/DE Dakota Turner - Mililani
SS Jamel Tyler - Campbell
OL/DL Fred Ulu-Perry (2015) - Saint Louis
OL John Wa'a - Kahuku
Day 2: http://recruiting.scout.com/2/1189276.html
Hawaii Blog - Day Two
By Chris Fetters
Northwest Recruiting Analyst
Posted May 24, 2012
WAIKIKI - Having just come back from the North Shore, the verdict is in; there's definitely something in the water. At Kahuku High School, I found even more Division-1 talent, not surprising since they pump out prospects at a rate most mainland schools would be envious of.
All you have to do is follow the trail of schools that make their way from the Honolulu airport to the windward side of Oahu and along the Kamehameha Highway to know where the players are hiding. According to Kahuku Head Coach Reggie Torres, UCLA showed up to his door Wednesday, and Oregon State, Washington, Washington State, Hawaii, Arizona, Arizona State, Weber State and UNLV found their way to see the Red Raiders this week alone.
Two things became abundantly clear when you show up for a Kahuku spring practice; the team is there to work, and there's definitely a weeding-out process that goes on with the younger players. Since football is religion at Kahuku, the 2011 state champions, there's nothing the Red Raiders take more seriously. That being said, it's easy to figure out the sophomores that are going to make it, as opposed to the ones that come full of heart and desire but just won't be able to stand up to the pounding and abuse they're sure to take over the next three years. This is no different than any other school, but for some reason at Kahuku it seems more pronounced because of the physical specimens they have at their disposal.
One of the first sophomores that immediately passed the 'Look Test' was Lamone Williams, a 6-foot-2, 245-pound big athlete who has already been offered by Hawaii, according to Torres. Williams, who has thick legs and quick feet, sure looks like he could grow into a monster defensive lineman in time. Juniors John Wa'a and Rashaan Falemalu - who have both verbally committed to stay home and play for the University of Hawaii under first-year head coach Norm Chow - are great looking athletes who also exude a ton of upside.
Wa'a, a 6-foot-3, 280-pound offensive lineman, is one capable of playing at any spot along the offensive line; he plays right tackle currently for the Red Raiders. Even though Wa'a plays on the edge, he is a terrific run blocker, driving linemen downfield. And Falemalu, the younger brother of current Hawaii defensive end Paipai, looks physically a lot like his brother when Paipai roamed the fields at Kahuku. Paipai, who is now a stout 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds and started 12 games for the Warriors in 2011 was 6-foot-3, 215 pounds when he matriculated, and Rashaan is now 6-foot-2 and 210. He told Scout.com he would characterize his game as 'aggressive' and 'assignment football' - two good traits to have in an outside linebacker.
Two more 2013 prospects - defensive backs Johnny Tapusoa and Kawahena Johnson - are getting looked at by Weber State and New Mexico State, respectively according to Torres, and running back Aofaga Wily is a two-way star for the Red Raiders who boasts offers from Arizona and Hawaii. The 6-foot, 195-pound Wily, who is LDS, plans on serving his mission and he's been told by BYU that an offer would be forthcoming if they get a chance to see him at their summer camp.
Bulldogs still looking up - Much closer to Honolulu, the Kaimuki Bulldogs won their first eight games in 2011 before losing two tough matchups, the last one a 36-22 battle to Waipahu, to advance in the OIA playoffs. Typically the Bulldogs do it with great high school players that find their way onto Division-1 rosters; their last BCS prospect was Chester Su'a, who nows plays for Washington State. And according to head coach Clint Onigama, Kaimuki has a few players that schools like Hawaii and Idaho are looking at, so the trend continues.
At the top of the list is running back Chansen Exzabe (5-10, 160), who had a 6-yard per carry average as a junior, and also Zachary Bastatas (5-11, 160), who threw and caught passes for the Bulldogs last year. Sione Moala (6-1, 315), younger brother of former Kaimuki star Mike Moala, is a two-way standout, and Onigama hopes Saint Louis WR/DB transfer Tai Boyd (6-0, 160) is a player that can become a key piece to another playoff run.
