Favorite Hawaii High School Receiver of All-Time

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Maui Boy in Alaska
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Re: Favorite Hawaii High School Receiver of All-Time

Post by Maui Boy in Alaska »

I second George Ornellas as the greatest slotback in Hawaii history.

Top Hawaii WR
1. Micah Matsuzaki
2. George Smith
3. Jason Rivers
4. Donny Utu
5. Miah Ostrowski

From Maui I would meantion a few names - Shane Victorino was a very good football player, just happen to be a better baseball player and Justin Hall also of St. Anthony High School was a really great wr on some really bad St. Anthony teams in 1992 and 1993.
K.O. Kealaluhi who payed at Maui High was nothing special while at Maui High, but went on to become a two year starter at BYU as a WR and scored the game winning touchdown in the fourth quarter to give BYU a 19-15 lead over Kansas State in the 1997 Cotton Bowl.

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Re: Favorite Hawaii High School Receiver of All-Time

Post by Kianakuuipo »

h4444k wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2010 9:15 am
Broman wrote:Rhani Peters, from Kaiser. Him and Cliff Kaneakala as his QB.
Nice call on Rhani Peters... kind of forgot about him but he was a great athlete in football, track, basketball...
Thank you for mentioning him, that's my dad and it was really nice to come across this today <3 even tho you both probably wont read this as i am 8 years late

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Re: Favorite Hawaii High School Receiver of All-Time

Post by HS Football Fanatic »

Kianakuuipo wrote: Sat Apr 14, 2018 3:39 pm
h4444k wrote: Sun Jan 10, 2010 9:15 am
Broman wrote:Rhani Peters, from Kaiser. Him and Cliff Kaneakala as his QB.
Nice call on Rhani Peters... kind of forgot about him but he was a great athlete in football, track, basketball...
Thank you for mentioning him, that's my dad and it was really nice to come across this today <3 even tho you both probably wont read this as i am 8 years late
@Kianakuuipo: Better late than never. I think Peters and Kaneaiakala (I think that is the correct spelling) played for Kaiser about 37 years ago. That's an awfully long time ago. They're both in their mid-50s now. I remember Kaneaiakala had that mean afro when he was QB his senior year.

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Re: Favorite Hawaii High School Receiver of All-Time

Post by gopunahou »

This list was made before Kanawai Noa came on the scene. Kanawai, Miah, Tafiti Uso, Donny Utu, Kaeo Vasconcellos, and Robby are three of my favorite receivers
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Re: Favorite Hawaii High School Receiver of All-Time

Post by rrforlifebaby »

I hate to say it 'cause he prepped at St Louis, but George Ornellas hands down favorite and GOAT.

Next in line for favorites would be Itula Mili and Spencer Hafoka (Big Red).

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Re: Favorite Hawaii High School Receiver of All-Time

Post by HS Football Fanatic »

rrforlifebaby wrote: Mon Apr 16, 2018 2:30 pm I hate to say it 'cause he prepped at St Louis, but George Ornellas hands down favorite and GOAT.

Next in line for favorites would be Itula Mili and Spencer Hafoka (Big Red).

RRFL!
@rrforlifebaby: Yes, I remember Ornellas. He was good all right, but I'm not sure he'd be the "hands down" favorite. Another receiver just came to mind: How about Dirk Apao, who played for Iolani in the early-'80s? Not that I like Iolani School either (and I don't exactly like St Louis School, too). Not saying that Apao should be the hands-down favorite, but I remember he was pretty good. Also, what about Gerald Welch, who played for St Louis in the late-'90s? Again, not saying he should be the hands-down favorite, but I do remember he was pretty good. These are players who are just coming to mind for me, and I'm just adding their names as they do.

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Re: Favorite Hawaii High School Receiver of All-Time

Post by gopunahou »

HS Football Fanatic wrote: Mon Apr 16, 2018 5:29 pm
rrforlifebaby wrote: Mon Apr 16, 2018 2:30 pm I hate to say it 'cause he prepped at St Louis, but George Ornellas hands down favorite and GOAT.

Next in line for favorites would be Itula Mili and Spencer Hafoka (Big Red).

RRFL!
@rrforlifebaby: Yes, I remember Ornellas. He was good all right, but I'm not sure he'd be the "hands down" favorite. Another receiver just came to mind: How about Dirk Apao, who played for Iolani in the early-'80s? Not that I like Iolani School either (and I don't exactly like St Louis School, too). Not saying that Apao should be the hands-down favorite, but I remember he was pretty good. Also, what about Gerald Welch, who played for St Louis in the late-'90s? Again, not saying he should be the hands-down favorite, but I do remember he was pretty good. These are players who are just coming to mind for me, and I'm just adding their names as they do.
Ornellas gave everybody fits--Kahuku, Kamehameha, and us.
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Re: Favorite Hawaii High School Receiver of All-Time

Post by Markeke »

rrforlifebaby wrote: Mon Apr 16, 2018 2:30 pm I hate to say it 'cause he prepped at St Louis, but George Ornellas hands down favorite and GOAT.

Next in line for favorites would be Itula Mili and Spencer Hafoka (Big Red).

RRFL!
Itula Mili was a man among boys. Athletic and skilled. Imagine if he did not play side by side with Mark Atuaia, maybe one of the greatest Prep RB. He excelled at BYU and was good enough as a tight end to get drafted by the Seahawks. He was projected in the NFL as a high pick. Pity his last college game against Wyoming, he got his knee blown out. Still manage a 6th round pick. Think only he and Ashley Lelie was the only Hawaii HS receivers to go NFL. Maybe I'm wrong.

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Re: Favorite Hawaii High School Receiver of All-Time

Post by HS Football Fanatic »

Markeke wrote: Wed Apr 18, 2018 7:51 am
rrforlifebaby wrote: Mon Apr 16, 2018 2:30 pm I hate to say it 'cause he prepped at St Louis, but George Ornellas hands down favorite and GOAT.

Next in line for favorites would be Itula Mili and Spencer Hafoka (Big Red).

RRFL!
Itula Mili was a man among boys. Athletic and skilled. Imagine if he did not play side by side with Mark Atuaia, maybe one of the greatest Prep RB. He excelled at BYU and was good enough as a tight end to get drafted by the Seahawks. He was projected in the NFL as a high pick. Pity his last college game against Wyoming, he got his knee blown out. Still manage a 6th round pick. Think only he and Ashley Lelie was the only Hawaii HS receivers to go NFL. Maybe I'm wrong.
@Markeke: Yes, I remember Mili and Lelie. Mili played for Kahuku, and Lelie played for Radford.

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Re: Favorite Hawaii High School Receiver of All-Time

Post by EITSwarrior »

I don’t know if you remember Desmond Hanohano for Saint Louis. He was a beast in 2003. He’s like 6-3 to 6-5ish and pretty fast. All the QB had to do was throw it up to him and he would high point the ball.
Last edited by EITSwarrior on Thu Apr 19, 2018 7:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Favorite Hawaii High School Receiver of All-Time

Post by EITSwarrior »

Markeke wrote: Wed Apr 18, 2018 7:51 am
rrforlifebaby wrote: Mon Apr 16, 2018 2:30 pm I hate to say it 'cause he prepped at St Louis, but George Ornellas hands down favorite and GOAT.

Next in line for favorites would be Itula Mili and Spencer Hafoka (Big Red).

RRFL!
Itula Mili was a man among boys. Athletic and skilled. Imagine if he did not play side by side with Mark Atuaia, maybe one of the greatest Prep RB. He excelled at BYU and was good enough as a tight end to get drafted by the Seahawks. He was projected in the NFL as a high pick. Pity his last college game against Wyoming, he got his knee blown out. Still manage a 6th round pick. Think only he and Ashley Lelie was the only Hawaii HS receivers to go NFL. Maybe I'm wrong.
Those are the only two that I can recall that had any sustained time in the NFL. Aside those two, there was Chad Owens and Kealoha Pilares. And Jason Rivers at least spent a training camp with the Titans if I remember correctly.

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Re: Favorite Hawaii High School Receiver of All-Time

Post by Markeke »

EITSwarrior wrote: Thu Apr 19, 2018 7:09 pm
Markeke wrote: Wed Apr 18, 2018 7:51 am
rrforlifebaby wrote: Mon Apr 16, 2018 2:30 pm I hate to say it 'cause he prepped at St Louis, but George Ornellas hands down favorite and GOAT.

Next in line for favorites would be Itula Mili and Spencer Hafoka (Big Red).

RRFL!
Itula Mili was a man among boys. Athletic and skilled. Imagine if he did not play side by side with Mark Atuaia, maybe one of the greatest Prep RB. He excelled at BYU and was good enough as a tight end to get drafted by the Seahawks. He was projected in the NFL as a high pick. Pity his last college game against Wyoming, he got his knee blown out. Still manage a 6th round pick. Think only he and Ashley Lelie was the only Hawaii HS receivers to go NFL. Maybe I'm wrong.
Those are the only two that I can recall that had any sustained time in the NFL. Aside those two, there was Chad Owens and Kealoha Pilares. And Jason Rivers at least spent a training camp with the Titans if I remember correctly.
Yes. Too bad local hs don't develope TE''s more often. That is where more big local kids can get a shot at college level. Nothing like a TE that can catch the 5-8 yard passes and seal the OLB on a run play or just smash block the interior DE.

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Re: Favorite Hawaii High School Receiver of All-Time

Post by HS Football Fanatic »

Markeke wrote: Tue Apr 24, 2018 7:51 am
EITSwarrior wrote: Thu Apr 19, 2018 7:09 pm
Markeke wrote: Wed Apr 18, 2018 7:51 am
Itula Mili was a man among boys. Athletic and skilled. Imagine if he did not play side by side with Mark Atuaia, maybe one of the greatest Prep RB. He excelled at BYU and was good enough as a tight end to get drafted by the Seahawks. He was projected in the NFL as a high pick. Pity his last college game against Wyoming, he got his knee blown out. Still manage a 6th round pick. Think only he and Ashley Lelie was the only Hawaii HS receivers to go NFL. Maybe I'm wrong.
Those are the only two that I can recall that had any sustained time in the NFL. Aside those two, there was Chad Owens and Kealoha Pilares. And Jason Rivers at least spent a training camp with the Titans if I remember correctly.
Yes. Too bad local hs don't develope TE''s more often. That is where more big local kids can get a shot at college level. Nothing like a TE that can catch the 5-8 yard passes and seal the OLB on a run play or just smash block the interior DE.
@Markeke: Have you by any chance noticed that schools don't have/use TEs much anymore? I think they should bring them back, start using them more. Run-oriented schools used to use them quite a bit in the late-'70s, often to block. But they sure came in handy in third-and-short situations, when the opposing school keyed on the big FB. Throw to the TE. That's what I remember from run-oriented schools in the late-'70s: TEs and big FBs. Schools like Kamehameha and Waianae come to mind. Kamehameha had TEs that looked like DEs or tall LBs, while Waianae had some huge RBs. (Waianae's Tilson Kekua, Class of '81, comes to mind). Of course, even nowadays, Kahuku has had some big RBs, too.

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Re: Favorite Hawaii High School Receiver of All-Time

Post by Markeke »

HS Football Fanatic wrote: Tue Apr 24, 2018 9:39 am
Markeke wrote: Tue Apr 24, 2018 7:51 am
EITSwarrior wrote: Thu Apr 19, 2018 7:09 pm

Those are the only two that I can recall that had any sustained time in the NFL. Aside those two, there was Chad Owens and Kealoha Pilares. And Jason Rivers at least spent a training camp with the Titans if I remember correctly.
Yes. Too bad local hs don't develope TE''s more often. That is where more big local kids can get a shot at college level. Nothing like a TE that can catch the 5-8 yard passes and seal the OLB on a run play or just smash block the interior DE.
@Markeke: Have you by any chance noticed that schools don't have/use TEs much anymore? I think they should bring them back, start using them more. Run-oriented schools used to use them quite a bit in the late-'70s, often to block. But they sure came in handy in third-and-short situations, when the opposing school keyed on the big FB. Throw to the TE. That's what I remember from run-oriented schools in the late-'70s: TEs and big FBs. Schools like Kamehameha and Waianae come to mind. Kamehameha had TEs that looked like DEs or tall LBs, while Waianae had some huge RBs. (Waianae's Tilson Kekua, Class of '81, comes to mind). Of course, even nowadays, Kahuku has had some big RBs, too.
Yeah I can go back further and recall the great Jim Nicholson at Stl. Blocking or short passes, he was the man. Randy Borden at Kaimuki high, Cliff Laboy, Farrington, no can forget Pisa Finai or the great Junior Ah You at Kahuku.

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Re: Favorite Hawaii High School Receiver of All-Time

Post by HS Football Fanatic »

Markeke wrote: Wed Apr 25, 2018 5:26 pm
HS Football Fanatic wrote: Tue Apr 24, 2018 9:39 am
Markeke wrote: Tue Apr 24, 2018 7:51 am
Yes. Too bad local hs don't develope TE''s more often. That is where more big local kids can get a shot at college level. Nothing like a TE that can catch the 5-8 yard passes and seal the OLB on a run play or just smash block the interior DE.
@Markeke: Have you by any chance noticed that schools don't have/use TEs much anymore? I think they should bring them back, start using them more. Run-oriented schools used to use them quite a bit in the late-'70s, often to block. But they sure came in handy in third-and-short situations, when the opposing school keyed on the big FB. Throw to the TE. That's what I remember from run-oriented schools in the late-'70s: TEs and big FBs. Schools like Kamehameha and Waianae come to mind. Kamehameha had TEs that looked like DEs or tall LBs, while Waianae had some huge RBs. (Waianae's Tilson Kekua, Class of '81, comes to mind). Of course, even nowadays, Kahuku has had some big RBs, too.
Yeah I can go back further and recall the great Jim Nicholson at Stl. Blocking or short passes, he was the man. Randy Borden at Kaimuki high, Cliff Laboy, Farrington, no can forget Pisa Finai or the great Junior Ah You at Kahuku.
@Markeke: Jim Nicholson! Man, you're going way back! He graduated in 1968!

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