February 6 was another great day for Kahuku High football players as eight of them signed national letters of intent to accept athletic scholarship offers from a range of universities.

Those who signed on the first day the NCAA rules allow written commitments include:

• Paipai Falemalu, the University of Hawaii, who had verbally committed earlier.
• Alema Tachibana, UH, who had also verbally committed.
• Shiloah Te'o, Brigham Young University.
• Anthony Si'ilata, Oregon State University. At the beginning of the program, Si'ilata indicated he was undecided between OSU and Utah, but then signed with the Pac-10 school. "It was a hard decision," he said.
• Patrick Au, Snow Junior College (Utah).
• Nalu Carvalho, San Jose City College.
• Kameron Krebs, Oregon State. Krebs grew up on the North Shore and previously played for Kahuku but moved to Mission Viejo, California, last year where he injured his knee. He recently returned to Kahuku.
• Justin Kaena Adolpho, San Jose City College.

Division I-bound Kahuku players sign…or ponder scholarship
offers: (l-r) Paipai Falemalu, UH; Alema Tachibana, UH;
Shiloah Te'o, BYU; Anthony Si'ilata, OSU; and
Benji Kemoeatu, undecided

Several others have received scholarship offers, but were still considering their options on February 6. They are:

• Benji Kemoeatu, who appeared to lean toward West Virginia but also has offers from the University of Utah and Oregon State, noted he hasn't discussed his choice yet with his family.
• Daniel Kinikini, who has an offer from Montana Western.
• Samiu Tonga, who has offers from Montana Western and Trinity College.
• Junior Mata'afa, with an offer from Montana Western.
• Jaren Manumaleuna, who has an offer from San Jose City College.

Kahuku head football coach Reggie Torres congratulated the young men and their families. He also explained that some of those still weighing their options might receive additional offers, or hope to get offers from Division I schools. "They will be signing shortly," he said.

"This is not the finish," Torres added. "We have other schools who have entered the picture, and we do have approximately eight more kids who are being looked at right now by smaller schools. Some of them are waiting for test scores, so their offers have not come in yet."

"It's a great year," he continued. "We had some help. For example, Darren Johnson helped land San Jose City College for some of our kids; and there's a great support system here to help get the kids to go."

Kahuku Athletic Director Joe Whitford reminded us that players are not required to sign the letters of intent on the first day, nor are they binding until parents have signed and they have been sent back to the schools…so it's possible there could be some last-minute changes.

"We did pretty good, considering we didn't win the OIA," Whitford said. He also said the recent visit of the new head football coach at UH, as well as the head coach from BYU, are also good signs for Kahuku.

"We had a very cordial meeting with Coach McMackin, who wants to recruit heavily, locally. We know he will work with us, and help our kids go to UH."

A large crowd of students and parents — as well as TV and media representatives — gathered in the Kahuku High gym to watch and signings and congratulate the players after.

Kahuku High Principal Lisa DeLong congratulated the new scholarship recipients. "We're so proud of the young men and we're grateful to their families and the communities that support them to get to this level. It's really a high level of achievement."

"We always tell the young men there are other mountains to climb," DeLong said. She also encouraged them to "work in study groups" to be more successful in college.

Later, Whitford said, "This is a great year and opportunity as far as the kids going to college. Hopefully, they can take advantage of the offers and study hard."

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