Matagiese competes with nation’s best

Waimea High School senior Siasau Matagiese said playing in the inaugural Hawai‘i All-Star Football Classic on Friday night at Aloha Stadium was a great experience.

The linebacker, who was the lone representative from the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation on the Hawai‘i/Polynesia team, said that playing against some of the Mainland’s top prep football players gave him good insight into what it will be like to play at the collegiate level.

“It was a real good experience to play with and against guys of that caliber,” he said.

Matagiese said the main difference was that the Mainland running backs were a lot bigger and faster than he was used to and that his teammates from Polynesia were more physical and liked to hit. He said he was able to adjust relatively quickly to the difference.

Matagiese did not start the game because he said trainers could not examine his wrist and cast early Friday. Due to an injury earlier in the year, Matagiese plays with a soft cast on his right wrist.

Trainers were able to attend to him during halftime and Matagiese started the second half. At that point, the Hawai‘i/Polynesia team was already down 16-0, but Matagiese finished with two tackles — the first in the third quarter when he stopped the Mainland’s Michael Ford on their own 46 yard line and in the fourth, stopping Ford again this time on the Hawai‘i 34.

The Hawai‘i/Polynesia team held the Mainland All-Stars to only one second-half touchdown, but fell short in the end as they were defeated 22-8.

Matagiese was on O‘ahu all last week practicing with his team which included members of the reigning Division I state championship Punahou team Cayman Shutter, Robbie Toma and Manti Te‘o, Saint Louis’ Billy Ray Stutzmann, Leilehua’s Edieson Dumlao and ‘Iolani’s Kela Marciel.

He said he was glad to have been invited to play in the first-ever Hawai‘i/Polynesia game because he thinks it created more opportunities for him, not only because it was a postseason game, but also because college coaches got to see him play.

“All (last) week I was getting phone calls,” he said. “I got to talk to more coaches and they were asking for more film on me. This game was good because I think it opened a lot more doors for me.”

Prior to last week, Matagiese was being courted by Colorado, the alma mater of former Waimea standout and current Detroit Lion Jordon Dizon, and Western Athletic Conference school Idaho. Utah State, also of the WAC, and the Pac-10’s University of Washington have now started calling.

Twenty-five of the 33 the Mainland players who came to play were already committed to play college football. Only 17 of the 48 Hawai‘i/Polynesia players announced their commitments.

Matagiese is one of the many who are still undecided.

Matagiese said he is thankful for everyone who has helped him become the student and player he has become.

The 17-year-old said that if it wasn’t for the support from his family, Waimea coach Kylie Linoz and his staff and the whole Kaua‘i community, he would not be this successful.

“My mother always taught me to give thanks, give credit to all who supported me and that’s the one thing I live by,” he said.

The Hawai‘i All-Star Classic featured a Hawai‘i/Polynesia All-Star team of local and Polynesian players and a few Mainland players with local ties, and a Mainland team comprised of the top picks in the country.

The Hawai‘i/Polynesia team was coached by Wendall Say of ‘Aiea High School.

The Mainland team was coached by Bill Renner of West Springfield in northern Virginia.

After Friday’s game, Matagiese made sure he had mementos.

“I wanted to have everyone sign my helmet, but I gave my helmet to my mom and I just took a bunch of pictures,” he said.

Matagiese finished the KIF season with 13.5 tackles (11 solo, five assisted), two sacks and an interception returned for 23 yards.

He returns to Kaua‘i today.

• Lanaly Cabalo, sports editor, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 237) or lcabalo@kauaipubco.com.