LIHUE — Some of the best high school football seniors in the state will be coming to Kauai to showcase their talents on the gridiron. The Life Champion Senior Bowl will take place Dec. 10 at Vidinha Stadium. Kickoff is
LIHUE — Some of the best high school football seniors in the state will be coming to Kauai to showcase their talents on the gridiron.
The Life Champion Senior Bowl will take place Dec. 10 at Vidinha Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m.
“The initial focus, as far as the senior bowl, is to help our kids at least have that one opportunity to earn a scholarship,” said Robert “Keala” Pule Sr., Hawaii Football Club executive director. “For us, it was, ‘If we can help one kid, that would be great.’ But if we can set up a standard and have all these kids strive for it, then they can all be beneficiaries of that as well.”
Pule said the goal of Hawaii Football Club, which is based in Hilo, hosting the bowl game is help Hawaii’s student-athletes advance to the next stage after high school.
“Hawaii Football Club started as a youth football club,” he said. “The idea was to focus our efforts on addressing the needs of our kids, and setting academic and behavioral standards for them. That way, they can have the proper foundation as they enter high school.
“After that, we decided in 2014, that we wanted to put on a senior bowl. We made a proposal to the Big Island. They didn’t want to do a senior bowl, so we decided we would offer one anyways,” he continued. “From that, circumstance has allowed us to offer the opportunity to Kauai, Maui, Molokai and Lanai. That same year as we’re getting ready, the HUB Bowl (Hawaii Union Builders Goodwill Senior Bowl) dropped. So, Oahu didn’t have anything. We felt we could help them and give them an opportunity.”
132 high school seniors — including 18 players from Kapaa, Kauai and Waimea high schools — will take part in the game.
In an email sent by Pule, players qualified and were invited to play in the bowl game by meeting a list of criteria:
– minimum 2.5 cumulative grade-point average
– must have taken or is scheduled to take the SAT or ACT
– head coach’s referral
w administrator referral (principal, vice principal, athletic director and/or counselor)
– must perform a minimum of eight hours of community service
– character and work ethic
– athletic ability
Pule said 18 schools from Division II, Division III, NAIA and JUCO are confirmed to attend the bowl game, but didn’t disclose which schools. He said that information will be released by HFC sometime in the next week or so.
“The NCAA does not allow Division I (schools) to attend these type of events. So, that’s why we stream it through ScoringLive,” Pule said. “The schools that don’t have the budget or the Division I schools that cannot attend, they can still have a chance of getting all that material.”
Tickets will be available at the gate at Vidinha Stadium. Cost is $10 for adults (13 years old and older) and $5 for seniors and children 12 years old and under.
“From my perspective, they’re going to see a bowl game where we have 130-plus kids who are competing to be recognized,” Pule said. “They’ve already done the work in the classroom. We’ve documented their community service. We put together a pretty darn good profile for all these kids. At this point, when they get to the game, they’re just battling for that spot — that offer, that opportunity to continue into school.”
2016 Life Champion Senior Bowl roster
Ah Mook Sang, Christopher – Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama
Ailua, Feletoa – Waianae
Alejado, Noah – Saint Louis
Alualu, Freedom – Farrington
Andaya, Ikaika – Kalani
Apiki, Shaun – Damien Memorial
Asing, Gage – Aiea
Asing, Kalai – Aiea
Asing, Rush William – Damien Memorial
Asotasi, Daniel – Kapaa
Atuatasi, Micah – Waianae
Baldomero, Helam – Iolani
Banks, Nainoa – Nanakuli
Berg, Adam – Kapolei
Borges, Shawn – Damien Memorial
Cabunoc, Jaykob – Kamehameha Schools-Kaplama
Chang, Cameron – Iolani
Ching, Reyson “Kamakana” – Konawaena
Corr, Waika – Waimea
Dacalio, Wayne – Kamehameha Schools-Hawaii
Davis, Kainoa – Maui
Defang, Donavon – Lahainaluna
Duarte, Kupono – Kamehameha Schools-Maui
Ephan, Caleb – Waimea
Faamatau, Challen – Farrington
Fakava, Matangi – Maui
Fatafehi-Segovia, Mario “Pono” – Kapolei
Felemi, Mosese – Lahainaluna
Fernandez, Ikona – Kapaa
Fisiiahi, Vili – Kahuku
Fune, Justin – Waimea
Gaulua,Tainano – Farrington
Gomez, Nolan – McKinley
Hatori, Randy – Kealakehe
Haywood, Josiah – Kapolei
Hoopai, Chyson – Nanakuli
Hooper, Joseph – Kamehameha Schools-Hawaii
Ignatowski, Jaylen – James Campbell
Johnson, Ryan – Mid-Pacific/Pac-5
Kaea, Viliami – Konawaena
Kalei, Micah – Saint Francis
Kaloa, Travis – University Laboratory
Kam, Hunter – Iolani
Kamai, Kapono – Waialua
Kamaka, Kamaehu – Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama
Kaneshiro, Ryan – Hanalani/Pac-5
Kaopuiki, Kekoa – Kapolei
Kapihe Jr., Akoni – Kapolei
Kauaula, Lino – Anuenue School
Kaufusi, Andrew – Henry J. Kaiser
Kaufusi, Keoni – James Campbell
Keener, Gabe – Kapaa
Kelii, Chandler – Hilo
Keliiholokai, Donte – Kapolei
Keopuhiwa, Rudyjay – Waianae
Kim Choy-Keb-Ah Lo, Kame – Aiea
Kuipers, Lukas – Hilo
Kupihea, Henry “Mana” – Kapaa
Lewis, Kaainaolu – Hilo
Lindsey, Tema – Kahuku
Lombard, Steven – Kahuku
Lowe, Noah – McKinley
Luis-Mateo Jonah – Saint Francis
Maga, Jonah – Waianae
Mao, Adan – Leone High (Samoa)
Mailei, Fangaima – James Campbell
Mailei, Supilani – Saint Francis
Malafu, Alani – Maui
Mamea, Faafetai – Kauai
Mamone Jr., Sergio “Wela” – Connections PCS (Hilo)
Manoa, Makana – Kamehameha-Hawaii
Mareko, Omar – Kapolei
Mata, Dalton – Baldwin
Matagi, Logan – Kahuku
Matayoshi, Mikela – Kapaa
McFall, John – Waianae
McGoldrick, Jeremy – Castle
Meatoga, Kaleomana – Kauai
Moniz, Leighton – Kapaa
Morgan, Chyson – Nanakuli
Moses-Sanchez, Kingston – Farrington
Muagututia, Ethan – James Campbell
Napoleon, Kurt – Kapaa
Nguyen, Daniel – Kaimuki
Nihipali-Botelho, Stokes – Kahuku
Oasay, Leelan – St. Louis
Oliver, Clifton – Kapaa
Otineru, Misi – Leone High (Samoa)
Otuvaka, Tevita – Saint Francis
Padilla, Brody – Pearl City
Pahulu, Unaloto – Lahainaluna
Pakele, Destin – St. Francis
Pascua, Isaac – Nanakuli
Pascua, Nawailohi – Pearl City
Passi, Franklin – Kauai
Pearson, Vegas – Leone High (Samoa)
Peko, Donald – Leone High (Samoa)
Perez, Wyatt – Kapolei
Pong, Jasen – Pearl City
Pule-Elkington, Ra – Kahuku
Quinabo-Reis, Gage – Kalani
Raboy-McGowan, Dorian – Kamehameha Schools-Maui
Ramones, Ryan – Moanalua
Rosehill, Nainoa – Kamehameha Schools-Hawaii
Russell, Jacob – Saint Louis
Saole, Jalen – Saint Louis
Sarono, Jaymin – Kapolei
Segundo, Kyle “Kai” – Kamehameha Schools-Maui
Seumanutafa-Noa, Kristopher – Nanakuli
Shimizu, Leon – Father Duenas Memorial (Guam)
Shirota, Josh – Maui
Simon Kekainalu – Pearl City
Soakai, Jonah – Radford
Taniguchi, Cody – Waimea
Tanuvasa, Michael – Saint Louis
Taumua, Isaiah – Farrington
Tautolo, Tanu “TJ” – Farrington
Texeira Kapena – Kapaa
Thulin-Marsh Triston – Kalaheo
Tuihalafatai, Soane – Damien Memorial
Uahinui,Justin – Farrington
Ulu, Jaren – Waianae
Valeria, Izaya – Kapaa
Valladares, Andrew – Mililani
Vasega, Tyler – Kapolei
Wa’a , Jericho – Nanakuli
Washington-Villanueva, Chandler – Saint Louis
Wengler, Noah – Kamehameha Schools-Hawaii
White, Solomon – Guam HS
Yadao-Purisima, Rhylen – Kauai
Young, Ronson – Saint Louis
