Six Hawaii players to participate in Polynesian All-American Bowl


A select group of Hawaii prep football stars will spend this weekend partaking in the fourth annual Polynesian All-American Bowl hosted by the Aiga Foundation. The game will be played on Jan. 18 at Tustin High School in Tustin (Calif.), located in Orange County south of Los Angeles.

The Farrington Governors are well represented with cornerback Jacob McEnroe, offensive guard Mason Semisi and outside linebacker Manly Williams. Kamehameha-Kapalama and Kapolei are represented by linebackers Calen Scot Holt and Micah Paris respectively. Punahou offensive lineman Davis Miyashiro-Saiapaia rounds out the Hawaii participants.

All but Williams earned honors in the inaugural ScoringLive Division I All-Hawaii team.

The Polynesian All-American Bowl features 70 athletes from across the nation and the South Pacific. The event is designed to give athletes an experience which includes cultural dance, fellowship, community outreach, life skills education and football training.

This years' head coaches for the bowl are Jack "The Throwin' Samoan" Thompson and Ma'a Tanuvasa, two former NFL athletes that have paved the way for Polynesian athletes today. Thompson attended Washington State before getting selected by the Cincinnati Bengals with the third overall pick in 1979. Tanuvasa is a Mililiani High School graduate who went on to play for the University of Hawaii. He enjoyed a nine-year career in the NFL, winning two super bowls with the Denver Broncos.

The game can be watched online at www.projectfiftysix.com or on the Project LVI facebook page. Kickoff is slated for 2:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (two hours ahead of Hawaiian Standard Time).



Reach Michael Lasquero at [email protected].