ScoringLive staff
January 16, 2017, 10:16pm
Polynesian Bowl teams announced
Kahuku's Kesi Ah-Hoy headlines Team Stanley while Saint Louis QB and Alabama commit Tua Tagovailoa leads the draft selections for Team Mariota. ScoringLive photo illustrationWAIKIKI – It was like a Who's Who of Hawaii football history when rosters were announced for the inaugural Polynesian Bowl Monday night at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani Hotel.
And we're not even talking about the 84 players making up the star-studded rosters for the football showcase set for 6 p.m. Saturday at Aloha Stadium.
The teams are named after Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota and Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley.
Former University of Hawaii coaches June Jones (Team Mariota) and Dick Tomey (Team Stanley) will serve as coaches. Joining them at the roster announcement were Stanley, retired NFL center Olin Kreutz (Saint Louis alumus), retired NFL quarterback Jack Thompson, and Polynesian Football Hall of Fame co-founder Jesse Sapolu, another retired NFL center (Farrington alumnus). Kreutz (Team Stanley) and Thompson (Team Mariota) will serve as honorary coaches.
Mariota was not at Monday's meeting; he spoke to the players, parents and media via Skype. Saint Louis graduate and All-Hawaii Offensive Player of the Year Tua Tagovailoa also was not present; he was still in Tuscaloosa, Ala., where he is attending the University of Alabama. He will arrive home Wednesday. He spoke via phone on loud speakers for the audience.
Tagovailoa, who will be on Team Mariota, won't be the only high-profile QB in the game. Dylan McCaffery (Highlands, Colo.), who has verbally committed to Michigan, will be the QB for Team Stanley. He is the brother of Stanford RB Christian McCaffery and their father is former NFL receiver Ed McCaffery.