Atuaia denied place in history

Kahuku's Manaia Atuaia will have to settle with two OIA first-team selections. Jamm Aquino/Star-Advertiser
Kahuku’s Manaia Atuaia will have to settle with two OIA first-team selections. Jamm Aquino/Star-Advertiser

Judging by the OIA football all stars released today, coaches consider Manaia Atuaia the weakest link on Kahuku’s historically good defense.

The selections, which are voted on by the league’s coaches, rewarded the Red Raiders by putting 10 players on the 12-man first team defense. They are all there, from Bradlee Anae to defensive player of the year Keala Santiago.

The OIA selections are always controversial, but it was the one Red Raider relegated to second team that might be the most controversial.


Here are the 2015 teams: http://www.hawaiiprepworld.com/football/ah-hoy-malepeai-top-oia-all-stars/

Atuaia had been selected as a first-teamer in his sophomore and junior years but was judged a second teamer as a senior. That cost him a spot on the OIA’s select list of three-time first teamers.

Mililani running back Vavae Malepeai did join the elite class. Here is what it looks like:

Three-time OIA first teamers
Samson Anguay, Campbell, 2007-09
BJ Beatty, Kahuku, 2003-05
Roger Boyd, Farrington, 2011-13
Burton Coloma, Waialua, 1973-75
Justin Faimealelei, Kaimuki, 1998-2000
VJ Fehoko, Farrington, 2007-09
Pisa Finai, Kahuku, 1971-73
Ikaika Ho, Castle, 2001-03
Orrin Kahalewai, Kaiser, 1977-79
Alex Kaloi, Leilehua, 1970-72
Micah Kia, Mililani, 2003-05
Isaac Laupola, Campbell, 2002-04
Jerry Leaano, Campbell, 2001-03
Vavae Malepeai, Mililani, 2013-15
Adrian Murrell, Leilehua, 1986-88
Tavita Sagapolo, Radford, 1980-82
Louis Santiago, Kahuku, 1957-59
Joseph Siliga, Farrington, 2007-09
Kenneth Souza, Waialua, 1953-55
Taz Stephenson, MIlilani, 2007-09
Mathias Tuitele-Iafeta, McKinley, 2011-13
Kennedy Tulimasealii, Waianae, 2010-12
Russell Wantowski, Radford, 2003-05
Aofaga Wily, Kahuku, 2010-12

Atuaia still has a chance to join an even more elite list with the Star-Advertiser’s All-State team coming out after the season. If he can make the first team again this year, he would join Gerald Welch of Saint Louis as the only football players to be first-team all-state three times while making all league only twice.

A panel of coaches and media vote on the all state team.


Atuaia can begin making his case for that list beginning tomorrow night when the Red Raiders play Waianae in the state semifinals.

Below is a complete list of OIA first teamers since the teams were selected in 1947. The first team was chosen by the Star-Bulletin that season after the ILH team was established decades earlier.

The Rural OIA back in those days was treated as something less than a little brother to the ILH, drawing crowds of around 2,000 without charging attendance to the ILH’s usual 20,000 with a gate. The newspaper wrote in presenting its first OIA All-Star team that it hoped such attention would spur the DOE to put lights and fences around the rural fields and those days came a few years later.

When prep football hit its peak in the 1960s, both newspapers put out separate league teams, this list does not reflect those. It is only one team per year, sometimes the Honolulu Advertiser’s selections and sometimes the Star-Bulletin’s.


The determination on which to choose was made by which paper had the most current coaches voting, to bring it more in line with the way it is presently done.

Feel free to search for your heroes in any manner you please. Report spelling errors to hawaiiprepworld@staradvertiser.com

COMMENTS (16)

  1. Vae November 12, 2015 5:32 pm

    Here we go again with the advertiser. Anything for a story. No morals or ethics. Let’s all remember that these are students.


  2. OHHREALLY November 12, 2015 6:52 pm

    In all honesty he did not elevate his game this year, then again how could you with so many athletes and stars on that defense. Hope it motivates him for the next game and and possibly championship..


  3. Insideoutsidein November 12, 2015 7:40 pm

    Shame on you for publishing this. Like Vae said, no morals it ethics..


  4. 88 November 12, 2015 7:59 pm

    what are you talking about ” he did not elevate his game”? This kid has been a beast all year long.


  5. Jerry Campany November 12, 2015 9:46 pm

    This was not written to shame Atuaia in any way, quite the opposite. It was simply pointing out a snub on the OIA coaches selections for first team All Star. I think it is written that way.

    To me, if we don’t point out the fact that he is one of the elite football players in the last 50 years to be named OIA first team twice and going for a third, nobody will.

    Mostly, please remember that the Star-Advertiser does not select league all stars. The leagues do, we just report them.


  6. hi808 November 12, 2015 11:09 pm

    Why you gotta make me scroll this far down on my phone to reach the comments?


  7. Bigmauka November 13, 2015 3:27 am

    Theres no entitlement here if you earned it, you earned it theres been kids,in the past in my opinion got pick because oy family name or all hype remember the coach submitted names too. Who cares it’s where you end up in college that matters.


  8. Insideoutsidein November 13, 2015 6:08 am

    If you’re going to point out that he is one of the elite, headlines should have been different and using the words “Weakest Link” should not been used. Also, we know who selects the all stars and it’s not about that.


  9. Jerry Campany November 13, 2015 9:00 am

    I changed it to show only 10 rows, scrolling should be easier


  10. Good Story November 13, 2015 10:54 am

    Although I see how others could see it differently, I have to agree with Mr. Campany. To me, it pointed out the “injustice” of leaving Manaia out. Nonetheless, congratulations to Alema and his Ohana. Manaia has nothing to be ashamed of, we all know how good he is…more importantly, opposing players and coaches know how good he is.


  11. Good Story November 13, 2015 10:58 am

    …the coaches may not acknowledge it with their votes, but I know Manaia is on their mind when game planning for Kahuku. Go get ’em son.


  12. 702_GOV November 13, 2015 2:15 pm

    I’m not sure if this is a complete or partial list of players making first team OIA Allstars three consecutive times but I know for sure that Joseph Siliga, c/o ’10, FHS accomplished this as well. I just want to give credit where it’s deserved.


  13. Manley November 13, 2015 3:07 pm

    Just remember that this player went thru 3 head coaches in 3 years. The difference now is that Tata employs a ” fast crew”. The d ends and d line are fast. Most sacks and pressure comes from the edges as before Kahuku sacks came from the lbs. Now the backers are sitting back, cleaning up the run.


  14. Jerry Campany November 13, 2015 3:28 pm

    Thanks, Gov, I am adding him now. He was already in the database, so that makes it easy.


  15. bumbuchas November 14, 2015 11:35 am

    jerry, on your data base, brame DB is from Waianae, listed as Kahuku


  16. Jerry Campany November 14, 2015 1:24 pm

    THanks, Bambucha


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