Polynesian Bowl to kickoff Saturday [1]
Thursday, January 19, 2017 - 14:59. Updated on Friday, January 27, 2017 - 09:23.
The inaugural Polynesian Bowl will kick off this Saturday, January 21 at Aloha Stadium in Hawaii. The 2017 Polynesian Bowl will feature two teams made up of elite football players of Pacific Islander heritage from high schools around the United States.
The Polynesian Bowl will be featured live on ESPN. “The live ESPN3 telecast will allow us to showcase the world’s elite high school football players of Polynesian heritage and other ancestries” stated Jesse Sapolu, the Chairman of the Polynesian Hall of Fame.
The two teams in the one-off fixture are "Team Stanley" and "Team Mariota". Team Stanley is captained by Ronnie Stanley (of Tongan heritage) who plays for the Baltimore Ravens. Team Mariota is captained by Marcus Mariota (of Samoan heritage) who plays for the Tennesee Titans.
Both teams have announced their rosters made up of 84 football players mostly from Pacific Islander backgrounds; Tongan, Samoan, Fijian and Hawaiian. The teams are not exlcusive to Pacific Islanders with 25% percent of the players reportedly being non-Pacific Islanders.
The exhibition match was organised by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame established in 2013 by former football players Jesse Sapolu and Ma’a Tanuvasa. The organisation honors Polynesian players, coaches and contributors. It also provides educational support for Polynesian youth through scholarships and other educational programs.
Ronnie Stanley, whose mother is Tongan, stated in a promotion for the event "Being selected as a captain for the first annual Polynesian Bowl game is a great opportunity for me to support my Polynesian football players and my culture."
Marcus Mariota stated "I'm so excited to be a part of the Polynesian ball game this year. It's an opportunity for us to honour our heritage and give Polynesian athletes the exposure that they need."
Team Mariota coached by June Jones. Team Stanley coached by Dick Tomey
TEAM MARIOTA
ANDREW ALEKI 42 ILB Kaneohe HI
POPO AUMAVAE 50 DT Stockton CA
HENRY BAINIVALU 75 OT Sammamish WA
HUNTER BRYANT 1 TE Issaquah WA
NICO COLLINS 17 WR Birmingham AL
CHALLEN FAAMATAU 4 RB Honolulu HI
JUILANO FALINIKO 77 OLB Pago Pago AS
LORENZO FAUATEA 52 DE West Valley City UT
VILI FISIIAHI 95 OC Kalihi HI
DUSTIN GAPUSAN TBD QB Miliani HI
SIONE HEIMULI-LUND 25 RB Holladay UT
MATA HOLA 54 OLB Sandy UT
NOAH KEMA 89 DE
Lawrence KS SEYDDRICK LAKALAKA 40 OLB Honolulu HI
LEONARD LEE 44 S Kapolei HI
JORDAN LOLOHEA 79 DE Salt Lake City UT
ONESIMUS LUTU-CLARK 65 OT Waianae HI
BRANDON MCKINNEY 21 S Orange CA
EVAN MINAMI 16 P Pearl City HI
MIKE MINIHAN 67 OG Honolulu HI
SIOELI NAUPOTO 28 ILB Kahuku HI
BRETT NEILON 62 OC Coto de Caza CA
CONNOR NEVILLE 2 QB Beaverton CO
STOKES NIHIPALI-BOTELHO 20 CB, K Kahuku HI
SAMPSON NIU 55 ILB San Diego CA
NAKOA PAUOLE 94 DT Kapolei HI
ISAIAH POLA-MAO 9 S Phoenix AZ
POUTASI POUTASI 70 OG Las Vegas NV
RYAN RAMONES 19 WR Aiea HI
JALEN SAOLE 22 S Waianae HI
JAYMIN SARONO 15 WR Kapolei HI
LIKI SEU 78 OG Bellflower CA
TUA TAGOVAILOA 13 QB Ewa Beach HI
MYRON TAGOVAILOA-AMOSA 97 DT Kapolei HI
KURT TAYLOR 5 RB Covington GA
KEITH TAYLOR 8 CB Long Beach CA
JACK-ELI TUFONO 80 TE
Aiea HI LANGI TUIFUA 49 DE South Jordan UT
MO UNUTOA 68 OT Kapa'a HI
ALIKI VIMAHI 91 DT Kahuku HI
MARK WEBB 18 WR Philadelphia PA
RONSON YOUNG 27 WR Kapolei HI
ALAKA`I YUENN TBD QB Aiea HI
Team Stanley
FELETI AFEMUI 17 OLB Kihei HI
CHAZ AH YOU 3 S Eagle Mountain UT
KESI AH-HOY 26 P Laie HI
MAURICE BELL 24 WR Murrieta CA
TERRELL BYNUM 1 WR Long Beach CA
JEFF CHAN 27 K Honolulu HI
LEVANI DAMUNI 55 OLB Providence UT
RYAN DOMINICK 10 ILB Honolulu HI
CHRISTIAN ELLISS 44 OLB Parker CO
NOAH ELLISS 92 DT Parker CO
AJ EPENESA 99 DE Glen Carbon IL
JOSH FALO 7 TE Rocklin CA
JOJO FALO 68 OC San Diego CA
ALEX FANIEL 9 QB Glen Allen VA
AUSTIN FAOLIU 98 DT Costa Mesa CA
CHUCK FILIAGA 66 OT Aledo TX
MANGO FINAU 60 OT Kihei HI
CHRIS GLASER 69 OT Solon OH
CYRUS HABIBI-LIKIO 3 RB San Jose CA
ARMANDO HERRERA 4 QB Moreno Valley HI
ISAIAH JACKSON 13 CB Honolulu HI
RYAN KELLEY 14 QB Gilbert AZ
KISHAUN KI 93 DT Ewa Beach HI
OMAR MAREKO 40 ILB Waianae HI
DYLAN MCCAFFREY 12 QB Castle Rock CO
CHARLES MOKU WATSON 25 S Wahiawa HI
PHIL PAEA 91 DT Berrien Springs MI
KAWAI PHIFER 11 WR Mililani HI
BRANDON PILI 91 DT Anchorage AK
ISAAC REX 9 TE San Clemente CA
JOSHUA ROSS 5 ILB Southfield MI
JACOB RUSSELL 61 OG Honolulu HI
MIKE SAFFELL 54 OC Fountain Valley CA
CODIE SAUVAO 23 S Kahuku HI
NEPHI SEWELL 22 CB St. George UT
RHEDI SHORT 21 S Pasadena CA
MIKI SUGUTURAGA 8 DE Kaneohe HI
ETHAN TAKEYAMA 19 WR Honolulu HI
TAZ TAUAESE 20 RB El Segundo CA
ALDEN TOFA 51 DE West Jordan UT
NAMI TUITU'U 67 OG Gilbert AZ
ZELAN TUPUOLA 75 OG San Juan Capistrano HI
ANDREW VALLADARES 84 WR Mililani HI
CONNOR WEDINGTON 5 RB Lake Tapps WA
Team Stanley
Honorary Head: Coach Olin Kreutz
Head Coach: Dick Tomey
Assistant Head: Coach Ron McBride
Coaching Staff: Vavae Tata, Cameron Higgins, Brian Derby, Jeremiah Cocheran, Richard Torres, Paulo Kamake'eaina, Keala Santiago, Les Kekahuna, Lesa Maiava, Richard Torres
Team Mariota
Honnorary Head Coach: Jack Thompson
Head Coach: June Jones
Assistant Head: Coach Kale Ane
Coaching Staff: Ron Lee, Abu Ma’afala, Vince Passas, Al Kaaihue, Ricky Lumpford, Nate Ilaoa, Isaac Sopoaga, Lance Samuseva, Leonard Peters, Darren Hernandez, Dennis McKnight