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