Shrine Game invites Sopoaga, Millhouse
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
University of Hawai'i defensive tackle Isaac Sopoaga and cornerback Kelvin Millhouse have been invited to play in next year's East West Shrine Game.
The college all-star football game is scheduled for Jan. 10, 2004, at Pac Bell Park in San Francisco.
The 6-foot-3, 335-pound Sopoaga was raised in American Samoa and transferred to UH after playing two seasons at the College of the Canyons in California.
Millhouse, who is 6 feet 1 and 205 pounds, has nine interceptions in the past two years. He also is on the waiting list for the Senior Bowl.
Health report: Offensive tackle Tala Esera attended practice yesterday, using his jersey as a bandanna, but does not know when he will be medically cleared to compete.
Esera did not pass his physical examination because of a heart murmur.
"I've had the problem since high school," said Esera, who moved from the defensive line this summer.
Hunting report: Defensive end Nkeruwem "Tony" Akpan confirmed that he helped kill a lion as a youth in Nigeria.
The story — originally believed to be an urban myth — had floated since Akpan, who played on the UH basketball team last spring, tried out for the football team in April.
Akpan said his family spent the summers in the rural areas of Nigeria. When he was 13, as part of a rite of manhood, he killed a goat using only a knife with a six-inch blade.
At 14, Akpan recalled, he joined eight others in killing a lion. He said one of the boys speared the lion, then the others helped finish the job. He said their families ate the meat.
"It's good meat, but it's tough," he said, noting the animal can be roasted or boiled. "Anyway you like it."
Role playing: Se'e Poumele, who was expected to be used only as a run-option quarterback in training camp, has worked out extensively at slotback.
Poumele played quarterback in high school in San Diego. As a freshman at Palomar College, he was a slotback, then played both quarterback and slotback as a sophomore at Southwestern College.
"I'll go wherever the team needs me," Poumele said. "I love playing both positions. I love playing football."
