California lineman commits to Warriors

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

The University of Hawai'i football team's already strong recruiting drive was strengthened with yesterday's commitment from the appropriately named Hercules Satele.

Satele, a 6-foot-3, 260-pound center from Long Beach (Calif.) Poly, told the UH coaches he will accept a football scholarship and play for the Warriors in the fall.

His grandfather, Tiaseu Satele, confirmed the commitment. "I asked him (yesterday), 'What's the scoop?' " he said. "He told me he's going to sign with Hawai'i. I'm happy for that."

Satele was named to the 2002 California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section Division I all-star team. He also was included on the Los Angeles District's "Dream Team."

"I keep telling recruiters, he's the kind of guy who will take his lunch pail and hard hat and go to work," Poly coach Raul Lara said. "Hawai'i is getting a great kid and a great football player."

Satele played offensive tackle during his sophomore and junior seasons.

Lara said that before each season, "we look at our group of seniors, and we move our smartest and best lineman to center. That's what we did with him."

Lara said even at center, Satele was effective in blocking blitzers from the perimeter. Lara said Satele also was used as a pulling center on running plays to the outside.

"He did some remarkable stuff for us," Lara said.

Fresno State pursued Satele, who instead decided to attend school on the island where he was born. Satele's cousins are UH offensive lineman Samson Satele, UH defensive lineman Melila Purcell Jr., and former Warrior linebacker Alvis Satele.

His father, Semo Satele, said their family will travel to O'ahu for a week-long vacation in March.

Semo Satele said his son always has been dedicated to football. He recalled that his son, after being told he had exceeded the weight limit to play Pop Warner football, "went to the beach to run and lose weight. He did that for a week, and finally made the weight. He loves football."

Semo Satele said he decided on his son's name after watching a movie on Hercules. "I figured, that's a good name for my boy," he said. "It worked out OK."

Notes: Wednesday is the first day football prospects may sign national letters of intent. ... Rambo Fui, an offensive lineman from American Samoa, will join the Warriors as a walk-on.

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