BYU is promoting the 2001 Kahuku High graduate from Lai'e as an All-America candidate.

The Sporting News, in its College Football Preview Edition due on newsstands late next week, rates Francisco as the 17th best safety in America.

He was second in tackles for BYU last season with 99 and was chosen the Cougars' Defensive Most Valuable Player. He led the team in unassisted tackles with 51 and had five pass deflections. "He has a keen sense for the ball and he is known here for his punishing hits," Reynolds said.

Following spring practice, 6-5, 315-pound junior Hanalei Vincent (Kamehameha '98 of Kailua) was the No. 2 center and also will play guard, Reynolds said.

Redshirt sophomore Bristol Olomua played basketball at Kahuku and lives in Lai'e but played high school football in Arizona. He will "battle to be in the rotation" at wide receiver, Reynolds said. "We expect big things from him in the future."

Defensive end Hala Paongo, a freshman from Haateioh, Tonga, via Kahuku High ('99) will be on the scout team, Reynolds said.

Offensive line recruit R.J. Willing (Kamehameha '03) "probably will redshirt this season before he goes on a church mission," Reynolds said. Willing is just 17.

Tailback Mulivai Pula, who signed with BYU out of Kahuku last year, has attended both BYU and Dixie State College of Utah but has yet to play. He is considering his options, according to his uncle, Kurt Fonoimoana.

Wide receiver Ferron Fonoimoana, who also signed out of Kahuku in 2002, is preparing for a two-year church mission and has not enrolled at BYU yet.

MORE SPRING FOOTBALL

• Colorado

Sophomore Lafaele "Vaka" Manupuna (St. Louis '01 of Kane'ohe) is back at No. 2 defensive tackle following spring practice.

Manupuna (6-1, 280) was moved to the offensive line before spring drills, but missed several practices when he had to return to Hawai'i when his mother took ill and died.

"He was looking good early on at his new position, but since he missed so many practices, they thought it would be better for him to just return to his old spot," Colorado spokesman Dave Plati said. .

• Western Oregon

Senior linebacker Ransen Rodriguez (Farrington '00) and receiver Kenny Gasilos (Farrington '00) "both had very good days at our final spring game," said assistant coach Tim Bowman (McKinley '77). "Ransen made a lot of plays defensively, including a quarterback takedown, while Kenny caught three balls and scored the winning touchdown on a 25-yard pass."

CLASSROOM STARS

Two Hawai'i-reared athletes in the West Coast Conference and three women's water polo players in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation were honored yesterday for being true student-athletes.

Pepperdine sophomore baseball pitcher Kea Kometani (Punahou '01 of Kahala) and Portland senior golfer Cecily Quinajon (Waiakea '99) were named to the West Coast Conference spring sports All-Academic team.

Kometani had a 3.21 GPA majoring in economics and Quinajon a 3.47 GPA majoring in nursing.

UCLA's honorable mention water polo All-American, senior Maureen Flanagan (Punahou '99 of Hawai'i Kai), UC-Santa Barbara senior Jessica Fay (Iolani '99 of Kailua) and University of Hawai'i sophomore Makana Whitford (Kahuku '01 of Lai'e) were cited by the MPSF.