Sene, a 6-foot-2 1/2, 350-pound junior guard, will face his father's alma mater and play against his former teammates when the West champion Trojans play McKinley in tonight's O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red tournament quarterfinal at Mililani's stadium. The winner advances to the semifinals and secures a Division I state berth.

Nick Ma'afala died on April 7, 2001 at the age of 33 after battling leukemia. To remember his father, Sene has a tattoo of a Polynesian design with his father's name on his right shoulder. Sene admitted the eight-hour process, which he had done as a freshman, was a little painful.

"I just thought of all the pain my dad went through when he was in the hospital," Sene said. "I think that it couldn't compare to what he went through."

Nick's childhood friend, David Hallums, an assistant coach at McKinley, said the father and son were close. He said they were always together whenever Nick was out with friends. So Hallums was a little disappointed when Sene transferred to Mililani after playing JV his freshman year at McKinley.

"I wish he was still playing for us," Hallums said. "But I still love him like a son."

It was a logical move for Sene because he lived in Mililani. He was riding the bus at 5 a.m. to get to McKinley. He said he got tired of waking up early and hearing the comparisons to his father.

"I just wanted to make my own name somewhere else, " he said. "My dad made it at McKinley, and everybody always pushed me. (They would say), 'Be like your dad, do this like your dad.' It was kind of hard for me. Out here, nobody knows anything (about me). They just know of my family name. Everybody knows me as Sene, not Nick's son."

Sene said he almost quit football when his father died. It was the sport that connected father and son.

"I really didn't want to play football because when I was growing up, my father was always there, helping me with football," Sene recalled. "Every time I thought of football I would think of my dad and it would make me sad."

But family and friends pulled him through the rough period. A number of his uncles also were football players; one of them is Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala, a running back with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Tonight's game not only pits Sene against his former teammates, but against family. His cousin is McKinley tackle Raphael Ieru. He and Ieru were the left side of the offensive line for the Tigers' JV two years ago. He said he sees Ieru every Sunday when the family gets together.

"We all just kick back together, all the cousins and aunties," Sene said.

He and Ieru spoke on the phone earlier in the week.

"He said all the (McKinley) boys said, 'What's up?' " Sene said.

Sene said he has some mixed emotions about facing old friends on the field, but he has put it into perspective.

"It will be hard, going against my friends and everything," Sene said. "But I've left that behind when I came over here to play. Whatever happens on the field, happens on the field. We're always family and friends after the game."

But his heart will always be with his father tonight.

"When I play, I always think of my dad and try to be the best I can be," Sene said. "Every game, every practice, I try as hard as I can."

ILH

• Crucial game: Kamehameha can move a step closer to the Interscholastic League of Honolulu football title with a win against Punahou tonight at Aloha Stadium. Kickoff is about 7:30.

The Warriors (5-0), ranked first in the Advertiser Top 10, have two games left in the regular season. But standing between Kamehameha and its first ILH title since 1979 is the Buffanblu (2-3) and No. 3 Saint Louis (4-1) next week. A Kamehameha win and an Iolani win against the Crusaders in today's 4:45 p.m. game would clinch the title for the Warriors.

• Time change: The ILH announced yesterday that tomorrow's football game between Pac-Five and Damien at Kamehameha has been changed to 2 p.m., an hour earlier than originally scheduled.