Hawai'i's Moe, Ho'ohuli now trashing opponents

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Once rivals, Tanuvasa Moe and Watson Ho'ohuli are making a nice linebacker tandem for the University of Hawai'i.

Watson Ho'ohuli, left, along with another Warrior defender break up a pass intended for Northwestern's Shaun Herbert. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

Moe, who missed the past four games with a hamstring pull and hyper-extended elbow, returned to action, recording eight tackles and pressuring quarterback Brett Basanez twice into throwing incomplete passes.

"He's got so much heart for this game," Ho'ohuli said. "He's not going to let an injury like this ruin his whole season. Tonight, he really did it. He came up with some big plays for the defense. I could see he was still hurt. But he's feisty. He's a real warrior."

"They're playing with guts," UH linebackers coach Cal Lee said of the injured players who played. "They're playing not only for themselves and their family, but for the state."

Moe said he got a stinger in the third quarter. He said he was told that his helmet probably went head-to-head with a Northwestern player's helmet and pressed against his neck.

"I wanted to go in the next series," Moe said. "But it felt good to be back (after missing the last four games)."

While Moe was making his return, Ho'ohuli was making his fifth consecutive and sixth overall start for the banged up Ikaika Curnan. Ho'ohuli had his second double-digit tackle game to tie Leonard Peters for the team lead with 11 tackles last night.

"He's done a marvelous job running the middle and stopping the run," Lee said. "He's a big factor and the reason we won today."

Ho'ohuli made a crucial stop of running back Noah Herron on a third-and-1 at the Northwestern 38 for no gain. The Wildcats were forced to punt. Chad Owens made them pay with a 76-yard return for a touchdown.

Ho'ohuli also broke up a pass play early in the fourth quarter on a third-and-6 situation at Northwestern's 32. Later, Ho'ohuli helped stop Herron on fourth-and-goal at the UH 1.

When injuries started striking UH's linebackers, Ho'ohuli responded.

"It's just about hanging in there," Ho'ohuli said. "Coach (June) Jones always talks about the opportunity everyone has. When Ikaika went down, that was my opportunity to show the team, especially the defense, what I could do. The defense has taught me to become a better player."

Moe went to Saint Louis School and Ho'ohuli played for Interscholastic League of Honolulu rival Kamehameha.

"I think he's awesome," Moe said of Ho'ohuli's recent performances, which include an 11-tackle game at Fresno State. "I've played against him since high school. Our schools were rivals. We're just doing the same things now that we did back then."

Ho'ohuli said they laugh now about how they taunted each other in high school.

"In high school, across the field, we were the ones talking trash to each other," recalled Ho'ohuli. "Every time you look at it, it makes you laugh."

But last night, it was Moe and Ho'ohuli who had the last laugh in fending off the Wildcats, who responded to nearly all of UH's scores.

"It's an awesome feeling to beat a Big Ten school," Moe said.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.