The nation's highest-scoring offense keeps getting better.

Gabe Tuata, a senior running back from Kealakehe High School in Kailua, Kona, has accepted a football scholarship offer from the University of Hawai'i. He notified the UH coaches Monday night.

"I like Hawai'i," Tuata said. "I like (the Warriors') offense, just the way they spread it out."

Laau "Airplane" Tuata said his son "is committed to UH." Laau Tuata said he will attend UH's game against San Jose State next week, and "I'm going to go to every one next year."

Gabe Tuata said he received strong interest from Boise State, Arizona, Colorado and Brigham Young. But Tuata said he wanted to play in UH's four-wide offense and learn from quarterback Colt Brennan. He also praised point recruiter Rich Miano, who coaches the defensive backs.

Tuata said he was told he will compete at slotback.

"I'm fine with anything," he said.

Tuata was named to The Advertiser's All-State second team last year.

This year, he has rushed for more than 1,600 yards and scored 32 touchdowns in 11 games. Against Hawai'i Preparatory Academy, he gained 275 yards on 10 carries.

"We used him as a punt returner and kick returner," Kealakehe coach Cliff Walters said. "He has scored quite a few touchdowns on returns. I'd say he's averaging about one a game. He certainly gives us field position."

Tuata, who is 5 feet 7 and 175 pounds, can run 40 yards in 4.49 seconds.

"And that's on grass," Walters said. "He's very quick. He has excellent hands. He's probably the best receiver I've seen, and certainly the best in the BIIF. He has a 42-inch vertical (jump). To some, size is important. But when he goes downfield for a pass, he'll come up with it. He plays as if he's 6-2."

Walters said he designed a play with Tuata in mind.

"We call it 'Gabe,' " Walters said. "We have 'Gabe left' and 'Gabe right.' Everybody knows what to do. It's a play only for him."

Walters added: "When you have a player like that, you have to overlook his height and let him play. You give him free rein and say, 'Go, baby, go,' and stay out of the way. ... He delivers."

Walters recalled a game against Konawaena in which Tuata fumbled at the end of a punt return.

"He comes off the field, and his head is down, but he's not down," Walters said. "I knew that on the next play he would do something."

Walters said Konawaena's ensuing drive expired at the 5.

"I give him the ball, and he has a 95-yard touchdown," Walters said. "The very next carry after his fumble is a 95-yard touchdown. Just unbelievable. He's always been that type of character. If he makes an error, he'll make it up on the next succeeding play. He's the kind of guy colleges look for as next-level guys.'"

Tuata said he attracted interest from UH when he attended camps on the Big Island. At the camps, he met UH players Leonard Peters, Davone Bess and Ikaika Alama-Francis.

"They're great guys," Tuata said.

Kealakehe is 11-0 and ranked No. 8 in this week's Advertiser high school football poll.

STARTING ON LEFT SIDE

Ryan Keomaka and Tyson Kafentzis yesterday practiced with the first-team defense.

Keomaka was at left cornerback; Kafentzis was at left outside linebacker.

Keomaka is poised to become the fourth different Warrior to start at left cornerback this season. Last week's starter, A.J. Martinez, has a sore left knee.

Martinez said he initially suffered the injury Sept. 23 against Boise State.

"It was always one of those bothersome injuries I can just deal with," Martinez said.

But last week, he said, his left knee felt "as stiff as a board."

Against Utah State, the "receivers were cutting almost every play," Martinez said. "They kept hitting the same damn knee."

An MRI taken Monday did not show a torn ligament, Martinez said.

"Like coach says, 'Your injuries are between you and God,' " Martinez said. "I wasn't that hurt (before the Utah State game), but it's killing me right now."

Even if healthy, Martinez will not start Saturday because of missed tackles against Utah State. He refused to use his ailing knee as an excuse.

"I should be able to tackle with or without a bum knee," Martinez said. "To tell you the truth, I get lazy sometimes. I play like a fireman: I take three days on and four days off. The key for me is to work hard, like (safety Jake) Patek. He practices hard every day."

Keomaka has emerged because of his consistent tackling, surprising for a defender who is 5 feet 9 and 170 pounds.

"See this?" Keomaka said, pointing to a patch on the back of his neck. "Titanium stuff. It's because of my muscles."

Martinez began to laugh as Keomaka flexed his biceps.

It is Keomaka's jovial personality that has confounded coaches, and led to him being dismissed from the team twice in the past year.

"Sometimes they don't take me seriously," said Keomaka, who has an interception in each of the past two games. "I always have a smile. I'm a happy guy. But when I'm playing, I'm serious. I don't smile. I'm mentally focused. Right?"

He then begins to laugh.

"Guys like Ryan, and sometimes even me, it may seem like we're joking all of the time, but we're not," said Martinez, who answers to the nickname Smiley. "When it comes down to it, we get the job done and are very focused, especially Ryan.

"Ryan is a little more goofy than me sometimes," Martinez added. "That's the way it is. I can see how, if you don't know Ryan, that he comes across as a goof-around. He's not. He's definitely serious. We take our job very seriously."

Meanwhile, Kafentzis is positioned to make his first start since the Boise State game, when he lasted only a few plays after suffering a hairline fracture in his right ankle during warmups.

He missed four games because of the injury, and resumed playing two weeks ago.

"He's physical, he's smart, he does the right thing, and he plays hard," said George Lumpkin, who coaches the outside linebackers. "He never did anything not to be in there except get hurt."

Kafentzis, Micah Lau, Brad Kalilimoku and Blaze Soares will rotate at the two outside positions.

"But I think (Kafentzis) needs to be where he is until he doesn't do the things we expect him to do," Lumpkin said.