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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, February 8, 2007

Oregon State lands six, including 'Aiea's Li'ili'i

Signing day photo gallery
Video: Letter of Intent Signing Day in Kapolei

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

Scott Smith

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Solomona Aigamaua

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Kaniela Tuipulotu

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Lofa Li‘ili‘i

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Oregon State University completed its latest Hawai'i high school football recruiting shopping spree with two last-minute items, 'Aiea receiver Lofa Li'ili'i and Farrington defensive end Tonu Tuimaleali'ifano.

Both signed national letters of intent yesterday, the first day recruits could sign binding scholarship agreements. Li'ili'i and Tuimaleali'ifano join four other O'ahu prospects who signed with the Beavers, and they will join 11 other players from Hawai'i on the OSU roster.

"(Oregon State coach) Mike Riley really likes the Island kids, and I know he would sign a lot more if he could," said 'Aiea coach Wendell Say, who had Riley as his defensive backs coach when he played for Linfield in 1977. "We had about 20 Hawai'i guys on our team back then, and (Riley) liked us because we were smaller than the other players but we had a lot of heart."

Li'ili'i, a 5-foot-9, 165-pound slotback who was twice selected to The Advertiser's All-State first team as an all-purpose player, fits into that mold.

He was named O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red Conference Western Division Offensive Player of the Year this past season despite being slowed by an ankle sprain early on.

Li'ili'i still ended up with 43 catches for 536 yards (12.5 ypc) and four touchdowns. He also carried the ball 41 times for 170 yards, and returned a punt 85 yards for a TD against Leilehua.

He visited Oregon State's campus in Corvallis two weekends ago along with Tuimaleali'ifano, Waipahu lineman Castro Masaniai and Kamehameha defensive back Brandon Hardin. Say said Li'ili'i turned down a scholarship offer from Idaho.

"Oregon State really wanted him, from a long time ago," Say said. "When he's healthy, he's a very capable receiver and they see a lot of upside to him."

Tuimaleali'ifano (6-1, 235) probably could be considered a "sleeper" prospect, considering he was a relative unknown compared to higher profile local recruits.

But Farrington coach Randall Okimoto said Tuimaleali'ifano was a steady force for the Governors' stalwart defense.

"He played nose guard, so he had no numbers as far as tackles and sacks," Okimoto said. "That was his downfall, because our ends were making most of the tackles so they were the ones getting the publicity. That's probably why nobody noticed Tonu as far as all-stars or whatever, but we knew how important he was to our defense."

Okimoto compared Tuimaleali'ifano to former Farrington lineman and current University of Hawai'i starter Michael Lafaele.

"He did well in school, and we had him in our program for four years and he was always solid," Okimoto said.

Tuimaleali'ifano had received interest from Idaho and Idaho State and was invited to walk on at UH, Okimoto said.

Li'ili'i and Tuimaleali'ifano joined Hardin, Masaniai, Wai'anae linebacker David Pa'aluhi and former Moanalua offensive lineman Una Smiley in signing with the Beavers yesterday. The other four had made their verbal commitments earlier.

Smiley was a junior college All-American at Palomar (Calif.) after graduating from Moanalua.

The six Oregon State recruits from Hawai'i join seven others from the Islands who are headed to the Pac-10 Conference. California landed three — Saint Louis defensive ends Scott Smith and Solomona Aigamaua, and Moanalua tight end Savai'i Eselu.

Scout.com, a popular recruiting Web site, ranked Cal's recruiting class No. 12 in the nation.

Arizona signed Kahuku nose guard Kaniela Tuipulotu and Pac-Five quarterback Bryson Beirne, Stanford landed Campbell lineman Matthew Masifilo and Washington signed Kamehameha-Hawai'i defensive lineman Kalani Aldrich.

Rocky Mountain schools also did well in recruiting the Islands, coming away with a combined nine prospects.

Weber State landed three — Wai'anae offensive lineman Alex Tupulua, and Kahuku defensive lineman Malone Fiso and linebacker Joseph Heimuli.

Colorado, Utah and Brigham Young each signed two players from Hawai'i.

Colorado landed Damien offensive lineman Sione Tau and Baldwin offensive lineman Kealakai Maiava. Utah signed Kahuku defensive lineman Nai Fotu and Radford defensive end/linebacker Thor Salanoa. BYU landed Kamehameha tight end Kaneakua Friel and Kahuku defensive back Gary Nagy.

Other Hawai'i recruits headed to Mainland Division I programs are Baldwin linebacker Jojo Dickson (Idaho), Farrington defensive lineman Sam Fehoko (Texas Tech), Kamehameha defensive lineman Josh Manupuna (Portland State) and Kapolei offensive lineman Michael Matamua (San Diego State).

Kapolei receiver Aaron Santiago and Mililani linebacker Josh Andrews are headed to Navy, but the service academies do not sign recruits to letters of intent.

Also, former Kahuku and Fresno City College offensive lineman Steve Lightsy signed with San Jose State.

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Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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