When Kapolei football coach Darren Hernandez went to look for prospective players at Kapolei Middle School five years ago, he ran into a 6-foot-4, 280-pound eighth-grader.

"I thought he was one of the parents," Hernandez said.

It turned out to be Stan Hasiak IV, who now is Kapolei High's 6-foot-5, 310-pound senior offensive lineman.

"He was 9 (pounds), 8 (ounces)," his father, Stanley Hasiak III, said of his son's weight at birth. "By third grade, he was pushing 200 pounds."

These days, the younger Hasiak is pushing defensive linemen to the ground or away from the quarterback. He does it so well that Division I colleges across the nation are hoping to have him on their campus next fall.

"I have a good idea of who will be my top five," Hasiak said.

He has accepted official visits to Southern California, UCLA and California. He can choose up to five expense-paid trips. Others wooing him are Tennessee, Louisiana State, Michigan, Washington, Colorado, Nebraska, Penn State and Hawai'i, to name a few of about 18 offers. He will take his trip to California the weekend of Oct. 10, when the Hurricanes have a bye. He'll take the other trips after Kapolei's season.

In the offseason, Hasiak was invited to the Ultimate 100 in Texas in May. He later impressed coaches at the USC Rising Stars camp, where he got to meet some of the Trojans' star players like linebacker Ray Maualuga and quarterback Mark Sanchez. Hasiak will be on national TV when he plays in the Under Armour All-America Game in Florida on Jan. 4.

"Since I was invited to the Under Armour All-America Game, I'll do it then," he said of a verbal commitment. "If not, I'll probably make my decision some time before signing day."

Hawai'i has made an offer to Hasiak IV and Hurricanes' defensive end Chad Lopati, Kapolei coach Hernandez said. But for Hasiak IV, it might be academic.

"I just want to get off the island, make my name somewhere else," Hasiak IV said.

Hasiak IV is the second-ranked recruit in the state by Rivals.com, which ranks Lopati fifth.

According to an evaluation by Scout Inc., "Hasiak is a very solid offensive lineman that has both power and technical skills to make him a highly sought after big guy."

TWICE AS NICE

Kapolei senior cornerback Kalani Brackenridge (6-0, 175) said Oregon State has talked to him about making a recruiting trip. The pitch is if they do offer him a football scholarship, he said the Beavers would allow him to play baseball. Brackenridge is a shortstop.

Brackenridge certainly has the bloodline. His half-brother is Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Tyron Brackenridge. Their father, Lyle Brackenridge, was an outfielder in the Minnesota Twins system. He played collegiately at California and was on the 1980 College World Series all-tournament team. It was the same series Hawai'i played, but the teams did not face each other.

UH OFFERS MANLEY

Leilehua junior quarterback Andrew Manley (6-3, 215) has just five varsity games under his belt, albeit all postseason wins including O'ahu Interscholastic Association and state championships. But his performance was impressive enough that Hawai'i has already offered him a scholarship, he said.

Manley attended the Game Plan and UH football camps during the summer, working on improving his quickness and footwork, he said. He said he enjoyed learning from UH quarterbacks coach Nick Rolovich at the camp.