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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, January 18, 2008

Warriors will host five from Hawaii

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Aaron Tipoti

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Five Hawai'i high school players will make their official recruiting trips to the University of Hawai'i this weekend.

Saint Louis defensive tackle Geordon Hanohano and offensive lineman Tui Tuiasosopo, both Advertiser All-State first-team selections, will visit the Manoa campus, Crusaders coach Delbert Tengan said.

Joining them will be Damien defensive back Christian Vasconcellos, who verbally committed to UH last summer. Monarchs teammate Haku Correa, a defensive lineman, also will make the 48-hour visit, Vasconcellos said. Both are Advertiser All-Division II All-State selections.

Kaiser wide receiver Kalua Noa also will be visiting UH, Cougars coach Patrick Samsonas said. Noa was the O'ahu Interscholastic Association White Offensive Player of the Year.

"He's a sleeper," Samsonas said. "He's kind of gone under the radar because he plays in Division II."

They are among the first prospects courted by the Greg McMackin era, which officially started Wednesday. The Warriors defensive coordinator was promoted to head coach after June Jones resigned to become head coach at Southern Methodist.

Tengan said the 6-foot-2, 270-pound Hanohano has left the Crusaders basketball team because of time constraints from recruiting. Hanohano visited San Diego State last month.

Linebacker Robert Siavii of Division I state champion Leilehua, The Advertiser Defensive Player of the Year, will be visiting Idaho, Mules coach Nolan Tokuda said. Fellow All-State linebacker Art Laurel also has drawn interest, but no trip or offer from Idaho, Tokuda said.

Also, Kahuku All-State linebacker Paipai Falemalu said he will visit Washington. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound senior said he also has offers from UH, Oregon State and California. During one of the UH football games this past season when he was among other recruits and student guests, he indicated a strong interest in UH.

Fellow Kahuku teammates, offensive linemen Benji Kemoeatu and Anthony Si'ilata, will visit Utah this weekend, Red Raiders coach Reggie Torres said. Kemoeatu (6-4, 325) ranks second in the state by Rivals.com behind Castle lineman Solomon Koehler, who verbally committed to Arizona on national TV on Jan. 5. Kemoeatu's brothers are NFL linemen Chris (Steelers) and Ma'ake (Panthers).

Punahou defensive lineman J.J. Autele said he has offers from San Diego State and UH. But he said the departure of former UH defensive line coach Jeff Reinebold to SMU has become a factor in his losing interest in UH.

Kahuku defensive back Shiloah Te'o and Saint Louis defensive lineman Ryan Eastman made early verbal commitments, but still are leaving options open.

Te'o, who just came back from a trip to Brigham Young, said his earlier verbal commitment there was reaffirmed by the visit. However, he said is leaving an option open for UH, if a trip is scheduled. He added he canceled a trip to Utah for this weekend.

Eastman is visiting New Mexico State this weekend along with Pac-Five linebacker Adam Hom. They left last night, Eastman's father, Bulla Eastman said. Eastman also has an offer from Weber State. He had verbally committed to NMSU early during the football season.

TIPOTI TO CAL

Pac-Five defensive lineman Aaron Tipoti said he has accepted a football scholarship offer to California.

"I liked the facilities, the academics and my brother and sister (live) up there," the 6-2, 250-pound senior at Word of Life Academy said.

He had made trips to Oregon State, Arizona and San Diego State. He took the trip to the Berkeley, Calif., campus last weekend. He said he was supposed to visit UH this weekend.

"But I made up my mind early (about California)," said the Advertiser All-Division II All-State selection.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.