ILH football first team all-stars, 1920-present

Wayne Taulapapa has always been more about winning as a team than as an individual.

But this season, for the first time in his career, the Buffanblu turned in their pads before turning the calendar to November so there is not much left other than individual awards.

Taulapapa got a big one on Monday night, being named to the ILH first team for the third year in a row. He wasn’t the offensive MVP, but he was recognized for what he has done over his stellar career. His numbers? 30 games, 466 carries, 3,279 yards, 52 TD.

The ILH football all-stars were released today and Taulapapa and Iolani’s Keoni-Kordell Makekau joined the elite list of three-time ILH first teamers. There have been tons of two timers over the years, but to be judged as one of the top players in Hawaii’s toughest league as a sophomore is rare.

To follow it with a full career is even more rare. Just 20 players have made the first team three times over the years, with a third of them coming in the 1920s.

Taulapapa joins former teammates Larry Tuileta and Kanawai Noa on the list. The last time three elite players have shared the field at the same time was way back in 1928 when Kamehameha rolled out Johnny Wise, Jonah Wise and Tom Miles.

Makekau also made the list for winless Iolani in its jump to Division I, the first Raider to pop up on the first team three times.

Sophomores who have a chance to join the list include Iolani quarterback Tai-John Mizutani and St. Francis trio Singilau Pututau, Tyson Shimabukuro, Takaamoatoa Lautaha.

Tua Tagovailoa made the first team for the second time this year as a junior.

Here is the complete list of three time first teamers in the ILH:

Ducky Swan, Saint Louis, 1922-24
Rusty Holt, Kamehameha, 1924-26
Barney Joy, Saint Louis, 1925-27
Johnny Wise, Kamehameha, 1926-28
Jonah Wise, Kamehameha, 1927-29
Tom Miles, Kamehameha, 1928-30
Charles Ah Sui, McKinley, 1932-34
Andy Boyd, Kamehameha, 1932-34
Charlie Wedemeyer, Punahou, 1962-64
Wayne Apuna, Saint Louis, 1976-78
Wayne Lewis, Saint Louis, 1985-87
George Ornellas, Saint Louis, 1992-94
Tolifili Liufau, Saint Louis, 2000-02
Miah Ostrowski, Punahou, 2004-06
Manti Teo, Punahou, 2006-08
Titus Failauga, Pac-Five, 2010-12
Larry Tuileta, Punahou, 2011-13
Kanawai Noa, Punahou, 2012-14
Keoni Kordell Makekau, Iolani, 2013-15
Wayne Taulapapa, Punahou, 2013-15

And first team all stars all time, 2015 will be updated tomorrow. Since both newspapers picked teams in the 1960s and 1970s, we chose the one each year that had the most direct input from coaches. The early years were culled from a book found in the main branch of the state library. Enjoy, and report any errors in the comments or by email: