The Polynesian Bowl, scheduled for Jan. 21 at Aloha Stadium, is expected to announce Monday two more players from Hawaii who have accepted invites to the game.
Mililani receiver Andrew Valladares and ‘Iolani kicker/punter Evan Minami will join the other 24 seniors from the islands already selected to play in the first-ever Polynesian Bowl high school all-star game.
Valladares caught fire in the second half of his senior season for the Division I state champion Trojans. He set the school’s single-game receiving record with 215 yards in a loss to Waianae in the OIA quarterfinals. Two games later, he caught four touchdown passes and rolled up 213 yards in a win over Baldwin in the first round of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA State Football Championship at War Memorial Stadium.
Valladares ended the season fifth on Oahu with 955 receiving yards on 48 receptions and 11 touchdowns.
Minami made field goals of 36 and 33 yards against the Trojans in the Division I state final. He was a perfect 34-for-34 on extra-point tries this season and made six field goals of at least 32 yards.
The Polynesian Bowl will be televised on ESPN3 to the mainland only. Former UH coaches June Jones and Dick Tomey will coach the two teams and one of the captains will be Saint Louis alum and Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota of the Tennessee Titans.
Here’s every player from Hawaii who has accepted an invite to the game:
Kesi Ah-Hoy, DB, Kahuku
Feleti Afemui, LB, Maui
Andrew Aleki, LB, Kamehameha
Jeff Chan, K, Punahou
Challen Faamatau, RB, Farrington
Mango Finau, OL, Baldwin
Nick Kapule, QB, Punahou
Kishaun Ki, DL, Campbell
Onesimus Lutu-Clarke, OL, Waianae
Evan Minami, K/P, ‘Iolani
Michael Minihan, OL, Saint Louis
Sioeli Naupoto, LB, Kahuku
Stokes Nihipali-Botelho, DB, Kahuku
Ryan Ramones, WR, Moanalua
Jalen Saole, DB, Saint Louis
Jaymin Sarono, WR, Kapolei
Codie Sauvao, DB, Kahuku
Isaac Slade-Matautia, LB, Saint Louis
Miki Suguturaga, DL, Punahou
Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Saint Louis
Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, DL, Kapolei
Ethan Takeyama, WR, Punahou
Mo Unutoa, OL, Kapaa
Andrew Valladares, WR, Mililani
Aliki Vimahi, DL, Kahuku
Charles Watson, DB, Leilehua
*’Iolani WR Justin Genovia has been promised an invite to the 2018 game.
will you be giving us updates and information on the Senior Bowl game in Kauai? It may not be as high profile but we are still interested. My nephew was invited and they said there will be college coaches there. Opportunity for our local boysl
Nice to have a “Poly” Bowl. If we have it though, I wonder why there is no “Asian” Bowl, or “Haole” Bowl, or….
Kenneth Yamashita November 28, 2016 at 9:43 am
Nice to have a “Poly” Bowl. If we have it though, I wonder why there is no “Asian” Bowl, or “Haole” Bowl, or….
The Polynesian Football Hall of Fame announced Thursday the establishment of the Polynesian Bowl, a high school all-star football game that will feature the elite players of Polynesian heritage and other ancestries.
The Polynesian Bowl will be played Saturday, January 21, 2017, 6 p.m. at Aloha Stadium as part of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend.
Answer your question?
The Asian Bowl is held ever spring up at Kamehameha schools. It’s called the Blue & White game.
Why isn’t anyone talking about the JPS and the talent in the Paradise Bowl? The first who was true to the Hawaii and Polynesian kids. The talent on those squads are on another level.
Is it true they’re charging $400 per player?
@PaulHonda. . . Yes $400.00 Per player. JPS don’t have the big names and sponsers like the P.H.O.F bowl . From my understanding the four teams stay in waikiki for the week, they have a draft dinner(for the HI kids), a meet and greet for all teams and some other functions leading up to the game. Idk about the Army All American and UA Bowl games but I’ve been apart of the junior rank and fbu Bowl games and depending on your sponsers, alot of it comes out of the parents pocket. The PHOF Bowl is a one time deal, jps is year around and majority of the standout players in Hawaii are JPS kids.
Jr Prep Sports Hawaii
https://m.facebook.com/jrprepsportshawaii/?__nodl&refsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch&_rdr
Jr Prep Sports California
https://m.facebook.com/JrPrepSportsCalifornia/?__nodl&refsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch&_rdr
Mahalo Alpha. I’m aware of the great your-round football Junior Prep Sports provides across the island. I just wonder, if a player doesn’t have $400 and his family is struggling financially, is the $400 an absolute requirement? I mean, he just wants to practice and have a chance to play in the game. The Waikiki part isn’t or probably should not be an absolute must, just my opinion. Just wondering. Not knocking any of these great post-season opportunities. And I know all the JPS coaches are giving their time and energy year-round as volunteers, 100 percent. But $400 seems like a lot for a kid and family who don’t have more than few dollars available. If I’d been one of these blessed young players, there’s no way my mom could’ve paid for a fraction of the $400, let alone the whole amount.
@PaulHonda. . . Yes, $400 is a bit much (especially this time of year). I won’t say much about JPS, but they will be willing to work with families. In 2014 when jps fielded their first H.S all star team they traveled to Washington, I can imagine how much that cost. Since, jps created a jps California and jps Samoa now those teams come here to play instead of the Hawaii kids traveling(for yrs Hawaii participated in the Samoa Bowl, each kid pretty much had to cover their own trip).