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Local boys outmatched in speed & technique

See more photos in slideshow. [photo: Dann Ebina]
tony@samoanews.com
Samoan muscles,” was our advantage, say players

This past Monday night, our American Samoa All-Star teams that represented the territory in the Junior Prep Sports (JPS) Paradise Football Classic II this past week in the State of Hawai’i arrived back home safely with memories that our student-athletes will take with them for the rest of their lives.

For our local high-school all-star football team, they placed 4th overall in the Classic, after losing two of their first games in the competition. Samoa News spoke to some of the best players on the team that led our All-Star team to the 808-State for their reactions to the experience.

BLESSMAN TA’ALA

Blessman Ta’ala, the Senior Defensive Lineman from Faga’itua High School, who has verbally committed to the University of Hawaii, said of his experience at the Classic — “the feeling was amazing. Even though the outcome of the game wasn’t what we wanted, but the friendship and brotherhood bond that was created amongst the athletes were more important.”

Ta’ala told Samoa News, “It’s astonishing for me to get to know more about my brothers I’ve played against here locally. Just having the friendship with these brothers was amazing, a memory that’ll be with me forever.”

When asked about his reaction to their match up against the off-island teams, he said, “Playing against North Cal and Hawaii was quite challenging because these athletes are more technically sound – I’ve learned a lot from them, especially on what I need to work on to better myself as a football player.”

The “beast from the east” was recently rumored on social media about his commitment to the University of Hawaii, and when asked by Samoa News, he confirmed that he had “recently committed to the University of Hawaii (UH). I believe that coach Legi Suiaunoa and Head Coach Nick Rolovich are building something out there for success – I just want to be part of that success with great people. I believe it will be a great experience for me to showcase my talent there.”

Blessman was named as the Most Valuable Player of the 2016-17 ASHSAA Football Season for the Varsity Division – he was also named “Impact Player” and was awarded the Impact Player Award after his performance in their match up against Hawaii West All-Stars.

RAEMOS FANO

 ‘Famous’ Raemos Fano – the Senior quarterback out of Faga’itua High School also spoke to Samoa News about his experience at the Classic being “amazing”, adding, “what I really liked about the trip was that all the kids from different high schools put aside their school pride, and came together as one to represent American Samoa – we were able to build a strong bond.”

When asked about his experience playing against the teams from off-island, Fano said, “It was a great feeling playing against the other teams – we were able to experience a different level of the game in Hawai’i. I believe we could have executed our game plan better than we did, but it is what it is.”

Fano told Samoa News that from his point of view in comparing our local team to the teams from off-island, “I think our team is used to a power style game play – but we lacked speed, which was what the other teams had the upper hand with against our team.”

Fano was named Impact Player of the Game in their first match against North Cal.

When asked about his future in the sport of football – if he’s deciding to take his game to the collegiate level, Fano told Samoa News, “I’m still working with my Head Coach and he’s still communicating with Western New Mexico University and South Virginia University – hopefully I’ll get a chance to play alongside former teammate Oly Ta’ase again.”

He said, “I just basically want to thank God for his love and protection, the government of American Samoa for the opportunity, the people of American Samoa for their support, the coaching staff, the brothers that I played with, and I want to thank everyone who made this trip possible.”

BALDWIN WILSON

Representing the Home of the Warriors in Team Amerika Samoa Baldwin Wilson, the Senior Middle Linebacker out of Tafuna High School told Samoa News, “I can say it was a blessing to play and be part of this program, to represent our island in the sport that I’m passionate about – it was a pleasure. Nothing held me back except my shoulder. Doctors kept saying to me everyday that it takes one year or more to heal my dislocated shoulder, but that didn’t stop me at all.”

Wilson said, “Throughout my life, I’ve been balling, football is my best distraction – I’ve played with a fractured arm the whole season, therefore, I’ll continue to play the sport I love no matter what tries to hold me back.”

When asked what his favorite part of the trip was, Wilson said, “Representing my roots, my home, my school, my family and our island. Our team was full of talented kids, no doubt — we’ve dealt with the best prospects in Cali and Hawai’i and we can say nothing else than what it is.”

He added, “I’m glad to have played alongside some of there best players that American Samoa’s got to offer, players like Blessman Ta’ala, Penei Pavihi, and also Raemos Fano.”

When asked about his collegiate plans for the future, Wilson told Samoa News “at the moment, I have talked to coaches, but have not yet made a commitment.”

CORNELIUS AIAVA

From the Home of the Sharks – Cornelius Aiava, the Senior Defensive Back out of Samoana High School, who lurked the backfield for our local defensive unit, told Samoa News, “the trip …I enjoyed every second of it, especially the fellowship with my brothers — one of the things that I liked the most was playing against other all-star teams from off-island.”

He said, “The feeling and experience of playing against some of the top notch student-athletes from Hawai’i and California – it was an experience that’ll help shape me through my plans of taking my game to the next level.”

Looking back at his performance at Aloha Stadium, Aiava said he wished he could’ve performed better. “Some of the things I could’ve done better is tackle better and read – I missed my interception in our first game against North Cal and I’m still working hard on some of the little things that’ll make me the perfect Linebacker prospect.”

When asked what he thought was the difference between our local team and the teams from off-island, Aiava seconded Fano’s thought: “We’re more used to powerhouse ground and pound rhythm of the game – when the tough gets going, the going gets tough. The off-island teams were all about speed and technique. Speed was one of their upper-hands against us.”

ADAN MAO

Representing the Home of the Lions was Senior Linebacker out of Leone High School, the ‘Lion King’ Adan Mao, who was also one of the team captains for our local all-star team during their appearance in the classic this year. When asked about his experience on the trip, Mao said, “The trip was fun and exciting – a very rare opportunity to showcase our talent to all the coaches that were there.”

Mao said, “I loved the trip, it gave us the chance to mingle with kids from other schools and hopefully we could be the ones bringing an end to school violence.”

The all-purpose defensive player for the Lions told Samoa News that one of the things he admired most about the trip, was the opportunity to “play against other all-star players from the US, because of the intensity and the speed – very wild and competitive.”

He said, “If there was anything that I wished I could’ve done better, it would be my performance – I believe I could’ve done better, it’s those simple mistakes that killed my performance out there.”

When asked about what he thought was the difference between our local teams the all-star teams off-island, Mao responded, “The difference … is the speed and techniques – our advantage was our Samoan muscles and we’re fit. “

Mao was reckoned to be ‘the’ best defensive player out of the Lions den – in the 2015-16 ASHSAA Football Season, and was named the Defensive Player of the Year in his Junior year.