Former Mililani football player Jarinn Kalama is having an incredible time playing for Wasatch High School in Heber City, Utah.
He’s also piling up the stats. Kalama transferred so he could play fall football. That was not possible in Hawaii due to the COVID-19 health crisis.
Kalama, his brother La’akea Kalama and his cousin Tausili Akana are all playing for the Wasps (5-1).
Wasatch (Heber City, Utah). (Photo courtesy of Lonn Kalama)..
So far in six games, he he’s made 35 receptions for 471 yards and nine TDs.
Akana is a 6-3, 210-pound sophomore outside linebacker who has eight Division I FBS college offers. La’akea Kalama, meanwhile, is a 5-10, 170-pound freshman defensive back and slotback.
“The ultimate reason for leaving to the mainland was the uncertainty of football in Hawaii,” said Lonn Kalama, a former University of Hawaii tight end and the father of Jarinn and La’akea. “When the state of Utah decided early to proceed with their football season, my brother-in-law Stanton Akana (a Kamehameha alumnus), the defensive coordinator at Wasatch, reached out to us to see if we would consider sending the boys to stay with him so they could play football.
“To be honest, we never thought about it until that moment and all of a sudden we had to make a decision sooner rather than later due to the logistics of transferring from out of state and eligibility requirements for the state of Utah.”
Jarinn is also planning to play baseball for Wasatch. He wants to play football after high school and hopes to make it in NCAA D-I FBS.
“My role on the (football) team is to lead by example and make my team better by my commitment to the team, my coaches and the way I play the game,” he said. “I haven’t been here long, but my teammates have really welcomed us and shown us the aloha spirit. Our goal is to ultimately win the 5A championship for the state of Utah.”
Before going to Utah, Jarinn got lots of quickness, agility and route-running work in with his dad and (Campbell High assistant) coach Kawe Johnson.
Jarinn talked a bit about his cousin”s and brother”s contribution to the Wasps.
“Tausili wreaks havoc by putting pressure on opponents’ quarterbacks and has recently added a spark to our offense by playing running back, too,” Jarinn said. “He doesn’t go down easily and has shown his versatility. La’akea is the only freshman starting on the varsity as a corner and has proven he can play at this level, making big plays game after game, including a key interception in our last game.”
Akana, who transferred from Kamehameha, is the son of Kahuku basketball coach and former University of Hawaii basketball player Brandyn Akana and former UH women’s volleyball player Joselyn (Robins) Akana. He is the brother of former Kamehameha volleyball stars Braelyn and Keonilei Akana.
Utah, Arizona State and BYU are among the schools who have given scholarship offers to Akana.
“I believe our teammates feed off of our physical style of play,” Jarinn Kalama continued. “The main difference between Hawaii and here, I believe, is the physicality of the (Hawaii) Open Division. Playing teams like Kahuku, Saint Louis, Mililani and Punahou, you know the games are going to be hard-nosed, all-out games where it’s a physical battle.”
Jarinn Kalama is also a pitcher on the Senior Hawaii Showcase baseball team scheduled to play in the Arizona Fall Classaic in October.
A year ago for the Mililani football team that made it to the state Open semifinals, Jarinn caught 19 passes for 224 yards in nine games.
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As of Oct. 6, 2020
