Search
Close this search box.

Rainbow Warriors’ 8 True Freshmen From Hawaii Are Adjusting To The College Football Scene

Eight athletes who played Hawaii high school football in the 2019 season as seniors are on the University of Hawaii roster in 2020.

The Rainbow Warriors have a scheduled game Oct. 24 at Fresno State — the season opener during this COVID-19 abbreviated season. That, folks, is only three weeks away.

The game is still on, according to UH sports information director Derek Inouchi, despite the fact that all team activities were suspended temporarily on Wednesday, when four players tested positive for COVID-19.

In the coming weeks, after practice resumes, Bedrock Sports Hawaii hopes to find out from the coaches how the eight true freshman are doing as far as fitting in and working their way toward playing time. All eight were standouts during their high school careers here.

The eight true freshman from Hawaii high schools are:

>> Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala, WR, 5-10, 175 (Campbell High, from Kapolei)
>> Ezra Evaimalo, DL, 6-1, 245 (Kamehameha, from Waianae)
>> Kilohana Haasenritter, WR, 6-0, 190 (Hilo High, from Hilo)
>> Sergio Muasau, OL, 6-0, 340 (Mililani High, from Ewa Beach)
>> Koali Nishigaya, RB, 5-8, 160 pounds (Saint Louis School, from Waipahu)
>> Asher Pilanca, DB, 6-0, 175 (Mililani High, from Mililani)
>> Ka’eo Rezentes, PK, 6-2, 180 (Kamehameha, from Kapaa)
>> Micah Soliai-Howlett, OL, 6-3, 310 (Kahuku High, from Laie)

As a slotback, Nishigaya was a key member of Saint Louis’ Open Division state championship team last fall. He caught 79 passes for 1,020 yards and nine touchdowns and rushed for 154 yards and another seven TDs. He finished his high school career with 147 catches and for 1,929 receiving yards and 15 receiving TDs (22 overall).

Koali Nishigaya pushed for more yardage against Mililani last season. (Photo from USA Today)

Muasau is the brother of Rainbow Warriors linebacker Darius Muasau, who also came to UH by way of Mililani.

Mokiao-Atimalala had a stellar four-year career — for the Sabers in 2018 and ’19 after transferring from Kapolei, where he suited up in 2016 and ’17. All told, he caught 142 passes for 1,720 yards and 23 TDs. But in his later years, he was doing double duty, lining up as a safety on defense for coach Darren Johnson’s Campbell squad.

Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala, now a University of Hawaii true freshman receiver, played all four years on varsity teams in high school — two at Kapolei and two at Campbell. (Photo from Rivals)

The sweepstakes are on for Mokiao-Atimalala’s brother Titus, who has played one year and Kapolei and two at Campbell so far. If he gets to play his senior season in these COVID-19 times, he has a chance to surpass the all-time Hawaii high school receiving record. Titus already has 2,915 receiving yards, less than 600 yards from Kanawai Noa’s mark of 3,510 for Punahou from 2012 to ’14.

Titus has 20 Division I FBS college offers, including from Michigan, Notre Dame, USC, Oregon and Washington.

Hassentritter was on Hilo’s Division I (middle tier) state championship team in 2019.

A total of 45 of the 116-man (38.7 percent) UH roster suited up for Hawaii teams in high school over the past half decade. Two others are from Hawaii, but went to school on the mainland.

As mentioned earlier, the Rainbow Warriors’ game at Fresno State on Oct. 24 is still on.

“This “outbreak” is the first for our football team, so we are taking extra precautions,” Inouchi wrote in an email to Bedrock Sports Hawaii. “The entire team was tested as part of our weekly testing program with four positive results. We paused team activities following (Wednesday’s) announcement and I do not have a timetable for our return to the practice field. As much as possible, the team is following all safety protocols, meeting outdoors or on Zoom, no use of locker room facilities, and grab-and-go meals.”

The Rainbow Warriors have six Mountain West Conference games scheduled (all starting times are still to be determined). It has not known yet if the home games will be played in front of fans.

Hawaii’s Abbreviated 2020 Football Schedule

>> Oct. 24, at Fresno State
>> Oct. 31, at Wyoming
>> Nov. 7, vs. New Mexico, at Aloha Stadium
>> Nov. 14, at San Diego State
>> Nov. 21, vs. Boise State, at Aloha Stadium
>> Nov. 28, vs. Nevada, at Aloha Stadium

On Friday, according to YahooSports.com, ESPN canceled two bowl games, including the Hawaii Bowl that was supposed to be played Christmas Eve.

UH has played in nine of the 18 Hawaii Bowls dating back to the inaugural one in 2002, going 5-4 in that span. In all bowl games, Hawaii is 7-6.


The Rainbow Warriors’ bowl history follows:

Aloha Bowl
>> Dec. 25, 1989: Michigan State 33, Hawaii 13 (at Aloha Stadium)

Holiday Bowl
>> Dec. 30, 1992: Hawaii 27, Illinois 17 (at Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego)

Oahu Bowl
>> Dec. 25, 1999: Hawaii 23, Oregon State 17 (at Aloha Stadium)

Sugar Bowl
>> Jan. 1, 2008: Georgia 41, Hawaii 10 (at Louisiana Superdome)

Hawaii Bowl
>> Dec. 25, 2002: Tulane 36, Hawaii 28 (at Aloha Stadium)
>> Dec. 25, 2003: Hawaii 54, Houston 48, 3OT (at Aloha Stadium)+
>> Dec. 24, 2004: Hawaii 59, UAB 40 (at Aloha Stadium)
>> Dec. 24, 2005: Hawaii 41, Arizona State 24 (at Aloha Stadium)
>> Dec. 24, 2008: Notre Dame 49, Hawaii 21 (at Aloha Stadium)
>> Dec. 24, 2010: Tulsa 62, Hawaii 35 (at Aloha Stadium)
>> Dec. 24, 2016: Hawaii 52, Middle Tennessee 35 (at Aloha Stadium)”
>> Dec. 24, 2018: LaTech 31, Hawaii 14 (at Aloha Stadium)
>> Dec. 24, 2019: Hawaii 38, BYU 34 (at Aloha Stadium)


ALSO ART BEDROCKSPORTSHAWAII: Hilo And Waipahu’s Sean Saturnio Is Experiencing Glorious Days As An Army Football Assistant


The Top 10 Most-Read Stories At BedrockSportsHawaii.com:

As of Oct. 6, 2020

1. There Are Better Answers Than Suicide, Pearl City 
Football Player’s Family And Friends Reflect
(June 15)
2. Marlboro’s John Winske Is A Kentucky Derby-winning
Horse Owner And A Hoot And A Half
(Sept. 17)
3. Sacred Hearts Cheerleader Cayla Cabanban May Lose Out
On Dream Of Becoming A 4-Time State Champion
(Sept. 21)
4. A Big-Box Store, Patience and 2 University of Hawaii 
Freshmen Volleyball Players Intersect
(Sept. 1)
5. Hawaii Wrestlers Compete In College From Coast To Coast (Sept. 7)
6. High Tops and No Socks: An Ode To The Doctor (June 2)
7. The Spirited, Six-Decade Adventures Of Surfer Joe (July 13)
8. 4-Time State Champ ‘Peanut’ Terukina 
To Wrestle at Iowa State
(May 21)
9. NY Jets’ Leo Koloamatangi, The Former Hawaii Center, 
Is Assisting Kupuna With Food Delivery
(June 22)
10. Top 10 NHL Jerseys Project Nourishes Social ‘Closeness-ing’ (May 5)

Top Stories

2022 Hawaii High School Football Command Center

2022 Hawaii High School Football Command Center

Isi Holani’s Death At 24 Is Another In A Long String Of Hawaii Football Tragedies

Isi Holani’s Death At 24 Is Another In A Long

Opinion: Expect No Hawaii High School Football This Fall

Opinion: Expect No Hawaii High School Football This Fall

New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District Aims For September 2023 Opening

New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District Aims For September 2023 Opening

The NFL Likes Money, The World Wants Safety; Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off

The NFL Likes Money, The World Wants Safety; Let’s Call

Hawaii High School Football And Other Sports Moved to January

Hawaii High School Football And Other Sports Moved to January

BREAKING: Punahou Defensive Back Kilinahe Mendiola-Jensen Commits To UNLV

BREAKING: Punahou Defensive Back Kilinahe Mendiola-Jensen Commits To UNLV

FOCUS ON FOOTBALL: Assertive Kahuku Defense Takes Control In 29-17 Conquest Of Mililani

FOCUS ON FOOTBALL: Assertive Kahuku Defense Takes Control In 29-17

FOCUS ON FOOTBALL: Fueled By Ezra And Elijah Nahoopii-Makakona, Aiea Storms Past Kailua 41-0 And Into OIA D-I Title Game

FOCUS ON FOOTBALL: Fueled By Ezra And Elijah Nahoopii-Makakona, Aiea

FOCUS ON FOOTBALL: Two Defensive Stops Were Crucial In Mililani’s 39-29 OIA Semifinal Victory Over Campbell

FOCUS ON FOOTBALL: Two Defensive Stops Were Crucial In Mililani’s

SEE: 7 Videos And A Photo Gallery Of Kahuku’s 29-17 Football Win Over Mililani

SEE: 7 Videos And A Photo Gallery Of Kahuku’s 29-17

Implausible Rally Lifts Kaiser Over Pearl City 31-24 In OT And Into The OIA D-II Final And State Tournament

Implausible Rally Lifts Kaiser Over Pearl City 31-24 In OT

Related Post

D-I Konawaena And D-II Waimea Are State Football’s Top Seeds

D-I Konawaena And D-II Waimea Are State Football’s Top Seeds

—– The First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Football State Championship brackets are out for Division I and II. Defending champions Konawaena in

WATCH: The Full Haka After Kahuku’s 20-0 State Open Division Championship Game Win Over Punahou

WATCH: The Full Haka After Kahuku’s 20-0 State Open Division

—– Kahuku often does a haka after big games and Friday night was no different. This one — after the

RECRUITING ROUNDUP: Texas Offers Kamehameha Freshman Malakai Lee; Saint Louis’ Trech Kekahuna Transfers to Bishop Gorman And Commits To Wisconsin

RECRUITING ROUNDUP: Texas Offers Kamehameha Freshman Malakai Lee; Saint Louis’

—– Texas football recruiting has been in the Hawaii news lately. First, earlier this summer, Kahuku’s highly sought-after linebacker Liona

FOOTBALL WRAP PART 8: Shang HI Media’s MUST-SEE Video Compilation Of Kahuku’s 20-0 Open State Championship Win Over Punahou

FOOTBALL WRAP PART 8: Shang HI Media’s MUST-SEE Video Compilation

—–Last In An 8-Part Series—– Videographers Shang Ong and Tiffany Canonigo-Ong of Shang HI Media were there to make a

Friday’s WEEK 4 High School Football Scores And Saturday’s Schedule

Friday’s WEEK 4 High School Football Scores And Saturday’s Schedule

—– WEEK 4 of the Hawaii high school football season started Thursday with a game on the Big Island —

Top 2027 QB Recruit Trent Seaborn Has Hawaii Roots

Top 2027 QB Recruit Trent Seaborn Has Hawaii Roots

—– Trent Seaborn is going into his freshman year of high school and is already a top college football recruit.

WEEK 8 Update: Pearl City Remains Undefeated; OIA D-II’s Muddled Middle Of The Pack

WEEK 8 Update: Pearl City Remains Undefeated; OIA D-II’s Muddled

Pearl City improved to 5-0 in OIA Division II football with a 28-14 win over Kalaheo on Friday night. The

FOCUS ON FOOTBALL: Kailua’s 24-13 Win Over Farrington In Brute Force Game Evokes Memories Of The OIA Red

FOCUS ON FOOTBALL: Kailua’s 24-13 Win Over Farrington In Brute

—– They’ve got a feeling over there in Kailua. After a smash-mouth 24-13 win over Farrrington on Friday night, there

FOCUS ON FOOTBALL: ‘Iolani Fends Off Pesky Damien To Clinch A State Division I Berth

FOCUS ON FOOTBALL: ‘Iolani Fends Off Pesky Damien To Clinch

—– There’s no question that ‘Iolani took Damien very seriously on Friday at Kozuki Stadium. And for sure they should

Marcus Mariota Gives A Boost To Waialua Bulldogs And New Athletic Director Darnell Arceneaux

Marcus Mariota Gives A Boost To Waialua Bulldogs And New

Darnell Arceneaux and Marcus Mariota are in an exclusive club — part of the fine quarterback lineage at Saint Louis

Punahou Breaks Into National Rankings; Also, See This Week’s Hawaii Consensus Top 10

Punahou Breaks Into National Rankings; Also, See This Week’s Hawaii

—– The high school football national ranking sites gave Punahou some love this week after the Buff ‘N Blue nearly

FOCUS ON FOOTBALL: Two Defensive Stops Were Crucial In Mililani’s 39-29 OIA Semifinal Victory Over Campbell

FOCUS ON FOOTBALL: Two Defensive Stops Were Crucial In Mililani’s

—– When Mililani and Campbell met earlier this season, the offensive fireworks were going full bore. And it was no

Bedrock Sports Hawaii Stories Emailed To Your Inbox:

Bedrock's YouTube Channel: