Navy coach and ex-Radford QB Niumatalolo to speak at Hall of Honor

All wins go into the record books, but few go into lore.

Ken Niumatalolo’s final game of his junior season as Radford’s quarterback was one of those few.

Three weeks after Radford coach John Velasco died of a heart attack on the eve of the OIA West championship game, the Rams made the short ride down Salt Lake Boulevard for a Prep Bowl matchup with Saint Louis at Aloha Stadium to close the 1981 season.

With Loyal Garner’s halftime rendition of “Blind Man in the Bleachers” adding to the emotion of the evening, the Rams defense broke open a scoreless tie in the third quarter with a 94-yard fumble return for a touchdown and protected the lead into the fourth quarter. Saint Louis had kept the Radford offense out of the end zone and appeared primed to give the Crusaders offense another shot to take the lead when Niumatalolo ducked under center with the Rams facing third-and-20.

Rather than play it safe, Niumatalolo went deep and connected with Greg Pace on a 63-yard touchdown pass that all but sealed a 14-2 win, Radford’s first Prep Bowl title and a 13-0 season in tribute to Velasco’s memory.

Niumatalolo went on to play for the University of Hawaii before embarking on a coaching journey that carried him clear across the country, where he is now the winningest coach in the Navy football program’s 133-year history.

He enters his 10th season as Navy’s head coach at 77-42 and has led the Midshipmen to five Commander-in-Chief’s Trophies and nine bowl games.

Niumatalolo will be the featured speaker at today’s induction banquet for the HHSAA Hall of Honor’s 35th class at Dole Cannery’s Pomaika’i Ballroom.

Niumataloto will address a 12-member class that includes two state championship quarterbacks — Saint Louis’ Tua Tagovailoa and Kahuku’s Kesi Ah-Hoy, who earned All-State honors on defense as a senior.

Each member of the class receives a $2,000 scholarship courtesy of Enterprise Rent-A-Car.

Hawaii H.S. Hall of Honor by Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Scribd

Hawaii H.S. Hall of Honor by Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Scribd