Warriors’ loss to Beavers shows recruiting challenge

A safety is demoralizing enough … the other guys get two points and the ball back. The one against Hawaii in the fourth quarter at Oregon State on Saturday accounted for the final score of a 33-14 loss. It was probably already over, but it was an additional indignation.

It was even more frustrating for UH that the two players credited with the tackle behind the goal line, Devon Kell (Hilo) and Mana Rosa (Baldwin), hail from the islands.

Symbolic, too.

Some losses sting more than others. Even if they are at least somewhat expected, even if they are not dealt by conference opponents or some other rivals. You can put this one in that category. The Rainbow Warriors were three- to four-touchdown underdogs Saturday against the Beavers and played like it.

But this can’t be chalked up as just another body-bag loss for a fledgling program against one with more resources from a prestigious conference.

That’s because Oregon State has five players listed from Hawaii, and several others with local ties.

Coaches who have been here, too, and that’s how they get the island recruits. Some of them don’t speak the isle lingo, but they understand it — well enough to keep angling prospects. The latest is Kaiser linebacker Fitou Fisiiahi, who told the Star-Advertiser’s Paul Honda last week that he is OSU-bound. Saturday’s events surely won’t change that.

Most of the best high school football prospects from talent-rich Hawaii head for mainland schools every year. It’s a fact of life, and as much as coach Norm Chow and his staff try to fight it, it is a tough battle.

It’s been that way since Chow himself went to Utah after a stellar career at Punahou, and later, Chow coaxed many a fine island lad to BYU and USC when he coached at those powerful programs.

So he knows what he’s up against.

Chow and his staff have made some headway because they put the hours into local recruiting, something previous staffs were not always consistent with. Significant headway has been made, highlighted by the securing of defensive tackle Kennedy Tulimasealii.

It’s impossible to get them all, but you have to try. It’s got to feel like a tourist coming into your yard at night and plucking the biggest, juiciest mangoes from your tree.

The fans never like it when the best slip away, but they find it more acceptable when they go to places like Notre Dame, Stanford or USC.

But Oregon State? What does Oregon State have that Hawaii doesn’t except for lousy weather and a dearth of poi?

In addition to Pac-12 membership, the Beavers are attractive to players from Hawaii because there are so many of their braddahs already there. It’s a snowball effect, and it will likely continue as long as coach Mike Riley, who was in on the secret of Hawaii talent way ahead of the curve, and former UH assistants Mark Banker, Mike Cavanaugh and Joe Seumalo remain in Corvallis.

We can focus on dropped passes, third-down futility on offense and defense, the lack of improvement from the first game to the second. Yes, this loss highlighted how far Hawaii has to go on Saturdays in the fall, especially on the road … but also in the year-round recruiting wars that start at home.

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783 or on Twitter as @dave_reardon.