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Tanner Mangum, the Brigham Young backup quarterback thrust into duty when starter Taysom Hill broke his foot, threw one last pass that just barely got to the end zone.
Graham Rowley, a senior defensive lineman for the Cougars, was on his knees watching the ball begin its descent to the throng of players waiting at the goal line.
PROFILE
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The next thing Rowley knew, he was jumping on a dog pile of BYU players.
The Cougars had earned the most memorable victory on opening weekend of the 2015 college football season last Saturday, stunning Nebraska on the Cornhuskers’ field on a last-second Hail Mary.
“It was….unbelievable, crazy, I don’t know,” Rowley said Tuesday. “Right when (receiver Mitch Mathews) caught it I just ran out there and jumped on the pile.”
It was also bittersweet for the Waialua alumnus, because the news wasn’t all good for BYU.
Hill, a Heisman Trophy candidate, suffered a season-ending injury for the second straight year.
It was an emotional scene in the locker room as coach Bronco Mendenhall told his team they’d lost their starting QB.
Mendenhall said of Hill, “there’s no player or person that I’ve coached that I care about more than Taysom.”
Rowley echoed those sentiments.
“I don’t know if I respect anybody more than Taysom,” Rowley said. “I served a mission and I didn’t know him until I came back and I did not like him because I thought he was good at everything and I was jealous.
“He’s probably the greatest guy I’ve ever met. I feel for him. This has to be really tough and I just pray he has a good future. I have no idea what the future is (for him), but he’s a tough loss. He’s a leader. I loved the heck out of the guy and I respect him.”
Mangum is a capable replacement for Hill. He was ranked the No. 3 quarterback recruit in the country by Rivals.com as a high school senior and was MVP of the Under Armour All-America game.
But as Rowley has learned in the five years since graduating from Waialua, major college football is a much different test.
Rowley had to take two years off to serve his Mormon church mission, and when he returned last season, he realized just how tough it’d be to get back to game shape.
“When I came back (in 2014) I kind of struggled with the conditioning and my strength,” Rowley said. “I hadn’t done any of that for two years, but hopefully that has sprung me into the situation I have now because I feel like this is going to be my best year.”
Rowley came off the bench against the Cornhuskers, playing in his 35th game. He hasn’t started one since his sophomore year in 2011 but is eager to get back to that point.
Rowley was ranked as the No. 11 offensive guard out of high school by Scout.com but has played strictly on defense at BYU.
He didn’t play a lot of football until high school, when he tried out for the Bulldogs as a freshman. He even joked that he made the team simply because Waialua is a small school and “can’t afford to cut anybody.”
“I didn’t know the game at all,” Rowley said. “I was the only white guy on the team and so I guess that kind of stood out.”
His size and ability also helped, and playing at a small school on the North Shore didn’t limit his exposure. By the time he committed to BYU, he also had been offered by Colorado, Hawaii, SMU, Stanford and Washington.
“I had people tell me that I should go to Leilehua or Kahuku, but I wanted to play with the kids that were from my hometown,” Rowley said. “It was the best learning experience I ever had. I went to camps and sent out my film and it worked out. I loved my coaches and my teammates there.”
The Cougars host Boise State this weekend as they continue a grueling start to the season. After opening against the Cornhuskers and then playing the Broncos, BYU will play at UCLA and at Michigan in back-to-back weeks.
AROUND THE NATION
Hawaii represented well in UH tournament
Iowa setter Loxley Keala, a 2013 ‘Iolani alumna, was named to the all-tournament team of the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Challenge on Sunday.
Keala had 46 assists and 13 digs in a victory over American University to help the Hawkeyes avoid going winless in the three-day event.
She posted 21 assists in a three-set loss to UCLA on Saturday and 26 assists in a four-set loss to Hawaii on Friday.
Keala transferred to Iowa in the offseason after playing two years at Missouri.
UCLA defensive specialist Rachel Inouye (Punahou ’12) picked up 14 digs in a four-set win over Hawaii on Sunday to claim the tournament title.
She also had eight against Iowa and four against American University, when she played against Eagles sophomore Hoakalei Dawson (‘Iolani ’14).
Dawson had 11 digs against the Bruins and six in a loss to Hawaii. Dawson finished with 21 total digs in the tournament.
Pa’akaula best in CAA
Towson University senior Haley Pa’akaula was named the Colonial Athletic Association Offensive Player of the Week on Monday.
The 2012 Kamehameha alumna led the Tigers to three wins in the North Dakota State tournament.
Pa’akaula was named most valuable player of the tournament with three double-doubles and set a school record for kills in a match with 30 in a win over Utah Valley on Saturday.
On Friday, Pa’akaula set a career high with 16 digs and added 11 kills in a four-set win over North Dakota State.
She also finished with 13 kills and 10 digs in a four-set win over Milwaukee.
Pa’akaula leads the team with 109 kills and ranks third in the CAA averaging 3.63 kills per set. Her .293 hitting percentage ranks eighth.
Kan named MVP in Florida tournament
Missouri junior Carly Kan, a 2013 Punahou graduate, was named the most valuable player of the South Florida Invitational on Saturday.
Kan tallied 66 kills, 36 digs, nine blocks and two double-doubles to help the Tigers win their second tournament championship in as many weeks.
She put down 22 kills in a four-set win over host South Florida on Saturday and had 20 kills and 15 digs earlier in the day in a five-set win over Arkansas State.
Hawaii Grown: Trench Warfare
Offensive linemen don’t often get much attention. So here’s a look at the three Hawaii Grown OL who started for a Division I team on opening weekend.
Shane Brostek
Washington, Jr
» Height, Weight: 6-4, 305
» Position: Right guard. HPA (2012). Sat out all of 2014 season. Got first start since 2012.
Houston Clemente
NMSU, Sr.
» Height, Weight: 6-4, 316
» Position: Left tackle. Saint Louis (2011). Started 10 games as a junior and one as a freshman.
Jaryn Villegas
Army, So
» Height, Weight: 6-2, 286
» Position: Right guard. Leilehua (2013). Started four of the nine games he played in last season as a freshman.
Football
» Saneilia Fuimaono, Punahou ’10: The Arizona junior started at defensive tackle and was in on three tackles in a 42-32 win over UTSA on Thursday.
» Mitchell Loewen, Lahainaluna ’11: The Arkansas senior defensive lineman assisted on three tackles in a 48-13 win over UTEP on Saturday.
» Kamalei Correa, Saint Louis ’13: The Boise State junior linebacker made six tackles with a sack and two tackles for loss in a 16-13 win over Washington on Friday.
» Psalm Wooching, Kealakehe ’12: The Washington linebacker made a career-high three tackles against the Broncos.
» Kanawai Noa, Punahou ’15: The California freshman had four catches for 48 yards in his collegiate debut, helping the Bears beat Grambling State 73-14 on Saturday.
» Scott Pagano, Moanalua ’13: The Clemson sophomore started at defensive tackle and made two tackles with one for a loss in a 49-10 win over Wofford on Saturday.
» Shaun Kagawa, KS-Hawaii ’13: The Georgia Tech defensive back recovered a fumble in a 69-6 win over Alcorn State on Thursday.
» Russell Siavii, Leilehua ’12: The Idaho safety made five tackles and broke up a pass in a 45-28 loss to Ohio on Saturday.
» Peni Vea, Kealakehe ’11: The UNLV defensive back made a team-high nine tackles with a sack and a forced fumble in a 38-30 loss to Northern Illinois on Saturday.
» Tau Lotulelei, Maui ’12: The UNLV junior linebacker made four tackles with three for a loss and a sack against UNI.
» Salanoa-Alo Wily, Kahuku ’15: The UNLV defensive lineman made four tackles and assisted on one for a loss against UNI.
» Kawe Johnson, Kahuku ’13: The New Mexico State defensive back made three solo tackles in a 61-13 loss at Florida on Saturday.
» DeForest Buckner, Punahou ’12: The Oregon senior defensive lineman made three tackles with one for a loss and broke up a pass in a 61-42 win over Eastern Washington on Saturday.
» Rex Manu, Mililani ’15: The Oregon freshman assisted on two tackles against EWU in his collegiate debut.
» Kalani Vakameilalo, Kapolei ’14: The Oregon State freshman recorded a sack for a 6-yard loss in a 26-7 win over Weber State on Friday.
» Manase Hungalu, Kealakehe ’13: The Oregon State linebacker assisted on a tackle and intercepted a pass against the Wildcats.
» Dakota Turner, Mililani ’13: The San Diego State linebacker assisted on two tackles in a 37-3 win over San Diego on Saturday.
» Kaimi Fairbairn, Punahou ’12: The UCLA kicker was a perfect 4-for-4 on extra-point tries, booted five of his seven kickoffs for touchbacks and was 2-for-3 on field goals, missing only from 50 yards, in a 34-16 win over Virginia on Saturday.
» Taylor Taliulu, Kamehameha ’12: The Washington State safety made six tackles and broke up a pass in a 24-17 loss to Portland State on Saturday.
» Hercules Mata’afa, Lahainaluna ’14: The Washington State defensive end made three tackles in his collegiate debut against the Vikings.
» Walter Santiago, Kamehameha ’11: The Portland State safety made three solo tackles and broke up a pass in the win over the Cougars.
» Tim Kamana, Punahou ’12: The Wyoming linebacker made five tackles with one for a loss in a 23-13 loss to North Dakota on Saturday.
» Siaosi Hala’api’api, Kaimuki ’12: The Wyoming defensive end made three tackles against North Dakota.
» Jarin Morikawa, Mililani ’13: The Jackson State quarterback completed his only pass for 7 yards in a 14-7 loss to Middle Tennessee on Saturday.
» Quincy Marting, Punahou ’12: The Washington (Mo.) University defensive back was named the University Athletic Association defensive player of the week on Tuesday. Marting had 10 tackles, made two interceptions and forced a fumble in a season-opening 45-24 win over Carnegie Mellon University on Saturday. He sealed the win with an 88-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Women’s Volleyball
» Kalei Mau, Kaiser ’13: The Arizona outside hitter led the Wildcats with 15 kills and 10 kills in sweeps over Cal State Northridge and Florida A&M on Saturday. Mau, who last week was named the Pac-12 defensive player of the week, also posted a team-high 11 kills with a .417 hitting percentage in a three-set win over South Dakota on Friday.
» Penina Snuka, Kahuku ’13: The Arizona setter finished with 37 assists in the Cal State Northridge sweep and 28 against Florida A&M. The junior dished out another 37 assists over South Dakota.
» Shannel Chong, Punahou ’14: The Army defensive specialist served up four aces to go along with nine digs in a four-set win over Cornell on Sunday. The sophomore also recorded 13 digs in a five-set win over William & Mary on Saturday, following an 18-dig performance in a sweep of Iona earlier that day.
» Zoe Leonard, KS-Hawaii ’15: The Dartmouth libero picked up a team-high 13 digs and 10 digs in three-set losses to San Diego and Pacific on Saturday.
» Adora Anae, Kahuku ’14: The Utah outside hitter hammered a team-high 22 kills in a five-set win over Gonzaga on Saturday. The sophomore also posted a double-double with 13 kills and 12 digs in a four-set loss to Wyoming earlier that day.
» Allie Yamashiro, Kamehameha ’13: The Manhattan College libero led the Jaspers with 25 digs in a five-set heartbreaker to Bradley on Saturday. The junior added 22 digs in a four-set win over UMass Lowell on Friday.
» Ashley Johnson, Moanalua ’12: The North Carolina A&T libero led the Aggies with 11 digs in a three-set loss to Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday. The senior also earned a team-high 18 digs in a five-set win over Quinnipiac earlier that day.
» Ashlee Asada, ‘Iolani ’12: The Northeastern libero recorded 23 digs in a five-set win over South Dakota State on Friday. The senior also posted 10 digs in a sweep by Stephen F. Austin the same day.
» Chelsey Keoho, Kamehameha ’12: The Oregon defensive specialist picked up 11 digs in a five-set loss to Nebraska on Saturday.
» Jamie Hirai, Mid-Pacific ’14: The San Jose State libero collected 20 digs as the Spartans fell in five sets to Texas Rio Grande Valley on Saturday. The sophomore also recorded nine digs in a four-set win over Incarnate Word that day.
» Puamana Danielson, Kalani ’13: The Tennessee State setter delivered 29 assists and two aces in a five-set loss to Samford on Saturday.
» Ashley Kelsey, Campbell ’12: The New Mexico outside hitter finished with nine digs, two assists and an ace to help the Lobos go 2-1 in the Lobo Classic over the weekend.
Compiled by the Star-Advertiser’s Billy Hull. To submit an athlete for publication, email bhull@staradvertiser.com.