Losing 15 of 22 starters to graduation doesn’t bode well for most high school football programs.
Saint Louis is not most high school football programs. Year 2 of the Cal Lee Reunion Tour went spectacularly well in so many ways. With a revamped defense and the offensive superiority of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (2,932 passing yards, 481 rushing yards, 35 total TDs in 2015), ILH champion Saint Louis rolled into the state tourney before being routed by Kahuku 39-14.
Tagovailoa returns for his senior season, now a nationally recognized playmaker committed to play for Alabama. The rest of the offense, in large part, is gone. Gone are pass protectors Nate Herbig (Stanford) and Tytus Timoteo (Western New Mexico), as well as wide receiver Drew Kobayashi (Cal). The Crusaders might seem, on paper, to be rebuilding.
In reality, it’s more like reloading. Everyone in the system has been trained under offensive coordinator Ron Lee’s tutelage. Michael Minihan (6 feet 3, 275 pounds) anchors the O-line and already has committed to Georgia Tech.
“The kids coming up now, the seniors, they know what we’re doing a lot better offensively and defensively. There’s still some kids who are brand new. They’re buying into what we’re doing,” Lee said. “I love the enthusiasm the kids are showing every day at practice.”
Defensively, losses to graduation were significant, but there’s plenty of leadership from standouts Isaac Slade-Matautia, Dylan Toilolo and Noah Purcell at LB, and safeties Jalen Saole and Wes Tufaga.
“I don’t want to say my linebackers are the best. We don’t know,” Lee said. “After the season, we’ll find out. Everything’s on paper. I like our guys. That’s who we’ve got to work with and I like them.”
Slade-Matautia (6-1, 220) may be the most explosive ’backer in the islands. He has offers from eight schools ranging from UH to the Pac-12, Big 12 and ACC.
The spotlight also has been on Faatui Tuitele, a 6-3, 270-pound defensive lineman who received his first college scholarship offer last spring as a freshman. In the ILH, freshmen are not permitted to play varsity football.
The offense is a land of opportunity.
“We have six running backs right now. We’ve broken it down to some of our returnees,” Lee said, noting Jimmy Gonsalves, Jared Silofau and Dylan Silva. “They all did well. Hopefully, one will stand out.”
The receiving corps has 6-foot-4 Chris Sykes and Chandler Washington-Villanueva lining up outside, plus a host of returnees at the slot: Noah Alejado, Leelan Oasay, Tosh Kekahuna and Ronson Young.
“We have 20 receivers. Hopefully, we can find four to start off. The competition will make everybody better. Nobody can dog it or take it easy,” Lee said.
