It was the summer before his senior year at Punahou School when Dakota Torres felt the tug of the mainland.
“I thought I was going to go away (to college),” Torres recalled. “Then I got the (scholarship) offer to go to UH, and I thought about it, and it was, ‘I’d rather stay home.’”
Five years later, Torres is set to play his final regular-season home game for the University of Hawaii football team.
“The thing that is interesting about our senior class is there are a lot of guys who came in with us and a lot of guys who decided to leave before their senior year,” said Torres, a slotback. “Our senior class is pretty small compared to a lot of the ones before, but we’re a very tight senior class. I think everyone on this senior class is on the same page.”
Many of the 18 seniors are part of the union of two coaching staffs. Nick Rolovich succeeded Norm Chow, who was fired as UH head coach in 2015. Co-captain Jahlani Tavai, who underwent shoulder surgery last week, played under six defensive coordinators in his five years at UH. Torres, who was a tight end through last season, was reassigned when the position was eliminated this year. Ten seniors joined the Rainbow Warriors as walk-ons. Nine have never started.
Each senior has a unique story. Running back Genta Ito is the Warriors’ first Japan-reared player. Quarterback Larry Tuileta is an All-America volleyball player. Slotback Tristin Kamaka is an accomplished mixed-martial-arts fighter. Noah Borden, who served a mission before joining UH, is married and a father of two. Safety Tumua Tuinei is a rising comedian who performed at Blue Note Hawaii on Thursday night.
“I love ’em,” Rolovich said of the seniors. “I love ’em for everything they’ve sacrificed for this program. I think they’ve approached this season in such a good way that wherever they go in the real world after here, they’re going to carry the values and be successful because of how they attacked this season.”
Rolovich praised the reserves.
“To have the humility to keep coming to practice every day and not necessarily be a starter — and there are multiple guys — they like being part of this football team,” Rolovich said. “They like being part of the history of this program.”
Torres said it was the unity that provided motivation.
“You gotta love playing for Hawaii, being in Hawaii,” said Torres, who grew up in Waianae. “That’s what kept me going. Coming in every day and seeing all the boys, it’s great. I love the guys on the team.”
Marcus Armstrong-Brown
>> Position: Wideout
>> Hometown: Napa, Calif.
>> Graduation: May 11, 2019 (communicology/political science)
>> Best UH memory: “One of the best memories I’ve had was this year, just getting closer to my teammates. I felt last year, coming in as a JUCO kid, I had a little bit of pressure on me just to prove myself to the coaches that they made a great decision and why they gave me a scholarship … (and) to prove to my teammates, I am here to play football, and let them know where my loyalty is with them. And this year, just the togetherness and the closeness we’ve had in the receiver group, that’s probably what I cherish the most.”
Noah Borden
>> Position: Long-snapper
>> Hometown: Pearl City
>> Graduation: May 11, 2019 (kinesiology, exercise science)
>> Best UH memory: “Probably the bowl game, the bowl game win.”
Kolney Cassel
>> Position: Quarterback
>> Hometown: Yakima, Wash.
>> Graduation: Earned bachelor’s degree (intercultural communications) in 2018; master’s in December 2019 (directing/acting).
>> Best UH memory: “Acting as (quarterback) Cole McDonald (in pregame warm-ups). I put my (acting) degree to work.”
Zeno Choi
>> Position: Defensive end
>> Hometown: Honolulu
>> Graduation: May 11, 2019 (natural resources and environmental management)
>> Best UH memory: “Getting a scholarship (in 2017).”
Kaiwi Chung
>> Position: Center
>> Hometown: Honolulu
>> Graduation: May 11, 2019 (human development/family sciences)
>> Best UH memory: “It was when we went to the Hawaii Bowl.”
Elijah Dale
>> Position: Running back
>> Hometown: San Francisco
>> Graduation: Earned a degree in May (political science), master’s in spring 2020 (public administration)
>> Best UH memory: “Going into it, and being my last year, my approach was to enjoy every day. Especially graduating early and being a redshirt and coming out of JUCO, you don’t really think you’re going to play again. Every day you’re out there, you appreciate it and you’re kind of like, ‘This is my last year. I’m going to enjoy every moment, even the days, you’re tired.’ It’s the whole experience. I’m happy to be a part of it.”
Melvin Davis
>> Position: Running back
>> Hometown: Compton, Calif.
>> Graduation: Dec. 15 (family youth studies, disciplinary studies)
>> Best UH memory: “There are a lot of memories, but so far, it’s the bowl game, when we won it. Just the atmosphere, to see everybody smiling. It was a great feeling.”
Tevarua Eldridge
>> Position: Defensive end
>> Hometown: Wailuku
>> Graduation: Dec. 15 (Hawaiian studies, Hawaiian language)
>> Best UH memory: “The Hawaii Bowl (in 2016) and traveling to Utah last year with the snow.”
Rashaan Falemalu
>> Position: Linebacker
>> Hometown: Hauula
>> Graduation: Dec. 15 (human development/family studies)
>> Best UH memory: “Winning the bowl game.”
Manu Hudson-Rasmussen
>> Position: Defensive back
>> Hometown: Tigard, Ore.
>> Graduation: Dec. 15 (sociology)
>> Best UH memory: “Probably the first game at UMass (in 2017). That was a fun game.”
Genta Ito
>> Position: Running back
>> Hometown: Inabe, Japan
>> Graduation: Dec. 15 (economics)
>> Best UH memory: “Traveling to Utah State (in 2017).”
Tristin Kamaka
>> Position: Slotback
>> Hometown: Ewa Beach
>> Graduation: May 11, 2019 (kinesiology and rehabilitation science)
>> Best UH memory: “I would say our military experience, going out to Schofield. A lot of new players came in, so we got to do a lot of team activities together. It was, in my opinion, our first actual team bonding, where we got together and did things as a team. I thought it was step one to building this team for this year and this season.”
Shawn McCarthy
>> Position: Long-snapper
>> Hometown: Honolulu
>> Graduation: Dec. 15 (finance)
>> Best UH memory: “As a collective, just meeting all the guys on the team, especially the special-team squad. I got a lot of bonds, lifetime friends. I got some new brothers here.”
Devan Stubblefield
>> Position: Wideout
>> Hometown: Ewa Beach
>> Graduation: Dec. 15 (sociology)
>> Best UH memory: “Some of my best memories while being on the University of Hawaii football team are traveling on the road to racking up frequent-flier miles, eating four times a day, and staying at the numerous five-star hotels. Being with my teammates throughout this whole experience made it all worthwhile and they definitely will hold some of my most cherished memories.”
Jahlani Tavai
>> Position: Linebacker
>> Hometown: Inglewood, Calif.
>> Graduation: Dec. 15 (human development/family studies)
>> Best UH memory: “Winning the bowl game, overtime to win the trophy with Air Force and snap their winning streak at home, and freezing in snow at practice in Utah.”
Dakota Torres
>> Position: Slotback
>> Hometown: Waianae
>> Graduation: Dec. 15 (human development/family studies)
>> Best UH memory: “Winning the Hawaii Bowl in 2016. But we’ll see, maybe we’ll make a new one in 2018.”
Larry Tuileta
>> Position: Quarterback
>> Hometown: Honolulu
>> Graduation: May 11, 2019 (communications)
>> Best UH memory: “Coming home (after transferring from USC). Seeing my family in the stands. There are so many memories. Just spending time with the guys on the team. They’re super cool.”
Tumua Tuinei
>> Position: Safety
>> Hometown: Honolulu
>> Graduation: Dec. 15 (communicology/theater)
>> Best UH memory: “Probably going to the Hawaii Bowl in 2016. Hopefully, we can go again this year.”
