ASHA HUNT / ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tua Tagovailoa, #13, is one of 14 local products on the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year watch list.
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The Polynesian Football Hall of Fame announced its 2019 Watch List for the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award on Tuesday.
Fourteen of the 63 players named to the list are alums of high schools in Hawaii.
Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (Saint Louis) leads a list of players that includes Utah’s Bradlee Anae (Kahuku) and Mika Tafua (Kamehameha), LSU’s Breiden Fehoko (Farrington), Hawaii’s Dayton Furuta (Mililani), Kaimana Padello (Mililani) and Solomon Matautia (Campbell), Notre Dame’s Alohi Gilman (Kahuku), Southern California’s Jordan Iosefa (Saint Louis) and Vavae Malepeai (Mililani), Boise State’s Kekaula Kaniho (Kahuku), Fresno State’s Netane Muti (Leilehua), Nebraska’s Kanawai Noa (Punahou) and Kansas’ Andru Tovi (Mililani).
Three other Rainbow Warriors made the list — offensive linemen Kohl Lavao and Solo Vaipulu and linebacker Penie Pavihi.
The inaugural award was handed out to Oregon’s Marcus Mariota, a Saint Louis alumnus, in 2014.
Washington State’s Hercules Mata’afa (Lahainaluna) won it in 2017 and Tagovailoa won it last year.
The winner of the 2019 award will be announced Dec. 17 and five finalists will be released on Dec. 5.
The presentation of the award will be held during the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week Celebration Dinner on Jan. 17 and they will be recognized at halftime of the 2020 Polynesian Bowl on Jan. 18 at Aloha Stadium.
