Cal’s football team is in Honolulu this holiday season for the Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl, with several players returning to their home state. True freshman All-American Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, a native of Hawai’i, said there is only one place he would rather be during the holidays.
“The best scenario for us would be to win the ACC Championship and be preparing for the College Football Playoff,” Sagapolutele said.
While his top goal remains leading Cal to major postseason play in future years, this season brings him back home for a different reason. “I’m happy that I get to come home and play in front of family and friends,” Sagapolutele said. “It’s really a blessing.”
Sagapolutele is joined by fellow Hawaiian natives defensive back Aiden Manutai and defensive linemen Stanley Saole-McKenzie and LeBron Williams as they prepare to face the University of Hawai’i team. The matchup features multiple local athletes on both sides.
“I know all of the Hawaiian boys are trying to put on for our family and the last name on our jerseys, while also representing Cal in the best way possible,” Saole-McKenzie said. “Once we heard Hawai’i was a possibility, we prayed on it every day. Then, when we first got the news that we were actually coming over here, we all immediately called our families and started telling them to go buy their tickets, knowing that the Hawai’i stadium is not that big and will sell out fast.”
The Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex seats 15,000 fans and serves as Hawaii’s temporary football venue while construction continues at Aloha Stadium (https://hawaiiathletics.com/sports/2022/7/19/new-aloha-stadium-project.aspx). Each player receives four tickets per game but can trade with teammates if needed.
Saole-McKenzie has tried to secure more than 60 tickets for his supporters but may need even more according to Manutai: “He’s probably in the triple digits,” Manutai said with a laugh. “He just doesn’t know it.”
During their visit, Cal practiced at each player’s former high school—Kahuku High School on O’ahu’s North Shore for Manutai and Williams; Saint Louis School for McKenzie; Campbell High School in Ewa Beach for Sagapolutele—allowing teammates to see parts of O’ahu beyond Waikiki.
“You can come to Waikiki and kind of get stuck between the Pacific and Ala Wai (Canal), and that’s kind of your experience in Hawai’i,” interim head coach Nick Rolovich said. “By going out to their schools we saw so much of the island and its beauty. Yes, we want to win the game, but there is an experience that I believe enriches each person as a player in the Hawai’i Bowl by seeing as much as you can of the island.”
Alongside practice sessions, players participated in various activities such as a barbecue hosted by Saole-McKenzie’s family at Ala Moana Regional Park, attended a luau, visited Wet ‘n’ Wild water park (https://www.wetnwildhawaii.com/), spent time at local community organizations including shelters and hospitals (https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2023/12/18/cal-football-team-spreads-holiday-cheer-oahu-homeless-shelter/), toured Pearl Harbor (https://www.nps.gov/perl/index.htm), and enjoyed free time exploring Honolulu.
“Stan and LeBron have been making sure the D-line eats well,” defensive lineman Derek Wilkins said. “Whether it’s Stan’s family at the BBQ or tips ordering from Zippy’s, it’s been amazing to have them helping us truly understand the beauty of the island. Being able to be out here in Hawai’i with the guys has been great. Getting to see LeBron and Stanley’s high schools, meeting some of people that helped them become players they are has been super cool. And I’ve also been super appreciative of how welcoming everyone has been.”
Manutai noted there were still many things left undone due to time constraints: “I wish we were able to make our own schedule,” he said before listing other favorite activities he hopes do during winter break.
All four Hawaiian natives plan additional time with family before returning next month as Cal prepares for its next football season.
