The Philadelphia Eagles backup quarterback donated candy-apple red cleats to all the players on the
Lahainaluna (Lahaina) football team displaced by the deadly fire on Maui in early August.
The Lunas received the gift after practice last Saturday as they prepare for their first game Sept. 30 against Baldwin at War Memorial Stadium.
"I'm honestly just kind of speechless right now," senior defensive back/running back/kick returner
Kuola Watson told The Maui News. "He gave all of us brand-new cleats. Most of us really needed it too because I was giving out some of my (old) cleats to the boys, but Marcus Mariota pulled through and gave us some cleats and we just wanted to thank him for all he's done for us and everything he's accomplished.
"It's kind of inspiring, a boy from Hawaii made it big-time and he remembers us. It's heartwarming."
While much of the historic town of Lahaina was leveled by the fire, the school has come together in the southern Maui town of Kihei, where the football team practices on a soccer field. Despite the tragedy, the Lunas have about 75 to 85 players practicing according to athletic director Jon Conrad.
Mariota, who won a Heisman Trophy at the University of Oregon, worked with his mom Alana Mariota, and Keith Amemiya, who has spearheaded the "Luna Strong" movement that, according to the paper, has raised more than $325,000 to help more than 450 displaced Lahainaluna student-athletes and coaches.
