Video: 2018 Polynesian Player of the Year Watch List Zack Poff takes a look at some of the players selected for the 2018 Polynesian Player of the Year award. The Polynesian Football Hall of Fame announced today the 44 players it nominated for the 2018 Polynesian High School Football Player of the Year Award.
Most of those players will be part of the 2019 Polynesian Bowl, which will be televised on the
CBS Sports Network on Jan. 19 and features many of the nation's best players overall from the Class of 2019.
Other nominees include
Faatui Tuitele, a 4-star defensive tackle from
St. Louis (Honolulu), the No. 12 team in the MaxPreps Top 25, USC commit
Puka Nacua from
Orem (Utah),
Williams Field (Gilbert, Ariz.), 4-star defensive back
Noa Pola-Gates, 4-star linebacker
Henry To'oto'o of
De La Salle's (Concord, Calif.),
Maninoa Tufono of
Punahou (Honolulu),
Jonah Tauanu'u of No. 24
Narbonne (Harbor City, Calif.) and 4-star cornerback
Max Williams from
Serra (Gardena, Calif.).
includes 30 different schools and 13 players selected play for teams that are ranked in the preseason Top 25, including four from the No. 1 team —
St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.).
On Dec. 6, the list of 44 will be condensed to five finalists with the winner announced on Jan. 18 during the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week Celebration Dinner.
Current USC Trojan
Talanoa Hufanga of
Crescent Valley (Corvallis, Ore.) was the inaugural winner last January beating out two of his current USC teammates,
Palaie Gaoteote and
Solomon Tuliaupupu, along with Washington's
Brandon Kaho, and Hawaii's
Chevan Cordeiro.
The Polynesian Bowl is becoming one of the marquee events in high school football as it recently
inked a deal with Nike.
The roster is loaded with some of the country's best talent overall and the 2020 game already has a commitment from the class's No. 1 rated quarterback, St. John Bosco's
DJ Uiagalelei.
Henry To'oto'o, De La Salle
Photo by Dennis Lee
