Last weekend, Kahuku High School won their away game against Radford with a staggering score of 103-0.
This marked the second 100-point game in Hawaii high school league history and the first-ever victory with a margin of over 100 points.
Shocked by the result, Radford parents immediately announced their intention to file a complaint against Kahuku High School with the Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA), but it will likely be dismissed as a minor incident.
Instead, this 100-point game is...
"Wow."
"This is insane."
"Did you see that pass?"
...thoroughly entertaining NFL and NCAA Division 1 college officials who have just begun their football seasons.
.
.
# September 10, 2016
#-1. Denver, Colorado
#-2. Sports Authority Field at Mile High
#-3. Head Coach's Office
The Denver Broncos, who won their 2016 NFL season opener two days ago, are still in a festive mood today. While they didn't necessarily expect to be the champions at the end of the next 16 weeks, victory is always sweet, and Denver craved it—even if the road ahead might eventually turn rocky.
In the NFL, a week is a year. Or an entire season.
And here is a man smiling: GaryKubiak. The head coach of the Denver Broncos, having won the Thursday night season opener under the nation's spotlight, was happily watching a monitor.
"He's really only 15?"
"Technically, 14."
"What?"
"Born December 26, 2001. He skipped his final year of middle school and jumped straight to high school."
"Wow. That's truly remarkable."
"What's more amazing is this: Moi had 5 touchdown passes in this game. He rushed for 116 yards and scored 3 touchdowns himself. It's the first time in 40 years a high school quarterback has put up numbers like that."
The Kahuku High School quarterback, who looked physically massive even on screen, made his mark on the entire United States once again yesterday. The impact was larger than expected, prompting not just NCAA scouts but even NFL personnel to take a moment to observe Dwayne Moi Stone's play.
Of course, almost every NFL insider knows Moi's name. However, most hadn't actually watched him play yet. There was no real need to. A current high school freshman needs at least seven more years to reach the pros. And seven years in the NFL is a new century.
More importantly, the football world is full of "flashes in the pan." Especially at quarterback.
"How far do you think he'll go?"
"Who knows. Guys like that can vanish in an instant."
"It happens all the time, Damon. All the time."
Take KyleAllen, for example—ranked the #1 high school QB in the nation in 2014 and praised as a rare "pro-style" prospect. He received national attention from his junior year, and many predicted greatness. Texas A&M spent three years recruiting him with immense effort. Yet, within two years, he was labeled a failure and transferred to Houston in the Big 12.
Similarly, ChristianHackenberg was rated the top high school QB recruit the year before, but now, no one expects him to be the best.
History is littered with countless such cases.
That is why NFL teams don't stress over high schoolers. They simply collect names and stats.
"Just looking at his play, it's hard to define his type."
"Feels like he does everything, doesn't it?" "That's what makes him special."
"Oh! That scene is coming up."
"I saw it. That was an incredible play."
The men of the Denver Broncos watched the screen in hushed concentration. And then...
"Whoa-hoho!"
Exclamations burst from their mouths simultaneously. It was because of the touchdown on the screen.
Kahuku's offense started just 3 yards from the end line. Naturally, Kahuku chose to rush. And the runner was the quarterback, Dwayne Moi Stone.
After using two fullbacks as decoys, Moi sprinted forward, leaped into the air, and did a full 360-degree mid-air spin. It was actually an accidental rotation caused by a defender's tackle hitting him mid-jump, but he didn't lose his balance. He spun smoothly and stuck a perfect landing for the touchdown.
It would have been impossible without innate talent. It was a moment of pure, elite athleticism.
"You know this clip is going viral right now?" "It's no joke, Gary."
"Really?"
This video, captured by a fan in the Radford stands, quickly surpassed millions of views online. Likes flew past the two-million mark. Checking this on a coach's phone, Denver's Gary Kubiak smiled and described the scene at the NCAA level without even having to look.
"It must be absolute chaos over there." "Probably worse."
"That'll be something to see."
Chaos. Perhaps even more than that. The predictions made by the Denver Broncos staff only captured about half of what was actually happening in the NCAA.
.
.
# Same Time
#-1. Gainesville, Florida
#-2. University of Florida
#-3. President's Office
What if the University of Florida disappeared from the state? Or rather, what if the Florida Gators football team disappeared?
If you asked people living in Florida that question, eight or nine out of ten would answer like this:
["Half the population would be unemployed."] ["The whole state would go bankrupt."]
It might be a slight exaggeration, but it was largely true.
The NCAA Division 1 football league is a market second only to the NFL and larger than even the MLB. Within that, the Southeastern Conference (SEC)—where Florida belongs—starkly demonstrates how much college football matters in America. Despite being an amateur league, massive amounts of money pour in every year.
For a university like Florida, considered one of the most popular teams in the SEC, the taxes generated can account for a third of the state's total tax revenue. In 2015, the University of Florida generated an economic impact of $740 million and created 110,000 jobs across the state.
Though there are differences in scale, universities competing in NCAA Division 1 football hold immense prestige. Therefore, they stake their lives on maintaining a competitive football team. Because the success of the football team is the success of the university.
This is why KentFuchs, President of the University of Florida, is obsessed with a boy in Hawaii. Dwayne Moi Stone can change the school's destiny by reviving a football program that has slumped since the Urban Meyer era.
The current head coach's opinion didn't matter much right now; there was no guarantee he'd still be there in four years. So, Kent Fuchs hired someone specifically for this task.
JoshLewis. A University of Florida alumnus with natural sociability and a smile that could melt anyone's heart.
"We need Moi."
"Yes, President. You're absolutely right." "Phew—the problem is the team's performance. You know?"
"We at least have to stay competitive."
"Moi is going to be a mega-star. He already is, but by the time he graduates high school, his influence might dwarf TimTebow's. You remember what Tebow was like?"
"Of course. Everyone does."
The Florida Gators' golden age was from 2005 to 2010 under Coach Urban Meyer. It wasn't an instant success, though. In fact, Meyer's "Spread Offense," which had led Utah to glory, didn't work initially in the much tougher SEC. After a disappointing first year, he succeeded in recruiting a massive dual-threat quarterback named Tim Tebow, which turned everything around.
At the time, Tebow was a prospect so highly anticipated that his college decision was broadcast live on ESPN. Once Tebow headed to the Gators, every high-school star in the country wanted to play for Florida. The golden age began because one 19-year-old quarterback chose them.
Kent Fuchs saw the same potential in Moi. Maybe even more. No—definitely more.
"Everyone will want to play with Moi. I'm sure of it."
"Then the golden age will return."
"It has to. We all know NickSaban, that damn man, has already set his sights on him. Fucking Alabama. But you know what? We are going to get Dwayne Moi Stone. That's why I hired you specifically. You understand what that means?"
"Perfectly."
Soon, Josh Lewis will pack up his home in Florida and head to Oahu, Hawaii. He will stay there and consistently recruit Dwayne Moi Stone. If he succeeds, he receives a $5 million incentive from the University of Florida.
$5 million.
Just to scout a high school football player as a freshman, the University of Florida offered an astronomical sum. That's why Josh Lewis quit his job. Florida was paying his salary anyway.
"When do you plan to leave?"
"Next Monday."
"Not bad. I'm counting on you."
"With this much money on the line, I will succeed no matter what."
"I'm counting on it."
A secret conversation between a university president and a professional recruiter. This is the reality of NCAA Division 1 football recruiting.
.
.
# September 12, 2016
#-1. Oahu, Hawaii
#-2. Honolulu, Kahuku CDP
#-3. Kahuku High School
#-4. Weight Room
The current time is 9:30 PM. This is the time I visit the gym every day. I set down my gym bag and looked for a mat. There it is.
I lay down on the mat and twisted my waist. Ah—that feels good. My body felt a bit stiff. I'd been studying tactics from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM straight. Then I had a quick meal, rested a bit, and came here.
I do weight training four times a week, from 9:30 PM until midnight. I plan to do that today and then crash back at the dorm.
Knock-knock—
"Huh?"
Who is it? Surprised, I looked at the entrance and saw a familiar face. Tamati.
"My god! You scared me!"
"Haha. Sorry. I forgot something."
"Forgot something?"
"Yeah. These."
Tamati held out a bundle of items. Letters. Currently, stacks of letters are arriving daily at the official Kahuku High School mailbox addressed to me.
The senders varied. Sometimes it was a young fan from somewhere in the country. Girls my age mostly asked which college I'd choose and said they hoped to meet me there. There were also some unknown media outlets mixed in—those are the first things I throw away.
What's left are...
"The Buckeyes want you."
"Ohio State."
There's a poster in America so famous it's become a meme. The Uncle Sam character in a blue hat with white stars, pointing a finger, with the text "I WANT YOU FOR U.S. ARMY" below. Looking at the letter from Ohio State (OSU), there was an Uncle Sam character in the same pose pointing at me. The text below read: 'BUCKEYES WANT YOU!'
"You know a Buckeye is a food, right?"
"Of course."
Buckeyes are made of peanut butter and chocolate. OSU made it their mascot.
Because of that, they get mocked a lot by rival teams, but since they are a powerhouse with eight national championships, the mockers usually end up losing the argument. As they say, you have to be strong.
And also... "It's mostly SEC schools."
Aside from Ohio State, the rest of the letters were mainly from SEC universities. South Carolina, Georgia, Oklahoma, LSU, and Florida. I picked up the one from Florida and said to Tamati:
"Did you know?"
"What?"
"At Florida, the President writes the letters personally."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. Want to see?"
I checked the signature at the bottom and handed the letter from the President of the University of Florida to Tamati.
"Oh, God."
"Haha. Right?"
"You might be the first freshman in high school to receive a personal letter from the President of Florida."
"Yeah, that's what people say."
"How did you know?"
"The President. In the letter, he wrote that it's his first time writing to a high school freshman."
"...."
After thanking Tamati, I went back to my spot and finished my stretching.
"You know where to leave the key?"
"Yup!"
"The lights?" "I'll make sure they're all off!" "Good. Then I'm heading home."
"Good work, Tamati. See you tomorrow."
Finally alone, I cranked up the music on my phone and focused on strength training. I'm focusing on low weight, high reps for now; I plan to start bulking up seriously in my senior year.
Huff—
Clank.
Huff—
Clank.
My t-shirt was soon soaked with sweat. I took it off and kept moving.
"Uaaargh—!!"
It's painful. It's grueling. Sometimes I don't even know why I'm doing this. But I endure and push through to the end.
"Dammit! This is fucking tough!"
But when I curse and look in the mirror, the negative emotions vanish completely. Instead, I feel so proud of myself.
"Hah—!"
After striking a pose for no reason, I pulled a dry towel from my bag and meticulously wiped down the sweat from the equipment. By the time I'm done, it's around midnight.
Beep-beep—
Beep-beep—
See? My body remembers the time now. Just like a hunger clock.
Gurgle—
Wow. Look at that timing.
I turned off the weight room lights, locked the door with the padlock, turned on my flashlight, and walked slowly.
"Leaving the key now—!"
"Moi! Wait a second."
"?"
"I brought you some food."
"Wow. Thank you."
"Don't mention it—you're the face of Kahuku. Leave the dish out front when you're done. I'll grab it when I do my rounds later, okay?" "Oorah."
I sometimes post about the hospitality I receive from people around me on social media, and reporters from the mainland often come and ask if things like that really happen. Every time, I tell them:
There are three Fs in Hawaii. Faith, Family, and Football.
Hawaii has a diverse religious culture, the largest being Protestantism and Mormonism. Instead of rejecting different beliefs, we naturally harmonized based on the unique spirit of Hawaii, respecting each other's lives and thoughts.
As for Family, since this is an island and a very small town, there has long been a custom of everyone looking out for everyone else. If something sad happens in one house, everyone in the neighborhood goes there to be a pillar of support and family.
Lastly, Football. Making money in Hawaii is very difficult, so for most families, they can't afford college tuition unless the kid gets a football scholarship. Of course, you can get scholarships in other sports, but in Hawaii, it's always been football.
Anyway. This unique Hawaiian culture always aligns with the spirit of "Love thy neighbor." So we take care of each other without expecting anything in return. This is my favorite tradition and something I intend to protect.
"Ugh, this is great."
After eating and showering, I lay on my bed and stared at the ceiling. I could barely keep my eyes open. When I'm this tired, I think to myself:
"Wow. Today was another productive day."
Without any resistance, I let sleep take me over.