Hawaiian eyes his paradise

BRYCE ALDERTON

Jesse Mahelona never expected this much attention after three games

of his sophomore season as a defensive tackle for the Orange Coast

College football team.

The 6-foot-2, 294-pound Hawaiian native has made quite a name for

himself, earning first-team all-state recognition last season when he

amassed 62 tackles and tied for the team lead with six sacks.

Colleges have been watering at the mouth for this guy, including

Oklahoma, Oregon, Arizona State, Washington, UCLA and Oregon State to

name a few. He has already visited Oklahoma and plans on touring ASU

the weekend of Oct. 11-12, when Coast has a bye.

His coach, Mike Taylor, said Mahelona will be playing on Sundays

in the NFL and that he is one of the best blue-chips to grace Coast

in his 17 years at the school.

“He is unstoppable,” Taylor said. “You can’t block him. He has

speed and quickness and doesn’t take plays off.”

Despite the attention, Mahelona remains humble, a 20-year-old who

references God when explaining the reasons for his success.

From his native Kona, Hawaii, Mahelona grayshirted at the

University of Hawaii in 2001. But, needing to bring his grades up, he

decided community college was his best bet.

He debated, back and forth, between College of the Canyons and

OCC. Then Keola Loo, OCC’s right guard the last two years who is

playing at Washington State this fall, invited Mahelona to tour OCC.

Loo and Mahelona’s older brother had known each other from their high

school football days on the Big Island. Mahelona said the decision

between College of the Canyons and OCC came down to who he knew.

“I didn’t know anyone [at College of the Canyons],” he said.

Loo offered Mahelona a place to stay and Southern California had

lured a prospect with unlimited potential.

Mahelona shares a two-bedroom apartment walking distance from OCC

with Coast starting strong safety Una Latu, and two others. Latu went

to St. Louis High in Honolulu. Mahelona said living with a native

Hawaiian helped in the transition to California culture.

Mahelona began playing football when he was 9. At Kailua-Kona

High, he saw action at linebacker as a freshman and offensive line as

a sophomore before moving over to the defensive line his junior and

senior seasons.

Mahelona, who wants to study either communications or criminal

justice at a university, would like to return to Hawaii, but

something with three letters might delay the journey back home

slightly. The NFL comes to mind.

Barring serious injury, Mahelona is a sure bet to start at a

Division I school the next two years. Many believe he is also

destined for an NFL career.

Watch out Brett Favre, Peyton Manning and Michael Vick.

Mahelona’s size makes him the perfect run-stopper, but he is also

adept at squeezing through any hole, no matter how slight, on the

offensive line.

“I’m taking this season more seriously, mentally and physically,”

he said. “I study my opponents more and am more focused on what needs

to get done.”

Mahelona has met the goals he set last year, earning

all-conference recognition and receiving scholarship offers. He is

still shooting for one more: becoming an All-American.

“That is the goal I hope to achieve this season,” he said.

“He is a model guy ever since he’s been here,” Taylor said. “I

would love to have five more of him.”

Mahelona lost about 20 pounds after last season, increasing his

quickness even more.

That alone should strike fear in most Mission Conference teams. He

was a main reason why Coast headed into its conference showdown with

Saddleback Sept. 20 with the No. 1-rated defense in the state. Coast

lost to Saddleback, 30-7, but headed into its game Saturday against

visiting Fullerton at 2-1. The Pirates probably won’t face a team as

talented and deep as Saddleback the rest of the regular season.

In Coast’s 18-14 opening-game win over Glendale Sept. 6, Mahelona

made 12 tackles. Much of those were made after he sprained his ankle

early in the first quarter.

He has gained the respect of his peers as well.

Coast’s defensive end Bryan Meers, who returned a fumble for a

touchdown in a 20-0 shutout of Los Angeles Southwest Sept. 13, left

no question where the leadership lies on the defensive front.

“He is the guy that makes everything happen,” Meers said. “He is

the key to this defense.”

Stay glued to your television sets the next few years, you may

just see No. 55, or another numeral, sacking Drew Bledsoe.