Monday Morning MIL: Football players Karsyn Pupunu, Frank Abreu representing Maui well as Rainbow Warriors

Karsyn Pupunu often wondered during his five-year journey if his time to shine would ever arrive with the University of Hawai’i football team. This season, his time has come. 

Frank Abreu’s time in the spotlight appears to be just moments away.

The pair of Kamehameha Schools Maui alumni are the only Maui Interscholastic League graduates on the Rainbow Warriors’ roster this season. 

Saturday the pair endured Hawai’i’s last-minute 23-21 loss to Fresno State, but they are representing Maui on the state’s team with immense pride.

Pupunu is a senior wide receiver who has earned a starting role after beginning his career as a walk-on. While at UH trying to make an impact for the hometown team — labeled by many as Da Braddahood — Pupunu has been through challenges that included spending a month in the hospital after severe complications from strep throat during his freshman year at UH in 2021. 

“I had a kidney failure, basically,” Pupunu said. “Throughout that time I lost a bunch of strength and a bunch of things had gone wrong.”

While Pupunu said he is now healthy, the issues he faced then nearly ended his UH career before it began. 

“I actually got sick from strep throat and that bacteria got into my blood,” he said. “So that affected my kidneys for a while.”

Then came the Lahaina wildfire that killed at least 102 people on Aug. 8, 2023, including four of Pupunu’s relatives — Tony Takafua, 7; Salote Tone, 39; Faaso Tone, 70; and Malui Fonua Tone, 73.

Salote Tone and her son Tony Takafua were cousins to Pupunu, while Faaso Tone and Malui Fonua Tone were his uncle and aunt. Pupunu keeps a picture of the foursome in his locker at the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex, the on-campus facility where UH plays home games.

“After the fire, it ignited me a little more to just go even harder and … just fully give it all I have for them and for Lahaina,” said Pupunu, who is from Lahaina. “Before every game, I actually look at a picture of my family members who I lost in the fire and that really just motivates me for the game.”

This season, Pupunu is third on the team with 16 catches as a wide receiver. Before this year, he was largely a special teams player. He came into the season with 13 career receptions.

The Rainbow Warriors are 3-2 after the loss to Fresno State, and still trying to reach a bowl game for the first time since they qualified for the 2021 Hawai’i Bowl.

“Every local boy has had that dream of just trying to come home and play for the team and replicate that success, try to bring Hawai’i up to what we used to be,” Pupunu said. “That’s been our goal as this team moves on throughout the season, just bringing Hawaiʻi back.”

Abreu is a freshman tight end after sitting out last year as a gray shirt, a term used for players who take a gap year between high school but are a student who is committed to the program.

Pupunu has worked with Abreu to help him acclimate to all the details of college football. 

“I’ve tried to help him out with just understanding the offense, but also outside of football, all the weight we carry as athletes and having to go through school and stuff,” Pupunu said. “I’m just trying to be there for him and be supportive throughout his process here at UH.”

Abreu has added 30 pounds of muscle since graduating from Kamehameha Maui in 2024. He now stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 235 pounds, transitioning from wide receiver in high school to tight end in college.

“Frank is a naturally hard worker and he loves football,” said Thomas Sheffield, special teams coordinator and tight ends coach for the Rainbow Warriors. “When you put those two things together, typically something really, really great comes out at the end.”

He feels special times are ahead for Abreu.

“I believe that Frank will be the best tight end in Hawai’i football history when all is said and done,” Sheffield said. “And I really believe that because of the work ethic that he puts in, his attention to detail and how much love he has for football, the University of Hawai’i, and the state of Hawai’i.”

Pupunu was Abreu’s host on his official visit to the school when he was a senior at Kamehameha Maui. Abreu has not made it into a game yet, but is on the travel team as a freshman.

“He’s been great, man, ever since my official visit when he was showing me around,” Abreu said of Pupunu. “When it comes to the field, too, because he helps me with plays and all that. … It’s just cool to have another guy that’s from your home on the team.”

Pupunu draws similar praise from Sheffield from their time together on special teams.

“I know we’re not supposed to have favorites as coaches or parents, but Karsyn Pupunu has a special place in my heart and I’d do anything for that kid,” Sheffield said. “He’s an awesome kid. He’s overcome a lot.”

Friday night, their alma mater, Kamehameha Maui, improved to 4-0 in the MIL when the Warriors beat King Kekaulike 41-7, clinching the MIL first-round title in Division II. That means the defending Division II state-champion Warriors have guaranteed themselves at least a playoff for the MIL Division II state playoff berth with King Kekaulike if Na Ali’i (2-2 MIL) win the second round.

Baldwin (2-2) beat Lahainaluna (2-2) for the MIL Division I first-round title, 42-12 on Saturday in Lahaina. Baldwin quarterback Jordan Carbonell ran for two touchdowns and passed for two more to Hiilawe Han in the key victory. Maui High (0-4) was idle this weekend.

The playoff weekend, if division championship games are necessary, is Nov. 7-8.

Senior running back Zedekaiah Campbell ran for 212 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries for the Warriors and also caught a 1-yard touchdown reception. Campbell said after the playoff-clinching win that the defending Division II state championship team draws inspiration from their former schoolmates playing in college.

“Man, it’s so cool to see those guys balling out for UH,” Campbell said. 

Kamehameha Maui offensive lineman Pa’u Spencer, a 6-3, 280-pound senior, has a scholarship offer from UH and is also in discussions with Nevada-Las Vegas, Boise State, Idaho State, California and San Jose State. He helped open running lanes for his team to pile up 436 yards on the ground and 496 total yards in the victory over King Kekaulike.

“It’s truly just a blessing to see how far our program has come from not even existing about 20 years ago to now,” Spencer said. “Now we’re dominating Maui, dominating the state, and have guys at the D-I collegiate level. It truly is amazing.”

“Monday Morning MIL” columns appear weekly on Monday mornings with updates on local sports in the Maui Interscholastic League and elsewhere around Maui County. Please send column ideas — anything having to do with sports in Maui County — as well as results and photos to rob@hjinow.org.