Monday Morning MIL: From Oregon to Hawai‘i, ‘brothers’ cheer each other on in special football weekend

Iapani “Poncho” Laloulu was paying close attention as Baldwin High School played Damien Memorial School in the quarterfinal of the Division I First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA state football tournament in Kalihi, O‘ahu, on Saturday night. 

Usually the University of Oregon’s standout junior center would have been busy with his own game on a Saturday evening, but since the Ducks took care of business in a 42-13 win over Minnesota on Friday in Eugene, Ore., in a game moved for television purposes, Laloulu wasn’t about to miss his first cousin, Fa‘anu Ma‘o, play offensive line for the Bears.

Baldwin’s season ended in a hard-fought 28-14 loss to Damien on Saturday, but the Bears’ first trip to the state tournament since 2019 carried a special meaning in many ways, but none more significant than it was for Ma‘o and Laloulu.

Technically, Ma‘o and Laloulu are first cousins but they both refer to each other as “brothers.” They were always close growing up, Laloulu on O‘ahu and Ma‘o on Maui, but they grew closer as Ma‘o’s mother, Failagi Laloulu Ma‘o, battled breast cancer that first hit her in 2017 when Fa‘anu was 9 years old and Poncho was 13.

Failagi Ma‘o recovered from her first bout with cancer in 2019, but the disease returned in 2023 “and it didn’t go away,” Fa‘anu Ma‘o said fighting back tears on Sunday via phone. Failagi Ma‘o died on July 31 at the age of 50, nine days before the Bears opened their season with a 17-13 win at Hilo. 

Fa‘anu Ma‘o — affectionately called “Nunu” by all those close to him — dedicated his junior season at Baldwin to the memory of his mother. 

“Before she passed away, she made me promise to her that we’ll make it to states, become (Maui Interscholastic League) Division I champs,” Fa‘anu Ma‘o said. “That talk played a big role. And, it took a big part of me. … This season meant a lot.”

Baldwin won nine MIL Division I football titles in a row from 2005 to 2013 and then added three more in 2015, 2016 and 2019. Head coach Cody Nakamura took over the program in 2022 and the team went 0-9 his first year and 0-8 in 2023, the first two winless, tie-less seasons in Baldwin High School football history. 

The Bears improved to 6-3 overall last season, losing a down-to-the-wire 10-7 decision to Lahainaluna in a championship playoff game. This season, after an 0-2 start to MIL play, the Bears rallied to win five of their final six games to return to the state tournament for the first time in six seasons.

On Saturday, Baldwin was within 21-14 until Damien scored the game-clincher with 1:19 to play. The Bears had the ball deep in Monarchs’ territory in the fourth quarter before being stopped on downs.

“The boys did a really good job. We’re very proud of them,” Nakamura said. “The way they competed … we got down 14-0 early and kind of fought our way back with a very good opportunity at the end of the game. We just couldn’t execute and came up a little short.”

Nakamura added, “We feel like we’re on the right track. This is definitely one of the goals that the boys had at the beginning of the season. Our seniors are disappointed, but I think they should be very proud of how far they brought this team since we started as a coaching staff.”

Baldwin offensive coordinator Jordan Helle said he will be counting on Fa‘anu Ma‘o a ton next season when he becomes a senior. Ma‘o was voted a captain by teammates this season and carries a 3.7 grade-point average. 

“He’s a great young man, just a wonderful kid,” Helle said. “He has started for us since he was a freshman. He’s been at this for a while and to handle everything that was, obviously, much more important off the field and to still be there for the guys … it was really incredible.”

Ma‘o remembers the Baldwin glory days, including when Helle was a standout quarterback before graduating in 2008.

“Me being a young kid watching from the stands and now to get the full experience of doing what Baldwin is known for, it was special,” Ma‘o said.

While Laloulu was doing his thing for the No. 8-ranked Ducks on Friday night in Eugene — Oregon ran for 179 yards among 6 ballcarriers and quarterback Dante Moore was 27 for 30 passing for 306 yards and two touchdowns and just one sack — Laloulu had the nation watching at him on FOX television as a top NFL draft prospect.

After showering and pulling on a “Hawai‘i Essentials” hoodie, he turned his thoughts to the Bears and their game a day later. Laloulu is always watching out for his younger cousin playing the game for the Wailuku school, but even more so since Failagi Ma‘o passed away.

Laloulu stands 6-foot-2, 329 pounds, while Fa‘anu Ma‘o is 6-2, 315.

“Fa‘anu, man, Nunu boy, I love that kid,” Laloulu said. “Actually his mom and my dad (Fa‘a‘ope Laloulu) are siblings, so that’s how he’s my first cousin. Just seeing him, seeing his stories on Instagram, seeing how much he’s growing in the game of football, it means a lot, just shout out to Nunu boy. Man, I love you boy … I always tell him ‘I’m one call away, man.’ We’re really brothers.“

Laloulu was a All-Big Ten Conference honorable mention selection last season among coaches and media, on the Rimington Trophy watch list for the best center in the nation, and Polynesian College Football Player of the Year watch list. Similar, if not larger, awards are likely this season for the 2023 graduate of Farrington High School on O‘ahu.

As he led a blocking scheme that sprung Ducks running back Noah Whittington on a 40-yard stop-and-go touchdown run to push the Oregon lead to 21-3 with 9:31 to go in second quarter, Laloulu drew praise from the FOX announcers Jason Benetti and Robert Griffin III. Post-game, Oregon coach Dan Lanning said he wouldn’t trade his center for anyone else in college football.

“I don’t get to watch everybody else’s film, but we’re blessed to have the best center in the nation in my mind,” Lanning said. “With the way that Poncho plays, his leadership is just as important as the way he plays. Does an unbelievable job, he’s certainly the lifeblood of that (offensive line) group up front. Great leader and great player.”

Laloulu holds a special place in his heart for Maui and his family here. He was quick to volunteer for an Under Armour clinic in early July. 

“Man, I love Maui,” Laloulu said. “As a little kid, I was probably the only kid that would travel with my father to Maui a lot, go do the family stuff, seeing Nunu and everybody.”

Laloulu said his favorite spot on Maui is ‘Īao Valley.

“All the family back over there, shout out to the fam back in Maui, love each and every one of you guys, appreciate you guys’ support and your love,” Laloulu said. “Whenever I go to Maui, it’s beautiful.”

Laloulu said he will always take the chance to give back to Hawai‘i youth, whether on the football field or elsewhere.

“For me, it means a lot, I think that’s something I’ve always wanted to do, go back and give back to the kids, the kids where I’m from,” Laloulu said. “Just to shine a light upon them, just give them some advice … ‘There’s opportunity out there for you guys, so don’t be shy to take it up full hand, and when the opportunity comes, make sure you take it away and you run with it.’”

Ma‘o sees the love for Hawai‘i and Maui from Laloulu up close and personal all the time. 

“He’s my brother, he’s there for me all the time, especially since my mom died,” Ma‘o said.

His mother is never far from his mind as well.

“She’s my everything,” Ma‘o said. “It was really hard when I lost her. But I just know that she’s up there telling me to stay strong. Just keep doing my thing and just don’t let anyone tell me any other thing, just do me and that’s it.”

“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.