Na Koa Lunch Report, 2011, Zac Quines, Inoke Funaki

uhwarriors has the final Na Koa Lunch Report for the year up on NaKoa.org. Here's an excerpt:

Tuioti recalled that he played for UH from 1995 to 1999 and was part of the 19 game losing streak as well as the turnaround season in 1999. During the 6 game losing streak this year, he felt some of the same feelings he had during the 19 game losing streak. But this year’s team did not throw in the towel like his teams in 1997 and 1998. This year’s team “had the will to continue to fight”. They learned, bought in and believed and gave themselves a chance to play in a bowl game.

The loss to Wisconsin was tough on the players because they feel they let the State down. We needed to play mistake free, but we didn’t. The underclassmen really wanted to win for the seniors and are motivated to do better next year.

Jason Kaneshiro has some attendance figures for this season. Numbers were slightly down.

Kaneshiro also writes about UH finishing the 2011 schedule.

UH opens 2011 with a home game against Colorado followed by back-to-back road games at Washington and UNLV.

Scheduling UC Davis the next week guarantees the Warriors will not have a string of three straight road games, as was the case this past season when a Seattle-Las Vegas trip preceded their Western Athletic Conference opener at Louisiana Tech.

"We're trying to do what we can to make sure we don't have three consecutive road trips," Donovan said.

The Oregon State game to close the regular season fills a late-season void left when Washington State pulled out of its contract.

When the Cougars pulled out of the game scheduled for Nov. 26, Donovan said Oregon State contacted UH about filling the spot as part of a home-and-home series.

Stephen Tsai profiles new UH commit Zac Quines.

"Ever since I was little, this is something I always wanted to do," Quines said. "I always watched their games. Being a fan of UH, my dad was always telling me I would go there and 'one day we'll tailgate at your games.' Ever since then, I've been keeping that in mind. Finally, the day has come, and I'm going to be a Warrior."

Quines said he is 6 feet 3, 210 pounds, and once ran 40 yards in 4.68 seconds.

Mililani coach Darnell Arceneaux praised Quines' football IQ.

"He understands his keys, and he understands the game," Arceneaux said. "The great thing about him is he brings it every day. Once he turns it on, it's on. He has a great future. He'll fit right into college ball."

Arceneaux likened Quines, who played middle linebacker for the Trojans, to UH linebacker Blaze Soares.

And Russell Tolentino of Ka Leo profiles Inoke Funaki.

Inoke Funaki’s time with the Warrior football team has come to an end, but his journey in life is far from over.

“I see Inoke as a real big impact in the public, especially in (his hometown) Laie,” junior offensive lineman Andrew Faaumu said. “Everyone knows Inoke. Even when we travel, people know him and they know what he’s done and what his capabilities are on and off the field.

“His future is looking real bright.”

Godspeed, Inoke!