Around The Islands: Sports
Football
Diamond in the Dirt
by Mike Yoshiura
Below Matthew Masifilo's sixth grade yearbook picture, it says he wants to be a "space engineer" when he grows up.
James Campbell High School's All-State offensive tackle knew he wanted to some day become an aeronautical engineer, and in the fall he will be a college freshman pursuing his childhood dream.
"The truly great guys are the guys that know how to work the hardest. It sounds so cliche, but it's the truth," said the 6-foot-3, 270-pound Masifilo. "Hard work and determination will get you any where in life."
While most football players start playing Pop Warner at an early age, Masifilo only started playing organized football when he entered high school at Campbell. "Four years is nothing compared to the guys who've been playing since they were [age] four. I always knew that I could play the game, but I was never exposed to it until my freshman year. I still think I'm new to the game, and there's so much more for me to learn. I'll listen to anyone who knows the game and is willing to pass on their knowledge."
Last year's Cardinal football team accumulated a dismal 1-11 record, which was their worst season in almost four decades. Even after a coaching change at the end of the season, Masifilo stayed true to his verbal commitment, and he signed a letter of intent to play football for Stanford University.
The Ewa Beach native was recruited by 13 NCAA Division I schools including Hawai'i, Arizona, Oregon, Oregon State, San Diego State, and Utah. According to Masifilo, the engineering program was the deciding factor in his decision to attend Stanford.
"I started thinking about schools in February, but it really came down to Washington, California, and Stanford. No matter where I went, football-wise, I felt that people would notice me. I went to a couple of Stanford's academic seminars, and I was impressed with the way the school was run academically. Their engineering program is what really caught my attention."
This is one offensive tackle that is adept at analyzing a problem and determining the proper solution. In fact, his analyzing skills must come in handy on the football field when it comes to all the defensive schemes opposing teams throw at him. Of course that would make math and physics the logical choice for his two favorite subjects. "Reasoning gets you to a right or wrong answer. I like knowing that there is a clear-cut right and wrong answer."
In the third grade at Ewa Beach Elementary School, there was one teacher that caught Masifilo's attention. He recalls sitting in Mr. Agena's science class, inspired by the science experiments that required more "hands on work." "We hardly did book work. Everything we learned, we learned through experience. That's what got me into science and eventually physics."
In his final year at Campbell, Masifilo is enrolled in four AP classes, and he still maintains an impressive 4.0 GPA. Even though he's excelled on the football field and in the classroom, Masifilo still manages to stay firmly grounded in his beliefs. "I don't like talking about all that [grades] because it doesn't reflect on the kind of person you are and what you do for others. I just hope that the guys that come after me will be better than I was."
Masifilo's massive, size sixteen shoes will be tough for the Saber coaching staff to fill next year, but according to the high school standout, football is a sport that requires a team effort. "Football is probably the most complicated of all the team sports. It's not like basketball where one person dominates the game. Because football is a team sport, stats don't reflect what kind of player you are."
What Masifilo's done in his four years at Campbell High School not only reflects the kind of athlete he is, but it tells us a lot about his character. Today, finding an athlete that can match athleticism with character is almost like finding a diamond in the dirt.
