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Hawaii's Saint Louis alums back to their roots

Keao Monteilh, Fale Laeli and Aaron Bain go back to high school for final UH regular-season practice

STORY SUMMARY | READ THE FULL STORY

There was a "full circle" vibe to Hawaii's practice yesterday for a few members of the Warriors' senior class.

The team held its final full practice of the regular season at Saint Louis School, where defensive back Keao Monteilh, defensive lineman Fale Laeli and receiver Aaron Bain played in high school.

"That's a cherry on top," Monteilh said.

Monteilh is among the seniors who will be honored after the Warriors (7-5) face Big East champion and 13th-ranked Cincinnati (10-2) in their regular-season finale at Aloha Stadium.

But before the emotion of senior night takes over, the Warriors secondary will be tested by the Bearcats' passing attack that leads the Big East.

Cincinnati averages 260 passing yards per game, led by receivers Dominick Goodman and Mardy Gilyard. Quarterback Tony Pike has passed for 17 touchdowns and just five interceptions.

"They're a pass-first team, just like us," Monteilh said. "They like to spread the field, so we get the reps in practice."

Whether fellow defensive back Ryan Mouton and running back/slotback Kealoha Pilares are available will be a game-time decision, UH coach Greg McMackin said. Both sat out last week's win over Washington State and have been limited in practice this week.

— Jason Kaneshiro



FULL STORY >>

By Jason Kaneshiro

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Dec 05, 2008

(Single Page View) | Return to Paginated View

So much has changed around Keao Monteilh since 2004.

WARRIORS FOOTBALL
No. 13 Cincinnati (10-2) at Hawaii (7-5), 6:30 p.m. tomorrow. TV: ESPN2; Radio: KKEA, 1420-AM
Yet when thinking back on his five years in the Hawaii football program, that freshman season doesn't feel all that distant.

"It seems like yesterday playing with Timmy Chang and Chad Owens," Monteilh said. "I used to watch them growing up and had a chance to play with them. It seems like a couple days ago."

Monteilh is among 14 members of Hawaii's 35 seniors who are closing out five-year Warrior careers with tomorrow's regular-season finale against No. 13 Cincinnati and the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve.

Since walking on with the Warriors, Monteilh has played four positions in the UH secondary. He's practiced against offenses led by Chang, Colt Brennan and three different starters this season. And, of course, there was this year's coaching change with Greg McMackin taking over for June Jones.

Still, the most profound changes have come off the field.

"I'm more settled down. More focused, more mature," said Monteilh, who was married this summer and has two young sons.

Monteilh began his career as a cornerback, but earned a starting job at safety last season before suffering a shoulder injury that kept him out of the last five games of UH's Sugar Bowl run.

He returned to start 10 games this season and leads the Warriors with four interceptions while shifting among both safety spots and nickel back.

"Another great story of a walk-on who got a scholarship and contributed greatly over his career," associate head coach and defensive backs coach Rich Miano said. "Can't say enough about guys like that. That's what the fabric of University of Hawaii football is all about."

Just as Monteilh will be conspicuously absent from the practice field next season, so will his father.

William Monteilh has been a familiar figure at practices, spending most weekday mornings in the fall watching the youngest of his eight children work with the Warriors.

"I'll miss the practices, but I'll still be a season-ticket holder," said William, who runs a limousine business and appeared in episodes of "Hawaii 5-0" in the 1970s.

"I enjoyed it, watching him and a lot of the other kids who played with him at Saint Louis and watching them progress in their lives."

His father's presence has been a constant for Keao since his earliest days in football.

"Even from Pop Warner he's been there every day," Keao said.

"It's good because he's the first one cheering when I make a play, and he's the first one giving me that face like 'what happened?' when I mess up."

While William has tracked Keao's development as a player, he's also proud of his growth away from the game.

"He's a good father with his kids and he's just grown up from a kid who wanted to go here or there or whatever," William said. "But now he has responsibilities and he's accepted them."

When he's done playing, Monteilh envisions staying involved in football as a coach, joking with Miano that he'll be coming for his job in a few years.

"I'd love to coach," said Monteilh, whose brother Anthony coaches receivers at Roosevelt. "I'll take whatever opportunities come, but that's probably my passion, to coach one day. That's why I enjoy helping out at the speed camp, because I get a chance to coach."

Monteilh will have plenty of company among the defensive backs honored after tomorrow's game at Aloha Stadium. Nine are slated to participate in the senior night ceremony.

"My mother-in-law makes leis for our seniors and usually it's two or three. This year it's nine," Miano said.

"I'm going to miss this group. There have been players I've been extremely sad to see go. But as a collective group, this is has been the largest and probably one of the most productive because they're all players."

Class of 2008

No.Name Pos. Joined
2
Ryan Mouton DB 2007
3
Jameel Dowling DB 2007
5
Mike Washington WR 2005
6
Tyler Graunke QB 2004
7
Erik Robinson DB 2007
8
Jake Santos QB 2007
8
Tyson Kafentzis LB 2004
17
Solomon Elimimian LB 2005
18 G uyton Galdeira DB 2005
23
Alonzo Chopp RB 2005
23
Calvin Roberts DB 2007
24
Desmond Thomas DB 2004
26
Daniel Libre RB 2005
27
Khevin Peoples RB 2005
30
Dane Porlas DB 2004
33
C.J. Allen-Jones DE 2004
34
Ryan Perry DB 2006
35
Keao Monteilh DB 2004
44
Adam Leonard LB 2005
47
Nathaniel Nasca WR 2008
48
David Farmer RB 2004
49
Tim Grasso P 2007
51
Lafu Tuioti-Mariner OL 2004
51
Francis Maka DL 2007
57
Jake Ingram LS 2005
62
Keith AhSoon OL 2004
76
Nathan McKay OL 2004
78
Keoni Steinhoff OL 2004
81
Dylan Linkner WR 2004
85
Aaron Bain WR 2005
86
Dan Kelly K 2005
93
Keala Watson DL 2004
94
David Veikune DL 2006
96
Fale Laeli DL 2004
99
Josh Leonard DL 2007

So much has changed around Keao Monteilh since 2004.

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Defensive lineman Keao Monteilh said he doesn't feel far removed from his freshman season of 2004.

WARRIORS FOOTBALL
No. 13 Cincinnati (10-2) at Hawaii (7-5), 6:30 p.m. tomorrow. TV: ESPN2; Radio: KKEA, 1420-AM
Yet when thinking back on his five years in the Hawaii football program, that freshman season doesn't feel all that distant.

"It seems like yesterday playing with Timmy Chang and Chad Owens," Monteilh said. "I used to watch them growing up and had a chance to play with them. It seems like a couple days ago."

Monteilh is among 14 members of Hawaii's 35 seniors who are closing out five-year Warrior careers with tomorrow's regular-season finale against No. 13 Cincinnati and the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve.

Since walking on with the Warriors, Monteilh has played four positions in the UH secondary. He's practiced against offenses led by Chang, Colt Brennan and three different starters this season. And, of course, there was this year's coaching change with Greg McMackin taking over for June Jones.

Still, the most profound changes have come off the field.

"I'm more settled down. More focused, more mature," said Monteilh, who was married this summer and has two young sons.

Monteilh began his career as a cornerback, but earned a starting job at safety last season before suffering a shoulder injury that kept him out of the last five games of UH's Sugar Bowl run.

He returned to start 10 games this season and leads the Warriors with four interceptions while shifting among both safety spots and nickel back.

"Another great story of a walk-on who got a scholarship and contributed greatly over his career," associate head coach and defensive backs coach Rich Miano said. "Can't say enough about guys like that. That's what the fabric of University of Hawaii football is all about."

Just as Monteilh will be conspicuously absent from the practice field next season, so will his father.

William Monteilh has been a familiar figure at practices, spending most weekday mornings in the fall watching the youngest of his eight children work with the Warriors.

"I'll miss the practices, but I'll still be a season-ticket holder," said William, who runs a limousine business and appeared in episodes of "Hawaii 5-0" in the 1970s.

"I enjoyed it, watching him and a lot of the other kids who played with him at Saint Louis and watching them progress in their lives."

His father's presence has been a constant for Keao since his earliest days in football.

"Even from Pop Warner he's been there every day," Keao said.

"It's good because he's the first one cheering when I make a play, and he's the first one giving me that face like 'what happened?' when I mess up."

While William has tracked Keao's development as a player, he's also proud of his growth away from the game.

"He's a good father with his kids and he's just grown up from a kid who wanted to go here or there or whatever," William said. "But now he has responsibilities and he's accepted them."

When he's done playing, Monteilh envisions staying involved in football as a coach, joking with Miano that he'll be coming for his job in a few years.

"I'd love to coach," said Monteilh, whose brother Anthony coaches receivers at Roosevelt. "I'll take whatever opportunities come, but that's probably my passion, to coach one day. That's why I enjoy helping out at the speed camp, because I get a chance to coach."

Monteilh will have plenty of company among the defensive backs honored after tomorrow's game at Aloha Stadium. Nine are slated to participate in the senior night ceremony.

"My mother-in-law makes leis for our seniors and usually it's two or three. This year it's nine," Miano said.

"I'm going to miss this group. There have been players I've been extremely sad to see go. But as a collective group, this is has been the largest and probably one of the most productive because they're all players."

Class of 2008

No.Name Pos. Joined
2
Ryan Mouton DB 2007
3
Jameel Dowling DB 2007
5
Mike Washington WR 2005
6
Tyler Graunke QB 2004
7
Erik Robinson DB 2007
8
Jake Santos QB 2007
8
Tyson Kafentzis LB 2004
17
Solomon Elimimian LB 2005
18 G uyton Galdeira DB 2005
23
Alonzo Chopp RB 2005
23
Calvin Roberts DB 2007
24
Desmond Thomas DB 2004
26
Daniel Libre RB 2005
27
Khevin Peoples RB 2005
30
Dane Porlas DB 2004
33
C.J. Allen-Jones DE 2004
34
Ryan Perry DB 2006
35
Keao Monteilh DB 2004
44
Adam Leonard LB 2005
47
Nathaniel Nasca WR 2008
48
David Farmer RB 2004
49
Tim Grasso P 2007
51
Lafu Tuioti-Mariner OL 2004
51
Francis Maka DL 2007
57
Jake Ingram LS 2005
62
Keith AhSoon OL 2004
76
Nathan McKay OL 2004
78
Keoni Steinhoff OL 2004
81
Dylan Linkner WR 2004
85
Aaron Bain WR 2005
86
Dan Kelly K 2005
93
Keala Watson DL 2004
94
David Veikune DL 2006
96
Fale Laeli DL 2004
99
Josh Leonard DL 2007

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