By KEVIN JAKAHI ADVERTISING By KEVIN JAKAHI Hawaii Tribune-Herald Keli‘i Montibon will turn 18 years old on May 26, 2016, and it’s a day he’ll never forget because that’s the date of the Kamehameha Schools Tri-campus Services on Oahu. Seniors
By KEVIN JAKAHI
Hawaii Tribune-Herald
Keli‘i Montibon will turn 18 years old on May 26, 2016, and it’s a day he’ll never forget because that’s the date of the Kamehameha Schools Tri-campus Services on Oahu.
Seniors from all three campuses (Kapalama, Hawaii and Maui) congregate for a day of togetherness and in appreciation of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the founder of Kamehameha Schools.
Then two days later, Montibon will graduate with the rest of his Kamehameha senior class and pack his bags for Riverside (Calif.) College, where the offensive lineman signed to play ball.
“The best thing I got out of Kamehameha is I created a lot of friendships,” Montibon said. “The whole senior class is close.”
Yet, life is about choices, and graduates go their own way and often chase their own dreams.
Montibon’s dream is to play at the Division I level, but happy endings don’t happen for everyone, at least not immediately.
The 6-foot-3, 290-pound left tackle/guard played in the Life Champion Senior Bowl in December and the Polynesian All-American Bowl in January in Oceanside, Calif., and drew more than a half-dozen scholarship offers.
However, none were from a Division I college. So Montibon turned down offers from Division I-AA (now called Football Championship Subdivision), Division II and other JC feelers.
“My dream college has always been Oregon,” he said. “But now it’s pretty much any Division I school that offers me an opportunity.
“Since I was a small kid, I always wanted to go to a Division I college. I took the JC route, and it’ll open up more opportunities for myself.”
Playing ball in the BIIF and at Riverside is a night and day difference as far as college scouting goes.
It’s not like college coaches, on any level, can hop in a car and check out prospects. That works on the mainland, but not when you’re 2,400 miles away by sea.
On the other hand, Riverside is a hotbed for developing college prospects.
Need a defensive tackle, offensive lineman, linebacker, running back or quarterback? The Riverside Tigers are a one-stop shopping grocery store for all.
In December, a whopping 10 Tigers signed midyear national letters of intent to play at a higher level, including Isi Holani (Hilo, 2014) to Kansas, and Abraham Reinhardt, who’s from Maui, to UH-Manoa.
Life is also about building connections.
It always helps to have friends. When friends help friends or even strangers, in Hawaii that’s called the Aloha spirit.
“I drew a connection to Riverside,” Montibon said. “I talked to Isi. He said it’s a good area, good place, and a lot of coaches go there. I took his word that it’s a good program, and that it’s a Division I factory.”
California Jucos don’t offer athletic scholarships but can hand out financial aid packages, something that Montibon got.
Last season, Riverside (8-3) lost to Saddleback in a Southern California regional semifinal.
Montibon has a 3.0 grade-point average and will figure out a major when he eventually transfers.
“I’ve got to work, work now and work harder when I get there,” said Montibon, who flies out June 17. “They told me they want me on the left side of the ball at left guard. I played left tackle my whole high school career.
“They told me anybody has a chance and opportunity. It doesn’t matter who’s coming back if it’s a sophomore or a returnee. It’s whoever wants it. The main thing is to work, work, work.”
It’ll help that his offensive line coach is Andy Felton, who’s also a Riverside academic advisor. He’ll make sure Montibon cracks down on his studies.
On the technical side, Felton was an offensive coordinator at North Dakota State (2009-13), Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz’ old school.
During Felton’s stint, the Bison set or tied 10 offensive records and finished as high as seventh nationally in passing yards and 10th in rushing yards.
That’s a key because Felton has a history of his O-line playing at a high level in both run and pass blocking. Montibon will get an education in what D-I schools target as far as skill-set.
JC examples
Four Riverside offensive linemen signed with Division I (now called Football Bowl Subdivision) schools: Lio Lafaele, Memphis; Dwayne Wallace, California; Christian Cronk, Fresno State; and Sean Krupsz, Nevada.
As for additional inspiration, Montibon can also look at 2010 Kamehameha graduate Keli‘i Kekuewa, who went the JC-to-Division I route: Arizona Western and then Bowling Green.
In the spirit of Aloha, Montibon also reached out to his pal’s dad Bruce Kekuewa and got a rundown on the benefits of chasing your dream.
“He just gave me the inside on colleges and what it’s like,” Montibon said. “He told me there’s nothing bad about going the JC route. You have to work to get where you want to be. It’ll take a little longer to get there.”
It’ll be a proud moment for Montibon at the Kamehameha Schools Tri-campus Services on Oahu, where he’ll get a chance to build a few more connections.
It’ll be a significant moment when he graduates two days later, earns an associate degree at Riverside, and hopefully completes his dream of landing at a Division I school.
Imua
Montibon has built connections all his life, and in ways big and small everyone has helped him. But the biggest one is between him and his mom Melissa Waugh-Montibon.
“My dad (Russel) and uncle Nohea Huddleston played a big part in my life as well as my mom,” Montibon said. “They divorced when I was 5 years old. I’m from a single-parent household.
“That’s my drive. I’ve always wanted to make it one day to take care of my mom and two sisters (Morgan and Makana).”
As the last royal descendant of the Kamehameha line, Princess Bernice Pauahi never had children of her own, but her vision was to educate her people and have them move forward or Imua.
That’s why May 26, 2016 will be a meaningful day for Keli‘i Montibon in more ways than one.
