Community College Football : Linebacker Yepi Pauu: A Tonga Truck for Saddleback

Not many of the 100,000 inhabitants of Tonga, a chain of tiny tropical islands located about 2,000 miles northeast of New Zealand, have even heard of football.

In fact, if you asked the average Tongan how the Dolphins did over the weekend, he’d probably tell you to take a dive into the surrounding South Pacific and ask them for yourself.

Which makes the achievements of Saddleback College linebacker Yepi Pauu, who spent the first 11 years of his life in Tonga, all the more impressive. He has become one of California’s best community college players at his position, even though he grew up in a place where there are more volcanoes than football fields.

Until he and his family moved to Santa Ana in 1977, Pauu (pronounced POW--OO--OO) had no exposure to the sport. There are no Pop Warner leagues in Tonga. Pauu never even watched the game as a youth.

Television wasn’t available in Tonga until this year.

But Pauu, 6-feet 2-inches and 220 pounds, has such natural ability, he became a dominating player the minute he set foot on the practice field at Santa Ana High School. Tom Meiss, then the Saints’ coach, watched Pauu play some rugby and was convinced he could be a great linebacker.

Meiss was right. As a junior at Santa Ana in 1982, his first year in football, Pauu was an All-Century League selection. The next year, he was an All-CIF and all-county choice. Pauu led the Saints to a season-ending win over El Modena and the league championship and starred in the county All-Star game.

His grades weren’t good enough, nor was he quite big enough, to get a four-year scholarship. So, after first enrolling at Rancho Santiago College, he went to Saddleback.

Success, however, did not come quite as easily for Pauu there.

At Santa Ana, Pauu was so much quicker and stronger than most players, he had little reason to practice. If it was sunny at the beach, Pauu would usually be there. Or, he could be found playing in pickup rugby games.

Anything not to be doing drills or running wind sprints for Meiss.

At Saddleback, he paid for his cavalier attitude. Opposing linemen may not have been quicker or stronger than Pauu, but they were better prepared and better conditioned.

And it showed.

In his first few games as a freshman last year, Pauu was occasionally embarrassed, something that never happened in high school. If he looked confused, it was because he was.

“I really got knocked around and got burned bad on some pass plays--real bad,” Pauu said.

That started the transformation of Yepi Pauu. After some long talks with Don Butcher, Saddleback linebacker coach, Pauu’s attitude began to change.

By October, Pauu began practicing with the intensity he displayed during games. He ended the 1984 season strongly and was a second-team All-Mission Conference selection. He is almost certain to be a first-team pick this year.

Pauu’s new-found dedication isn’t limited to football. True, he never misses practice now, but when he’s not lifting weights or watching films, he’s studying. This semester, Pauu is taking 21 units so that he’ll be able to improve his grades and earn a scholarship to a four-year school.

MISSION CONFERENCE

Saddleback (7-0, 9-0) vs. Rancho Santiago (3-3, 5-3), Santa Ana Stadium, 7:30--Saddleback may have already clinched at least a tie for a share of its ninth consecutive conference title and accepted an invitation to the PONY Bowl, but the Gauchos still have something to play for--the national championship. A win over the Dons would keep the Gauchos, ranked third in the country behind Butler County, Kan., and Snow, Utah, in the running for their first national title.

Orange Coast (1-5, 1-6-1) vs. Citrus (2-4, 2-6), Citrus Stadium, 7:30--The Pirates lost their third straight game last week when they blew a late 35-20 lead and were defeated by Palomar, 36-35. If Orange Coast is to beat Citrus and escape last place, it will have to stop Owl running back Paul Hewitt, the Mission’s second-leading rusher. Last week, in Citrus’ 39-26 loss to Saddleback, Hewitt rushed for 209 yards.

PAC-9 CONFERENCE

Mt. San Antonio (0-5-1, 2-5-1) vs. Fullerton (5-1, 6-2), Fullerton District Stadium, 7:30--The first-place Hornets, who have won five straight, will likely accept an invitation to the PONY Bowl if they can beat the last-place Mounties. If history is any indication, that shouldn’t be difficult. Since Hal Sherbeck became Fullerton’s coach in 1961, the Hornets are 21-2-1 against the Mounties, and have won 20 of their last 21 against Mt. San Antonio.

Golden West (3-3, 3-4-1) vs. El Camino (2-4, 3-5), Murdock Stadium, 7:30--The game matches two struggling teams. Only two weeks ago, Golden West was tied with Fullerton for the conference lead. But losses to Cerritos and Fullerton have dropped the Rustlers from the conference race--and the bowl picture.