Keanaaina at home in Hawaii

 

Aidan Keanaaina in Honolulu?

Of course, it’s a match.

The Mustangs senior is in Hawaii for Saturday’s 2020 Polynesian Bowl, one of the prominent football all-star games for seniors nationally. At the islands for the week, the decorated defensive lineman and Notre Dame signee is among elite 12^th-graders and reveling in it.

“It’s amazing,” Keanaaina told 247Sports. “I can’t wait to be out there with all the best talent, getting some talent from out of state, get a feel for that, and just have fun out here. We can get some good exposure, get in touch more with the Polynesian culture. I’m really excited.”

Keanaaina also said he has enjoyed the practices, visiting Shiners Hospital for Children, getting to meet other high-end players and preparing for the next level of play.

All-state and all-league multiple times, Keanaaina, 6-foot-3, 305 pounds, will wear No. 92. It’s a number he sported to start the 2019 season at Mullen – after wearing 76 as a junior -- and the number he thought he would pursue with the Fighting Irish. However, he wasn’t permitted to wear it while also playing on the Mustangs offensive line and he tore another jersey, so he switched a couple of additional times.

A player who had two dozen offers from top universities, he will be joined in the game by three other Coloradans, all offensive linemen -- Reece Atteberry of Eaglecrest, a Michigan signee; Andrew Gentry, Columbine, a Virginia signee; and Roger Rosengarten, Valor Christian, a Washington signee.

The game will be televised by CBS Sports network and air at 10 p.m. Mountain Time on Saturday.

Here’s a link to Keanaaina’s Twitter account as he chronicles his trip: