Most people express their friendship through mild gestures: handshakes, hugs, pats on the back. But football players, especially hard-hitting linebackers, are not like most people. And that’s why two of the hardest-hitting linebackers in the Poly/Lakewood CIF semifinal have a different way to show their respect for each other: they’re going to put on their pads and jerseys, strap on their helmets, and try to knock each other flat. Talking to Lakewood’s Trevor Erno and Poly’s Kenny Tuiloma, though, this mindset is a little easier to understand.
Erno is 6’2″, 226 pounds of relentless pursuit. He has 118 tackles on the season (leading the Lancers), plus 5 sacks and a blocked field goal. But those numbers don’t demonstrate the effect on a game that his hitting can have. Against Mission Viejo, thunderous hits from Erno helped to shrink a lot of receivers’ arms, and to turn the tide for the Red Swarm. “Shutting them down, that was a big thing for our program. I think it showed the Pac-5 that we can hang with anyone. We know we can outhit anyone.” Against Poly, Erno hopes his strength can be just as big an asset. “Oh, me and Melvin [Richardson, Poly’s strongest running back] were laying the hat last time—I’m thinking maybe if I keep hitting him he won’t want to run at me.”
Talking to Tuiloma after Poly’s practice on Tuesday was funny, because he’s so ready for this game that he couldn’t even stand still. “I want to play already, man! If they could come right now, I’d get my guys and we’d suit up.” The 5’11”, 220-pound senior has 73 tackles on the season, with four sacks, one forced fumble, and one interception. He’s not the most productive tackler on the team (that distinction belongs to MLB George Daily-Lyles), but he is still similar to Erno in that he’s the biggest play-making linebacker, the most likely to come up with a momentum-shifting hit, well-time sack, or fortuitous ball rip—he was the linebacker to make the diving fourth-down tackle on Poly’s classic goal-line stand against O. Lu in last year’s CIF semis. And while Tuiloma gets pumped for every game, playing his cross-town rival has him even more electrified. “I give them respect—we as a team give them respect, because they made the Moore League look so good. They had an opportunity and they took advantage of it—now they have an opportunity to come face us.”
Tuiloma celebrates after winning last year’s CIF championship
The teams that will be facing each other on Friday night are not your daddy’s Lakewood and Poly, so to speak. Most fans are able to keep things in perspective, but there’s certainly some open hostility between factions of Lakewood and Poly supporters. In years past, it’s been that way between the two teams’ coaches, and players as well. This year, it’s different—Poly coach Raul Lara has talked repeatedly about how impressed he is with what Lakewood head coach Thadd MacNeal has done with the Lancers, and coach Mac has had nothing but nice things to say about Lara.
As for the players, there are more cross-team friendships than people might realize. One of the most interesting, to be sure, is the one between Erno and Tuiloma. While Erno was running at LBCC over the summer, he heard that a group of Poly’s Samoan players, as well as his teammate Talia Crichton, were all lifting together at the LBCC weight room. That day, he decided to join them, and he and Crichton ended up spending every day all summer training with their school’s biggest rivals. “It’s fun,” said Erno, who committed to Arizona as a junior. “Me and Talia were the only guys from Lakewood there, so we all just talked smack the whole time. We’d get real competitive with lifting—just put that 315 on and see who can hit it more.” They ran sprints together as a group, too, to see who was faster, and Erno says the rivalry spurred everyone on. In fact, that extra motivation and competition between the teams is likely a part of why both of them are still playing, in the playoffs in December. Their competitiveness with each other helped elevate them above everyone else.
But, really, it isn’t all that serious. After training, everyone would hang out and play rugby together, and Erno says he and Tuiloma would go heads up. For two players of their mentality, that’s basically the same as shaking hands—almost a sign of respect, even. That’s probably why both seem so happy that now, since Tuiloma does double-duty on the punt team, and Erno will be in on every special teams play this week, they’re finally going to have a chance to hit in pads, under the bright lights of a December Friday.
But as much fun as they’re having thinking about playing a team they’re friendly with, these two linebackers want to make it clear that come this Friday night, things will be very serious. No joking around. Seriously. A large contingent of Poly players were at Lakewood’s game last Friday to cheer them on, and those who had friends at Lakewood met with them on the field after, where they made an agreement. “We said, ‘We’re not going to be friends anymore,’ said Erno. ‘We’re going to come out and hit each other.'” Tuiloma echoed him: “We’re not friends on the field. No, not on Friday.”
It’s definitely worth noting that while proclaiming their friendship temporarily over, these two linebackers couldn’t keep from smiling. You won’t be able to see past their face masks tomorrow night at Falcon Stadium, but I’m guessing if they get a shot at each other it’s going to be the same story.