Youth football teams from up and down the Central Coast competed at the first Cheehoo Bowl Saturday and Sunday held at St. Joseph High School.
“Our organization is based on helping out Pacific Islander athletes and also local athletes,” said Cheehoo Foundation founder George Heather, a veteran defensive line coach for the Hancock College football team, and a coach in the Orcutt Youth Football League (OYFL).
“Cheehoo” is a phrase primarily used in Polynesian cultures, particularly Samoan, which translates as an expression of excitement, celebration or encouragement, essentially meaning, “Hooray,” or “Let’s go!”
The nonprofit Cheehoo Foundation is listed as a Polynesian Bowl contributing partner. The Polynesian Bowl is an annual high school all-star football game in Hawaii that this year, will be broadcast on the NFL Network Jan. 17 at 6 p.m.
10U, 12U and 14U teams, including squads in Bantam, Squirt, Intermediate and Senior age group divisions, played in the Cheehoo Bowl over the weekend.
“Teams from Paso Robles down to the Santa Ynez Valley are playing,” in the Cheehoo Bowl, said Heather. “All of the proceeds (from the event) will go to the (Cheehoo) Foundation.”
Heather spoke as the Central Coast Panthers, an Orcutt Youth Football League team, was playing the 805 Ducks, a team comprised of players from multiple area youth football leagues, in an Intermediate Division game in the first game of the Cheehoo Bowl Saturday.
The Panthers won 61-0. The second half was played with a running clock.
“We have a lot of Pacific Islanders in the 805 area,” Heather said as the Panthers-Ducks game moved along. “We are involved in mentoring for our Pacifc Islanders (youth), and we’ve been able to get a few (college) scholarships for Pacific Islanders.
“After the regular season, our kids would travel to Las Vegas,” for post-season bowl games, said Heather. “I noticed we didn’t have any local tournaments after the regular season. We thought it would be good to bring the game to Santa Maria.”
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Panthers quarterback Tanner Jokela ran for five touchdowns. He scored the first Cheehoo Bowl touchdown then broke a 37-yard run for the second score.
Later, Jokela went 48 yards for a score then broke loose for a 56-yard touchdown run.
Jokela, 10, also plays cornerback. However, “I’ve been playing quarterback for six years,” said Jokela. “That’s the position I want to play when I get older and play in high school.”
Sam Padilla ran for two Panthers scores. Jokela connected with Israel Huitron on a touchdown pass, and Abel Salazar scored for the Panthers on a touchdown run.
Mitch Pickett recovered a Ducks fumble for the Panthers. Mason Landey kicked an extra point.
“This is my first year as a kicker,” said Landey, 10. “Actually, this is my first week.
“I would like to continue kicking when I get older.”
Xander Santana gave the Ducks multiple long kickoff returns Saturday.
