DJ Uiagalelei, who led St. John Bosco (Bellflower, California) to the 2019 High School Football America national championship, is the 2019 Polynesian High School Football Player of the Year. The Award is presented annually to the most outstanding senior high school football player of Polynesian Ancestry.
Uiagalelei, of Samoan Ancestry, completed 222 passes for 4,225 yards and 48 touchdowns, plus rushed for 412 yards and eight touchdowns. The No. 1 Pro-Style quarterback in the class of 2020 is currently enrolled at Clemson.
What's Clemson QB @DJUiagalelei doing in Hawai'i besides playing in the 2020 @PolynesiaBowl game? His college homework. ?? #Clemson pic.twitter.com/zKlfRFEzRp
— Football Recruit. (@FootballRecruit) January 17, 2020
Uiagalelei was selected from a group of four finalists — QB Jayden de Laura (St. Louis School – Honolulu, Hawai`i), LB Noah Sewell (Orem High School – Orem, Utah) and RB Lawrance Toafili (Pinellas Park High School – Largo, Florida).
Crescent Valley High School (Corvallis, OR) and current University of Southern California Safety Talanoa Hufanga was selected as the inaugural recipient of the Award in 2017. University of Washington WR Puka Nacua & University of Alabama QB Taulia Tagovailoa were selected as co-players of the year in 2018.
The Polynesian Bowl will be played Saturday night at Aloha Stadium in Hawaii.
