Mataiasi Stark 
Kekoa Koong (left), Genesis Stice.
Two 17-year-old boys from Fiji are carving out unique paths in Hawaii’s fiercely competitive high school football scene, a sport traditionally dominated by Polynesians such as Samoans and Tongans.
Genesis Stice, a linebacker for Kapolei High School, and Kekoa Koong, the starting quarterback for Mililani High School, were once teammates at Kapolei but now find themselves on rival sides.
Both are excelling on the field while proudly showcasing their Fijian heritage.
Stice, whose maternal roots are in Naqere Estate on Vanua Levu, has brought a touch of Fiji to Kapolei’s varsity squad by teaching them the traditional chant-prayer Noqu Masu.
The team now sings it together before every game as an expression of faith and unity.
Koong, who has maternal ties to Rotuma, has stepped into the high-pressure role of quarterback at Mililani, one of Hawaii’s top programs, carrying his culture with him as he leads his team.
Last week Kapolei made history as the first Hawaii high school football team to travel to the East Coast to face nationally ranked St. John’s College High School. On their way, the team was welcomed at the U.S. Capitol by Senator Brian Schatz, where Stice led his teammates in singing Noqu Masu on the Capitol steps, a moment that went viral after the senator shared it on social media.
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