For the Pittsburg High Pirates, the 2010 season started out poorly as they lost their first five non-league games before winning their last five league games and then losing their opening round playoff game to league rival Heritage High 45-20. Regardless, the Pirates will be a team to be reckoned with next year as they return a potent offense led by dual running back and linebacker, Feao Vunipola who will graduate in 2012.
At 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, Vunipola made a major impact this past year despite missing a few games due to a concussion. He ran for over 400 yards with 8 touchdowns while earning 2nd team all-league as a running back and linebacker. This Pirate has both speed and power as he can run 4.60 seconds in the 40-yard dash, has a shuttle time of 4.30 seconds, can bench press 275 pounds, squat 405 pounds, and has a vertical of 32 inches.
As a sophomore, Vunipola recorded 100 tackles as a linebacker. As a running back, he considers himself to be a physical runner who can hit the hole hard but also has the elusiveness to make defenders miss. For this upcoming summer offseason, he plans to attend several football camps. But more importantly, he wants to work on his agility and speed as he wants to be a breakaway running back threat.
Pittsburg has a passing offense that utilizes speed. Vunipola is not the fastest running back but he goes north/south quickly and is able to find the correct running lanes. His average speed is made up for by his size that allows him to be a good pass blocking running back. On defense, the Pirates run a 4-3 defense that relies on gap control defense. As a result, Vunipola sometimes has to rotate as an outside and middle linebacker. But his ability and skills allow him to play either position which he plays with a rugged fierceness.
With his size and strength, Vunipola can play linebacker or running back in college. His preference is to be a running back but he believes that he would be a bigger impact as a linebacker. The recruiting process is early but he has been in contact with Washington State. His personal preference is to stay on the west coast as he is interested in most of the Pac-10 programs, especially Cal because they send many of their running backs to the NFL. Academically, Vunipola has a 3.10 GPA and has not taken the SATs. He would like to major in Sports Medicine as his favorite subjects are English and Science.
Pittsburg High Coach Victor Galli says, "Feao is very strong with athletic ability, has a nose for the ball, and is an aggressive hitter who can cover. He has a relentless motor who is our defensive leader on the field but is also a great student off the field. On offense, he is a strong runner who is a slasher with great feet and a lean body. Feao is a clutch player with the ability to carry the entire team on his back."
Vunipola feels that this past season was a good learning experience for his team and himself. The Pirates were considered to be a contender and one of the better teams at the start of the season. Inexplicably, they lost their first five games and could have thrown in the proverbial towel for the rest of the season. Instead, the team rallied and went undefeated in league play. But once again, they had a letdown and lost in the first round to a Heritage team that they defeated in the regular season. As a result, this past season will be motivation for Vunipola for his senior year as he would like to rush for over 1000 yards with over 20 touchdowns while tallying over 100 tackles.
From a team perspective, the Pirates had a junior laden team this past year. As a result, they return their core linebacker crew and many of their offensive skilled position players for next year. Vunipola is optimistic about his senior year and feels that the team can have a breakout year. The team made many young mistakes this past year and he feels that those should be corrected for next year.
In his Tongan language, Vunipola's name means "With God." Many of his classmates consider him to be a really intimidating character, but he is actually a real laidback guy off the field. Vunipola also plays rugby and has considered taking up this sport again. As contradictory as it may sound, expect the Pirates to be "With God" next year in order to have a solid season.
No comments:
Post a Comment