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THS's Salave'a selected to 2022 Polynesian Bowl

Tafuna High School’s Oakie Salave'a
Sources: 24/7 Sports & Polynesian Bowl

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Tafuna High School’s Oakie Salave'a is the latest selection for the 2022 Polynesian Bowl.

The three-star athlete from THS will play his final high school game early next year in the Aloha State, becoming the newest addition to the prestigious event as the all-star roster continues to take shape.

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Salave'a is the nation's No. 129 rated athlete and No. 1 overall prospect in American Samoa, per the industry-generated 247Sports Composite rankings.

Salave'a came off the board to the Aztecs in June but recently picked up an offer from Colorado, where his father Okland Salave'a starred as a defensive lineman in the late 1980s.

"I was just blessed and thankful," Salave'a told BuffStampede of his new offer from Colorado. "This is truly a God given talent, the glory goes to him. I’ve been working so hard, traveling to be seen in person, getting stuck in the mainland and finally making it home. It’s been a long time coming, but (I) will continue trusting in God's timing.

"(Colorado's coaches) spoke with my dad and I, and (we) were very emotional and excited. I've been working hard for that specific offer for a while. And they decided to pull the trigger yesterday. They want me to play quarterback. They love my size and how physically built I've gotten over the summer. They definitely want me to come in (and help) change the program."

Salave'a does not currently know if he will sign in December or wait until the regular signing period in early February.

The Polynesian Bowl began in 2017 with current Stanford running back Connor Wedington the inaugural Offensive MVP and Iowa defensive lineman A.J. Epenesa the Defensive MVP. The 2018 game was the second year and Washington cornerback Kyler Gordon and Stanford quarterback signee Tanner McKee were named Co-MVP's. The 2019 game saw linebacker Daniel Heimuli and Puka Nacua earn co-MVP honors. The 2020 game had BYU freshman Sol-Jay Maiava and Washington preferred walk-on Meki Pei win co-MVP.

The fifth Polynesian Bowl is set for January 22, 2022 on the campus of Kamehameha in Honolulu.