Published: Thursday, September 2, 2010
Archbishop Murphy's dynamic duo
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Chris Goodenow / For The Herald
Archbishop Murphy's Julius Tevaga rushes around a teammate during a recent practice.
The Cascade Conference's two star quarterbacks -- Thomas Vincent of King's and Justin Lane of Lakewood -- aren't the only players in the league who have raised the eyebrows of college recruiters.
The Archbishop Murphy Wildcats have two seniors on their defensive line you can expect to see in college uniforms next season.
Tani Tupou, who's already committed to Washington, and Julias Tevaga have been turning heads in the conference since they were freshman.
Lakewood coach Dan Teeter recalled seeing Tupou "flying around" on special teams as a freshman. "I thought, who in the world is that kid?" Teeter said.
Well, three years later Tupou happens to be the anchor on what many consider to be one of the best defensive lines in the state. Tupou and Tevaga both hope to lead the Wildcats to the Class 2A state title game this fall. Archbishop Murphy lost to Lynden in the state semifinals in each of the past two seasons.
Tupou is the only major-college recruit in the conference who has made a verbal commitment. He noticed the positive changes at the University of Washington under head coach Steve Sarkisian and is anxious to be part of a Husky program that appears to be on the upswing.
"I'm stoked about that. Just to go in, you know, they have high expectations and a lot of confidence, with everybody," Tupou said.
Tupou said he also wanted to stay close to home to be near his family and the Archbishop Murphy coaching staff.
"We consider them family," Tupou said of his coaches at Murphy. "That is one of the main reasons why I chose to stay at UW."
But someday, if Tupou realizes his dream of playing in the NFL, he might have to leave home.
"For Tani, he has earned it big time. I hope he fulfills his dream," Tevaga said. "I really hope he does go to the NFL. He really wants that bad."
Tupou might have passed up his teammate Tevaga in the recruiting race, but Tevaga is almost certain to reach the next level somewhere. "I think he will definitely be playing in college," Archbishop Murphy head coach Dave Ward said.
Ward said Tupou's size (6-foot-3, 275 pounds) and speed are probably the biggest reasons he drew more interest.
"If Julius was an inch or an inch and a half taller, it would be a whole different deal," Ward said of the 6-1, 283-pound Tevaga.
Tevaga said he has gotten looks from several Pac-10 schools as well as the University of Wyoming. But his top choice just might be the University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV), not just because of football, but because of its culinary program. When Tevaga's football days are over he wants to become a chef.
Before college, though, Tevaga and Tupou, friends since childhood, have some work to do at Murphy.
"Tupou and Tevaga are both big and sound football players and will be a big part of Murphy being the team to beat in the conference," Granite Falls coach Terry Bechtholdt said.
Added Ward: "It's pretty rare at any level to have two so dominant lineman."
Perhaps even rarer is a 2A/1A conference with as many college prospects as the Cascade Conference boasts this fall.
"It's exciting to have as many guys from different schools," said Teeter, who's in his fifth season as the head coach at Lakewood. "I don't know if that's ever happened before, at least, not since I have been here."
The Archbishop Murphy Wildcats have two seniors on their defensive line you can expect to see in college uniforms next season.
Tani Tupou, who's already committed to Washington, and Julias Tevaga have been turning heads in the conference since they were freshman.
Lakewood coach Dan Teeter recalled seeing Tupou "flying around" on special teams as a freshman. "I thought, who in the world is that kid?" Teeter said.
Well, three years later Tupou happens to be the anchor on what many consider to be one of the best defensive lines in the state. Tupou and Tevaga both hope to lead the Wildcats to the Class 2A state title game this fall. Archbishop Murphy lost to Lynden in the state semifinals in each of the past two seasons.
Tupou is the only major-college recruit in the conference who has made a verbal commitment. He noticed the positive changes at the University of Washington under head coach Steve Sarkisian and is anxious to be part of a Husky program that appears to be on the upswing.
"I'm stoked about that. Just to go in, you know, they have high expectations and a lot of confidence, with everybody," Tupou said.
Tupou said he also wanted to stay close to home to be near his family and the Archbishop Murphy coaching staff.
"We consider them family," Tupou said of his coaches at Murphy. "That is one of the main reasons why I chose to stay at UW."
But someday, if Tupou realizes his dream of playing in the NFL, he might have to leave home.
"For Tani, he has earned it big time. I hope he fulfills his dream," Tevaga said. "I really hope he does go to the NFL. He really wants that bad."
Tupou might have passed up his teammate Tevaga in the recruiting race, but Tevaga is almost certain to reach the next level somewhere. "I think he will definitely be playing in college," Archbishop Murphy head coach Dave Ward said.
Ward said Tupou's size (6-foot-3, 275 pounds) and speed are probably the biggest reasons he drew more interest.
"If Julius was an inch or an inch and a half taller, it would be a whole different deal," Ward said of the 6-1, 283-pound Tevaga.
Tevaga said he has gotten looks from several Pac-10 schools as well as the University of Wyoming. But his top choice just might be the University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV), not just because of football, but because of its culinary program. When Tevaga's football days are over he wants to become a chef.
Before college, though, Tevaga and Tupou, friends since childhood, have some work to do at Murphy.
"Tupou and Tevaga are both big and sound football players and will be a big part of Murphy being the team to beat in the conference," Granite Falls coach Terry Bechtholdt said.
Added Ward: "It's pretty rare at any level to have two so dominant lineman."
Perhaps even rarer is a 2A/1A conference with as many college prospects as the Cascade Conference boasts this fall.
"It's exciting to have as many guys from different schools," said Teeter, who's in his fifth season as the head coach at Lakewood. "I don't know if that's ever happened before, at least, not since I have been here."
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