Trials and smiles led these Hawaii players to the college football National Championship

a handful of local players are getting ready to play in the biggest game of their career but both Washington and Michigan took unexpected detours on their way to Houston coming off the edge in purple and gold that's Zion tupuola foui a senior standout for the huskys The Edge rusher forced this fumble against Caleb Williams and USC back in November but just a week before tupuola foui found out his father had passed I think it would have been very easy for me to just kind of like take couple weeks off or something like that but um in my dad's memory like he's a hard worker you know even he's the type to not take no sick days so I knew that that's not something that he would have want know for him to go through that and and U you know it's cool that we were there for him to be around him you know he's done a great job bouncing back on the Husky sideline stands Damen graduate and defensive line coach Eno borfield he's coached some of the leagues best including three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald it's awesome you know just to have this experience it's been a long time coming you know 18th year doing this and uh finally get a chance to uh experience it but the Hawaii Washington pipeline doesn't stop there with offensive lineman Julius buo a CA graduate and defensive lineman fuell of St Louis there's know a trio of us right now playing in a national championship and uh know these are the games that we dream of and you know always a watch growing up um so I mean for all the kids back home in Hawaii you you can make it happen too on Monday tuy will see a familiar face standout Michigan wide receiver Roman Wilson both were part of the 2019 Crusaders team that took home a State title against Kahuku just last week Wilson snagged this late touchdown against Alabama to force overtime in the Rose Bowl ran Wilson a huge impact on that drive big blue would go on to punch their ticket to Houston I feel like that whole island supports me and and any kid that's from there they support them and you know walking around with that Pride knowing that I have a chance to represent my hometown if you look back when he committed to Michigan he was on the Hawaii news station and they asked him what his goals were and he said to be Ohio State and win a National Championship so for him to actually living out his dreams is so exciting however Wilson's senior season began with a tragedy when word of the Maui Wildfire spread he jumped in to send Aid to his hometown all the way from Ann Arbor Michigan Wilson teamed up with drip House Coffee to create special menu items where proceeds go to Wildfire relief funds they actually have a drink there the mocha and the Wolverine sandwich you can add spam to it which he say he's gonna bring spam to an arbor and that Island flavor will be showcased on college football's biggest stage kickoff is set for Monday at 2:30 p.m. Hawaii time on ESPN Sienna Pon Hawaii news now