Viliami Moala
Encyclopedia
Viliami Alfred Moala is an American football
defensive tackle of Tonga
n descent. He committed to the University of California, Berkeley
, and has been described by recruiters as the "jewel" of the 2011 Bears recruiting class. Moala attended Grant Union High School
in Sacramento, California
.
s, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. In the CIF
Open Division state championship against perennial powerhouse Long Beach Poly
, Moala helped Grant to a 25-20 upset.
As a junior, Moala tallied 104 tackles, 36 tackles for loss, and 15 sacks, and returned a blocked kick for a touchdown. He was named California's Junior Player of the Year, the first lineman to do so since Manny Fernandez
of San Lorenzo
in 1962.
In his senior year, Moala was part of a defense that allowed only 68 points and had eight shutouts, registering a record 83 sacks (of which Moala contributed 34½). Moala also had 286 tackles, eight fumble recoveries, and five blocked punts on the season. Grant Union won 13 consecutive games and was ranked among the top teams in nation until being upset by Folsom High School
41–20 in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II football championship game.
Regarded as a five-star recruit by Scout.com
, Moala is listed as the No. 2 defensive tackle prospect in the class of 2011. He and fellow teammate James Sample were selected to play in the 2011 U.S. Army All-American Bowl
. With offers from almost every BCS
school, including Alabama
, Miami (Fl.)
, USC
, and Florida
, Moala was considered Sacramento area's
most heavily recruited prospect since Kevin Willhite
of Cordova
in 1981. He announced his decision to attend the University of California, Berkeley
at the Army All-American Bowl.
offensive lineman Fenuki Tupou
, and USC Trojans defensive lineman Christian Tupou.
While a senior in high school, Moala bench-pressed 495 pounds (225 kg). Said Jeff Tedford
: "He's already got the Cal bench-press record before he even gets here".
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
defensive tackle of Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
n descent. He committed to the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, and has been described by recruiters as the "jewel" of the 2011 Bears recruiting class. Moala attended Grant Union High School
Grant Union High School (Sacramento, California)
Grant Union High School is a public high school in Sacramento, California, United States.-Notable alumni:*Don Doll, American football player*Gene Filipski, American football player*David Kilson, American football player*Leron Lee, American football player...
in Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
.
High school career
Already a 300-pounder at 13 years of age, Moala excelled in football very early. As a sophomore, he started at left guard and was a reserve defensive tackle, finishing the year with 55 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, four quarterback sackQuarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
s, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. In the CIF
California Interscholastic Federation
The California Interscholastic Federation is the governing body for high school sports in the state of California. It mirrors similar governing bodies in other states; however, it differs from some of the others in that it covers most high schools in the state of California, both public and...
Open Division state championship against perennial powerhouse Long Beach Poly
Long Beach Polytechnic High School
Long Beach Polytechnic High School, founded in 1895 as Long Beach High School, is a High school located at 1600 Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach, California, United States....
, Moala helped Grant to a 25-20 upset.
As a junior, Moala tallied 104 tackles, 36 tackles for loss, and 15 sacks, and returned a blocked kick for a touchdown. He was named California's Junior Player of the Year, the first lineman to do so since Manny Fernandez
Manny Fernandez (American football)
Manuel Jose Fernandez is a former American football player of who played eight seasons for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League...
of San Lorenzo
San Lorenzo High School
San Lorenzo High School, also known as "SLZ", is a public high school located in San Lorenzo, California and is part of the San Lorenzo Unified School District. Its crosstown rival is Arroyo High School...
in 1962.
In his senior year, Moala was part of a defense that allowed only 68 points and had eight shutouts, registering a record 83 sacks (of which Moala contributed 34½). Moala also had 286 tackles, eight fumble recoveries, and five blocked punts on the season. Grant Union won 13 consecutive games and was ranked among the top teams in nation until being upset by Folsom High School
Folsom High School
Folsom High School is a nationally acclaimed American high school located in Folsom, California, established in 1922. It is a part of the Folsom-Cordova Unified School District...
41–20 in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II football championship game.
Regarded as a five-star recruit by Scout.com
Scout.com
Scout.com is an integrated sports publishing company that produces both an Internet and print product. Scout has more than 2.1 million visitors...
, Moala is listed as the No. 2 defensive tackle prospect in the class of 2011. He and fellow teammate James Sample were selected to play in the 2011 U.S. Army All-American Bowl
U.S. Army All-American Bowl
The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is a high school football all-star game held in early January in San Antonio, Texas. Currently played in the Alamodome, the game brings 90 of the nation's top high school football players in an East versus West matchup. In addition to the Bowl game, there is the U.S...
. With offers from almost every BCS
BCS conference
An Automatic Qualifying conference is an athletic conference in NCAA Division I FBS whose champion receives an automatic berth in one of the five Bowl Championship Series bowl games...
school, including Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
, Miami (Fl.)
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
, USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, and Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, Moala was considered Sacramento area's
Sacramento metropolitan area
The Greater Sacramento area, or officially Sacramento–Arden Arcade–Yuba City, CA-NV Combined Statistical Area, is a combined statistical area consisting of several metropolitan statistical areas and seven counties in Northern California and one in Western Nevada. These are Sacramento, Yolo, El...
most heavily recruited prospect since Kevin Willhite
Kevin Willhite
Alfred Kevin Willhite is a former collegiate and professional American football player.Willhite attended Cordova High School in Rancho Cordova, California, graduating in 1982. He was one of the greatest running backs in California prep history, rushing for 4,901 yards and scoring 72 touchdowns...
of Cordova
Cordova High School (Rancho Cordova, California)
Cordova High School is a public high school serving grades 9 to 12. It is classified within the Folsom-Cordova Unified School District and located in Rancho Cordova, California - in the suburbs to the east of Downtown Sacramento on US 50. During the 2010-2011 semester the school's populations was...
in 1981. He announced his decision to attend the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
at the Army All-American Bowl.
Personal
Moala is the cousin of Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
offensive lineman Fenuki Tupou
Fenuki Tupou
Fenuki Tupou is an American football guard who is currently a member of the New Orleans Saints. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oregon.-Early years:...
, and USC Trojans defensive lineman Christian Tupou.
While a senior in high school, Moala bench-pressed 495 pounds (225 kg). Said Jeff Tedford
Jeff Tedford
Jeff Tedford is an American football coach and the current head coach of the California Golden Bears football team, a position he has held since 2002. As a first-time head coach, Tedford has won wide acclaim for revitalizing the Cal football program...
: "He's already got the Cal bench-press record before he even gets here".