From December 16th to 22nd HawaiiAthletics.com will be providing exclusive coverage of the Rainbow Warriors football team as they prepare for SoFi Hawai'i Bowl. The entire week will give fans an opportunity to peer inside the football program and to fully enjoy the build-up of the 'Bows second appearance in the SoFi Hawai'i Bowl in three years. UH, and Louisiana Tech will kickoff at 5:30 p.m. HT on Saturday the 22nd at Aloha Stadium, and the game will be televised on ESPN.
HONOLULU- The state of Hawai'i is nationally known for its breathtaking views and scenic landscape from the beaches to the mountains. Thursday morning captured a glimpse of a unique setting as the SoFi Hawai'i Bowl kickoff press conference took place on the Ocean Lawn of the Royal Hawaiian.
With Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head as the background, the University of Hawai'i football team was represented by head coach
Nick Rolovich, senior defensive lineman
Zeno Choi, and junior offensive lineman
J.R. Hensley. All three shared their anticipation for Saturday's matchup with Louisiana Tech, but as Choi shared his perspective, it summed up what many of the Warriors are feeling heading into the bowl game.
"I've seen so much these last four years," said Choi. "This season has kind of mirrored my career, with it being a roller coaster. I've had some highs and lows during my time here. Then I look at this season where we had a great start, followed by the four-game losing streak, then we ended on a high note to get into the bowl game. I can't think of a better way to end my career than at Aloha Stadium in the SoFi Hawai'i Bowl."
Shortly after, the three-person party of UH and the LA Tech representatives wrapped up the morning by loading up and heading to practice for the day.
As the morning turned into the afternoon, UH packed the buses to head west of campus to visit Pearl Harbor. The historical site was draped with the Hawai'i sun as the Warriors soaked in the knowledge and shared their appreciation of service members.
Thursday was scheduled to be a peaceful night with a team photo shoot followed by a kickoff banquet dinner at the Waikiki Sheraton. Flash bulbs and smiles were traded for chants and pure excitement with both squads sitting down to break bread for the second consecutive night.
In the opening minutes of the banquet, the teams were excited by highlights of their season on the video boards. Players cheered the big plays and traded jabs from across the large ballroom. Moments later the UH marching band and cheerleaders entered by playing both program's fight songs, adding to the atmosphere. The Bulldogs sang proudly to the tune of their fight song, with the Warriors answering back with a loud rendition of their beloved tune.
The excitement subsided as the moderator of the night encouraged both teams to save the energy for Saturday as they'll experience just two more sleepless nights before gameday.
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