Preps in Paradise

Duffy Daugherty had his own little Polynesian Pipeline back in the day, ages before people began to abuse the phrase, “back in the day.” He knew all about the high school football talent waiting to be discovered in Hawaii during the 1960s. That is why he brought Charlie Wedemeyer, Bob Apisa and Dick Kenney all the way to East Lansing from Oahu. “I think there’s always been a lot of good talent here,” said the man who honed a lot of it, former St. Louis School coach Cal Lee. “Back in the ‘60s those players going to Michigan State had a lot to do with Duffy loving the islands, and he loved the kids.” There were others before and many since. Roy Gerela, Rockne Freitas, Mosi Tatupu, Russ Francis, Jesse Sapolu and Rich Miano are just a few Hawaii prep stars who went on to enjoy lengthy professional careers. Lee, himself, was a pretty good linebacker who was a Little