Daily Journal Athletes of the Week: SHP’s Aseli Fangupo and Timote Fangupo

Burlingame, trailing 7-0, advanced to SHP’s 1-yard line. After a false start penalty and a 1-yard loss, a second-and-goal from the 7-yard line was met by the Daily Journal Athletes of the Week, with the Fangupo brothers combining to sack Panthers quarterback Luke Levitt — leaving the Panthers to ultimately settle for a field goal.

“I just remember it was a normal play, seeing my brother force him out, and I just got there,” Timote said. “And I was very happy we both got him together.”

It was far from the only highlight on the Fangupo brothers’ reel. Each enjoyed the game of their lives. The older Aseli Fangupo, a four-year varsity starter both sides of the line, totaled a career-high 11 tackles. The younger Timote Fangupo racked up six tackles and two sacks, both career-highs as well.

It was quite the surprising opportunity for the brotherly duo to show off their knack for gridiron dominance, seeing as SHP advanced to the CCS playoffs after finishing tied for last place in the Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division. A 1-4 record in the power “A” league saw the regular season end with a 20-17 loss to crosstown Menlo School, a regular-season finale that left the Gators shaking their heads as to their playoff hopes — let alone any CCS championship aspirations.

“After Menlo, we didn’t really know what was going to happen,” Aseli said. “We knew if we were going to get in, we were going to have to go on a run. Obviously things didn’t turn out the way we wanted. Luckily we got blessed with an opportunity to get into a bracket and work ourselves to a CCS championship.”

It turned out to be a special postseason in more ways than one for Aseli Fangupo. On the evening of SHP’s win over Branham 28-14 in the CCS Division IV semifinals, the PAL awards were announced, with Aseli Fangupo earning Bay Division Defensive Lineman of the Year honors.

It was a well-deserved award, but one that tells only half the story for the elder Fangupo. Not only did he anchor the interior defensive line, he served as the starting offensive tackle as well, one of only two Gators to start both ways on the line, along with center and fellow defensive tackle Chase Smith.

Grieb tipped his cap to Aseli Fangupo’s offseason conditioning, which included his joining the lacrosse team.

“It helped him to get into shape,” Grieb said. “Obviously he has a tough workout regiment in the offseason ... but I think all the running he did in the offseason really set him up for success. His stamina — because we ask a lot of him ... he’s responded. He’s just played so well all season.”

Aseli Fangupo got the chance to show off his running Saturday. Not only did his blocking help the Gators rush for 202 yards and two touchdowns. He gave SHP a 14-3 lead in the second half by adding a touchdown on defense with a scoop-and-score, following a parade of blockers 35 yards to the end zone.

“It was fun,” Grieb said. “It really energized the team.”

It energized the crowd as well, one enlivened by the plenty of Fangupo fans in the house.

Not only were the Fangupo’s parents, father Solomone and mother Lata, in attendance, oldest brother Opeti — home from Texas after his season with Midwestern State University — was there, only with scores of cousins.

“I could hear a lot of noises from the crowd and my mom cheering for us,” Timote said. “It was great.”

The season enjoyed by the Fangupo brothers earned the fanfare, for sure. Aseli Fangupo’s season came as no surprise. He is a four-year varsity starter, after all. Now, Timote Fangupo is following in his brother’s footsteps. But, to do so, the freshman had to fill some big shoes in taking over for graduated edge rusher Teo Casares, who led the team with 11 sacks in 2023.

“I thought I would be on varsity but I didn’t expect to start,” Timote said. “I thought I would just be under the wings of the older guys. Yeah, I was very surprised.”

Aseli Fangupo wasn’t surprised though. In fact, heading into the current season, he told the SHP coaching staff he knew his younger brother could fill the void left by Casares.

“I definitely expected it,” Aseli said. “Me and my little brother, we train together. We train with a lot of JUCO guys ... so I already knew he was able to play at the varsity level.”