Saturday, August 31, 2019 ● The Gazette 1B

GAMEDAY COLLEGE
FOOTBALL

Samoa
heart
IN HIS Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette
Epenesa “Eppy” Epenesa looks over the football field during the
Orange and Black Scrimmage at the District 7 Sports Complex
across from Edwardsville High School in Edwardsville, Ill., on Aug.
23. Epenesa teaches young athletes about hard work and family.

“It’s all about uniting

Iowa’s A.J. our family and friends
and trying to create a
Epenesa grasps community that’s as
nice as possible.”
family roots A.J. Epenesa, Iowa defensive end

By Mike Hlas, The Gazette

E
DWARDSVILLE, Ill. — In 2018,
the U.S. Census Bureau said
none of this city’s 24,969 citizens
were Native Hawaiians or other
Pacific Islanders.
As for the bordering city of Glen Carbon?
The Census estimated 0.1 percent of its
12,959 residents were of that race/origin.
“That’s me,” said Epenesa “Eppy”
Epenesa, a native of American Samoa.
It’s a pretty impactful 0.1 percent.
At last Friday’s Orange and Black
Scrimmage at Edwardsville High School
for football teams from the Little Tigers
tykes all the way up to the high school var-
sity Tigers, you could see the influence of
Samoan culture. That’s not just because
the best athlete in the school’s history is
A.J. Epenesa, a preseason All-America
junior defensive end at Iowa.
During the five-hours-plus event at
EHS, 20 miles from St. Louis’ Gateway
Arch, dozens of kids and adults alike
sought out Eppy for handshakes,
hugs and warm words. Some kids
in the stands chanted “Eppy!” as
he neared them. Many from mid-
dle schoolers to the varsity wore
shirts he designed for them.
They feature Samoan symbols
and words. “USO 4 LIFE” and
“AIGA from the ‘VILLA” are
on the 2019 edition.
“Uso” is Samoan for
“brother” or “sister,” de-
pending on the gender.
“Aiga” means “family.”
“It’s all about uniting
our family and friends and
trying to create a com-
munity that’s as nice as
possible,” A.J. said at the
Hawkeyes’ Media Day
this month.
That’s what Eppy knew
when he was a boy help-
ing his family fish and
farm in Pago Pago, the
capital of the island of
just 76 square miles that is
6,336 miles from Iowa City. The Gazette
That’s what he brought
with him when he left for
Iowa in 1992 to play college
football at Iowa Wesleyan
in Mount Pleasant, when
he went to the University
of Iowa in 1995 to walk on to Iowa defensive end A.J. Epenesa returns a fumble 19 yards for a
the Hawkeye football pro- touchdown during the second quarter of a Big Ten football game
gram, when he lettered as a against Illinois last year in Champaign, Ill. Many members of
senior defensive lineman in Epenesa’s family and community were at the game.
1997 before he graduated.
That’s what he and his
wife, Stephanie, took to Ed-
wardsville/Glen Carbon
when they moved here in VITAL STATS
1999. This is where her
family lived, where she
MIAMI (OHIO) AT IOWA UNI AT IOWA STATE TODAY’S BEST BETS
attended high school. l Records: This is the season l Records: This is the season l Mississippi at Memphis,
It’s what they instilled in
opener for both teams. opener for both teams. 11 a.m., KCRG
A.J., his older sister Sa- l Time/TV: l Time/TV: l South Alabama at Nebraska,
mantha, and his younger
6:40 p.m., FS1 11 a.m., FS1 11 a.m., ESPN
brothers Eric and Iose, l Radio: l Radio: l Duke vs. Alabama, 2:30 p.m.,
as well as the wide circles
WMT-AM (600), KGYM-AM KCRG
of teammates and friends l Northwestern at Stanford,
KXIC-AM (800), (1600)
they have helped form. l Did you know
KKRQ-FM (100.7) 3 p.m., KFXA
“It takes a village,” l Did you know l Georgia Southern at LSU,
... ... Cyclone QB Brock
© 2019 The Gazette

Stephanie said during a

the Hawkeyes led the Big Ten Purdy’s 169.9 passer rating 6:30 p.m., ESPNU
break from selling Tigers l Oregon at Auburn, 6:30 p.m.,
and ranked second nationally last year was the best by a true
shirts and caps from a merchan-
last year with 20 interceptions? freshman in NCAA history? KCRG
dise tent at the scrimmage. She was
the EHS Football Booster Board member
;; HAWKEYES, PAGE 9B
 Saturday, August 31, 2019 ● The Gazette 9B

GAMEDAY

PICK
’EMS
OUR SO-CALLED EXPERTS
PREDICT THE BIG GAMES
MIAMI (OHIO) AT IOWA
Marc Morehouse (0-0, 23-13 last
year) — Iowa needs to adopt a beer.
Busch Light is Iowa State’s. I suggest
Hamm’s. You know I’m right. Iowa 34,
Miami (Ohio) 7
Mike Hlas (0-0, 23-13) — Usually, I
favor the MAC. Milk and Cookies, that
is. Iowa 45, Miami 21
Jeff Johnson (0-0, 23-13) — A 6:40
p.m. kick for this game? No. Just ...
no. Iowa 35, Miami 7
Beth Malicki (0-0, 24-12) — I
Jim Slosiarek photos/The Gazette
shipped off my oldest to college and
feel like a monster for not crying, not Epenesa “Eppy” Epenesa (right) talks to Julian Calloway (left), Yale Weaver (second from left) and Remy Tyrrell in the end zone Aug. 23 during
even one tear, at the farewell. Perhaps the Orange and Black Scrimmage at the District 7 Sports Complex across from Edwardsville High School in Edwardsville, Ill. The boys partici-
it’s due to the months worth of Pancheros wrap- pated in Epenesa’s summer conditioning drills that he runs in his backyard.

Hawkeyes/Epenesa
pers I found under his bed. Iowa 31, Miami 16
Ben Visser (0-0, 19-17) — Miami
(Ohio) is like a Scooby Doo villain.
When you first read the name you
think it’s the Miami Hurricanes, but
then you realize it’s just a dork in a mask that’s

all about family, friends

a subpar MAC team. Iowa 38, Miami 17
Todd Brommelkamp (0-0, 25-11)
— The RedHawks do not like to be
referred to as Miami of Ohio. Whatever
you do this weekend, do not refer to
the school as Miami of Ohio. Got it? No Miami
of Ohio references. None. Iowa 41, Miami 10 ;; FROM PAGE 1B
UNI AT IOWA STATE responsible for much of the funding
Morehouse — I hope everyone has gotten of the Tigers’ football teams. She is
“Iowa State looks awfully Purdy” out of their the board’s treasurer.
systems. Don’t do that. Iowa State 28, UNI 10 “It takes a village,” said Edwards-
Hlas — By the end of 2023, Highway 30 ville varsity football head coach
from Cedar Rapids to Ames will be entirely four- Matt Martin in a separate conversa-
lane. That will have been a few hundred round- tion, but he was talking about some-
trips too late for me. I hope you spoiled-rotten thing else.
kids appreciate it, though. Iowa State 31, UNI “(The Epenesas) literally have a
17 village at their house a few times a
Johnson — I predict Iowa State will win more week,” said Martin, who coached
games this season than Larry King has ex- A.J. on the varsity team for four
wives. Iowa State 31, UNI 13 seasons that all ended in the state
Malicki — But I did track my college playoffs. “It’s not just about their
freshman’s every movement through an app on sons and daughter. They want to see
his phone he didn’t figure out how to disable all these kids have success.”
until two weeks into the semester. Then I had “As good a football player as A.J.
what my doctor called a mild panic attack. Iowa is,” said his middle-school basketball
State 35, UNI 17 coach, Paul Johnes, “he’s an even
Visser — The days of Iowa State losing to an better person. ... It starts with his
FCS team are in the rearview mirror. Iowa State, mom and dad, his background.”
34, UNI 3 The Epenesas have a nice-enough “Eppy” Epenesa poses for a photograph with athletes who participate in his summer condition-
Brommelkamp — A defense led by Ray Lima house in a nice-enough subdivision. ing drills. The drills are free and teach more than conditioning.
facing a quarterback who was lining up a date It’s not fancy, but it’s functional.
to homecoming this time a year ago. What Most importantly, the backyard is Edwardsville High athletics direc- “All my dad’s siblings live on the
could possibly go wrong here? Iowa State 35, big enough to support a lot of hu- tor Alex Fox said he sees the effects West Coast or in Samoa,” A.J. said.
UNI 7 manity at summer workouts and of Eppy’s messages in the school. He has three cousins from California
autumn cookouts. “Absolutely,” Fox said. “The kids who have played Division I football.
NORTHWESTERN AT STANFORD For the last several years, Eppy have embraced the Samoan culture. One (Jacob Tuioti-Mariner) is in
Morehouse — OK, in an ’80s movie has conducted summer conditioning The kids I see him working with, training camp with the NFL’s At-
breakdown of this game, it’s “Sixteen Candles” drills at his house for all Edwards- they’re taking care of their grades, lanta Falcons.
vs. “Real Genius.” Val Kilmer gets the dub. ville kids who want to participate. they’re model citizens. There’s a “I didn’t have much exposure
Stanford 24, Northwestern 17 He began holding them when A.J. connection. It’s a total package. It’s a to (Samoa) growing up in Illinois,”
Hlas — I’m placed second in this lineup and was in middle school. great story.” he said. “but my dad tried his best
Mike Trout bats second in the Angels’ lineup. “I started doing this because if my Stephanie works in finance for to put his culture into our lives so
That doesn’t mean anything. I just mentioned kids had to train by themselves, how The Boeing Company in St. Louis that I can really embrace it and take
Trout for the halibut. Stanford 21, Northwestern not fun is that?” Eppy said. County. She was a scholarship vol- pride in it, which I do.”
20 Eric, a senior linebacker/receiv- leyball player at Iowa Wesleyan A.J. is tattooed with what he
Johnson — It’s approximately 180 days until er/long snapper on this year’s Ti- when she met Eppy there. Samantha calls “typical Samoan designs — the
indoor football season begins. Stanford 24, gers and an excellent EHS volleyball was the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s birds, the tortoise shells, the fish,
Northwestern 21 player, has done the workouts with All-Metro Player of the Year in vol- the leaves. All of these just have
Malicki — I’m considering home schooling his friends. Iose (pronounced yo- leyball in 2011 and went on to be a significant meaning in everyday life
for his sophomore year he if continues to ignore say), a middle school football player three-year starter at Purdue. She in Samoan culture.” He has been to
my FaceTime calls. That seems reasonable. who may grow up to be larger than now manages a restaurant in Fort Samoa twice, as a 6-year-old and a
Perhaps crying during move-in would have been 6-foot-6, 280-pound A.J., did them Lauderdale, Fla. sixth-grader.
a normal sign I was adjusting well. Stanford 27, this summer with his peers. “Samantha was a hard-worker,” “I got to experience the everyday
Northwestern 20 “It’s not necessarily 100 percent Stephanie said. life of what my dad did as a child,”
Visser — I’m trying to think of something about getting in shape for the sea- “I remember when A.J. was in he said.
smart and witty to say about these two brainiac son,” A.J. said, “though it’s obvi- sixth grade,” Johnes said. “His mom It seems a given A.J. is NFL-
schools, but I can’t. I guess that’s why I didn’t ously a big part of it because they’re came to me and said she was taking bound after this, his junior season.
go to either of those places. Stanford 24, football players. But it’s mostly A.J. off the team for a week. I said His parents aren’t interested in the
Northwestern 21 about uniting that group or groups ‘You sure you want to do that?’ She topic right now.
Brommelkamp — I thought the Wildcats of those kids into a brotherhood.” said his grade dropped a little bit in “His dad mostly tells him how
were supposed to be the smart ones of the Eppy is a ground operations one of his classes so she was taking much better he can be,” Stephanie
bunch. Everyone knows you don’t take a Big manager at St. Louis’ Lambert Inter- him off the team. said. “I tell him ‘You’re not that guy
Ten team west of the Rockies. Stanford 24, national Airport for Southwest Air- “It never happened again. And I yet.’ That’s how we keep his feet on
Northwestern 17 lines. He said the company lets him didn’t question his mom again.” the ground. He’s got to do the little
work a night shift in the summer so Back to that backyard. The work- things. It takes a whole team.”
he can devote time to the kids during outs are for the summer. Then there Eppy added: “We block every-
TODAY ON TV the day.
“It definitely makes a difference,”
are those fall Friday nights.
“After home games my dad al-
thing out like we did during recruit-
ing. I really don’t care what’s said
l Florida Atlantic at Ohio State, 11 a.m., KFXA said Eric, who will decide between ways cooks pork steaks and teriyaki about him.”
l Mississippi at Memphis, 11 a.m., KCRG playing college football and volley- chicken, makes a lot of food we The Epenesas put Edwardsville in
l UNI at Iowa State, 11 a.m., FS1 ball later this school year. always eat,” A.J. said. “But other their circle, but the reverse is true,
l South Alabama at Nebraska, 11 a.m., ESPN It’s about more than developing people bring side dishes, wings, too. Last November, Iowa rolled to a
l Akron at Illinois, 11 a.m., BTN stamina and upper-body strength. meatballs, buffalo chicken dip.” 63-0 win over Illinois in Champaign.
l Mississippi State at Louisiana, 11 a.m., It’s trying to affect the way they Three grills are in the backyard. The weather was raw. Epenesa’s
ESPNU think. Colored lights are strung. Torches performance included a forced
l Indiana at Ball State, 11 a.m., CBSSN “My dad talks to them about re- are lighted. Tropical music plays. A fumble, a return of that fumble for a
l Duke vs. Alabama in Atlanta, 2:30 p.m., specting your parents, respecting sliver of downstate Illinois becomes touchdown, a quarterback sack and
KCRG your family, how to act at home,” a sliver of Samoa. a blocked punt all within a two-min-
l Idaho at Penn State, 2:30 p.m., BTN A.J. said. “He doesn’t charge these “It’s not just my family,” Eppy ute period of the second quarter.
l Holy Cross at Navy, 2:30 p.m., CBSSN families anything (except for one said. “We have an awesome group of “I think we had over 200 people
l South Carolina at North Carolina, 2:30 p.m., case of bottled water and one case of parents who cook together and help from Edwardsville there,” A.J. said.
ESPN Gatorade), doesn’t make any money make it happen. “... People made the effort to come
l Georgia State at Tennessee, 2:30 p.m., off it. He does it out of the goodness “It brings the community togeth- and watch me, and it made me very
ESPNU of his heart ...” er. It’s a team environment.” happy, to say the least.
l Northwestern at Stanford, 3 p.m., KFXA Eppy uses the workouts to work “Team” basically means anyone “... I was almost in tears by how
l Boise State at Florida State, 6 p.m., ESPN on the boys’ hearts, too, putting a the Epenesas know. appreciative I was of the people from
little Samoan in them. “It’s all about family,” Eppy said. my hometown coming and support-
© 2019 The Gazette

l Georgia Southern at LSU, 6:30 p.m., ESPNU

l Middle Tennessee State at Michigan, 6:30 “You’ve got to love and take care “It’s all about God.” ing. When I really thought about it,
p.m., BTN of your parents, make your par- Samoa isn’t just a concept for the it made me so happy and made me
l Oregon at Auburn, 6:30 p.m., KCRG ents happy,” he said he tells them. Epenesa children. Eric and Iose ac- really appreciate this is my town.”
l Missouri at Wyoming, 6:30 p.m., CBSSN “That’s pretty huge for me. In the companied Eppy there a year ago for There’s a word for that: Aiga.
l Miami (Ohio) at Iowa, 6:40 p.m., FS1 Samoan culture, we respect our el- a wedding in which Eppy was the Comments: (319) 368-8840;
l Fresno State at USC, 9:30 p.m., ESPN ders and our parents.” best man. mike.hlas@thegazette.com