Moeakiola close to first offer

Euless (Texas) Trinity spent much of the season ranked as one of the top two teams in the country before a heartbreaking loss in the state championship game. While the Trojans lost several seniors such as Brandon Carter, Nila Kasitati and Suleiman Masumbuko to Division I colleges, their junior class has a chance to be even better.

One of the top Trinity prospects for the class of 2011 is safety Ilaiu Moeakiola. The 6-foot, 185-pound defender is already a two-time all-district selection and has been hearing from several colleges. He recently took two separate campus visits.

"I went to a couple junior days," Moeakiola said. "I went to the BYU and (Texas) A&M junior days. BYU was this past weekend and A&M was the weekend before that. They both went well. They were fun."

Moeakiola has been to the BYU campus before and made the trip again with a pair of teammates.

"I went up there with Hiva Lutui and our quarterback, Kailahi Kautai," he said. "We already knew the coaches from the summer camp they we went to and we just took a visit around the campus like we did when we went to the camp. We got into more depth about the reasons why they went independent in football. They also made a huge change in their coaching staff so they were telling us about it."

Moeakiola also enjoyed his time at Texas A&M.

"That went pretty well," he said. "There were a lot of athletes there. We saw the stadium and had a chance to talk in-depth with the coaches. It was pretty cool."

Though he has yet to pick up his first offer, the hard hitting safety feels one school is close to extending one.

"BYU, I think they're on the verge of offering," Moeakiola said. "I've been talking to them a lot since then. I think that it's the same way with Hiva."

Though BYU is affiliated with the Latter Day Saints, Moeakiola is not of the Mormon faith. However, he says that he likes the idea of going to school in Provo.

"I'm non-member," he said of the LDS faith. "The qualities and the values that they have at that school, I really like them. They have sober living. It's great and would keep me out of trouble. I'd like to go to a school like that."

It is a Big Ten school that is standing out to Moeakiola early, though.

"I really like Wisconsin right now," he said. "I like the program and the coaches. They've been recruiting me a lot. I've also been hearing a lot from Oklahoma State, A&M, Kansas, Tulsa and some others."