Mario Moloka'i

Mario Moloka'i

Mario Moloka'i celebrates after a big play.
No. 93 – Austin Copperheads
Position:	Defensive Tackle
Personal information
Born:	(2030-09-21)September 21, 2030 (aged 30) Kualapu'u, Hawaii, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	315 lb (143 kg)
Username:	124715
Career information
College:	University of Hawaii
ISFL Draft:	2054  / Round: 1 / Pick: 7
DSFL Draft:	2053  / Round: 2 / Pick: 11
Career history
Bondi Beach Buccaneers (2052 (S37)) Norfolk Seawolves (2053 (S38)-2054 (S39)) Austin Copperheads (2055 (S40)-present)
Roster status:	Active
Career DSFL statistics
Tackles: 157 Tackles for loss: 17 Sacks: 5
Player stats at ISFL.net

Mario Moloka'i (born September 21, 2030) is an American football defensive tackle for the Austin Copperheads of the International Simulation Football League. He played college football for University of Hawaii and was drafted by the Copperheads seventh overall in the 2054 ISFL draft.

Early years

Mario Moloka'i was born into an unassuming family with hardworking parents. His father was a plumber, and from a young age Mario was trained in the subtle skill of fixing pipes and keeping water where it was supposed to go. While he was often joked at for his plump build and mustache that seemed to not reflect his own age, he was a very good plumber. Mario assumed that he would inherit the family's plumbing business, but was shocked to learn that his father did not plan on keeping him with the business. He was understandably upset, and decided to take his passion and diligent attention to detail to another realm, one where his pudginess would be useful. He began playing football with local teams in the community and forced each one to use "it's-a me, Mario!" as an audible. While Mario still talks to his father to make passive-aggressive plumbing jokes, he became more excited about his future in football.

College career

Mario left his home town in Italy to go as close to the opposite side of the world he could, which took him to Hawaii. He tried on to the Rainbow Warriors as a walk-on and made the team, though he redshirted his freshman year and never suited up for a game. In his second year on the team, he began to apply himself fully to the game of football, learning all the subtleties of defensive line play like hand placement and leverage. He earned some snaps in a rotational role, but was not seriously taken to be part of the future of the team.

Mario broke onto the scene in his third year, earning starting play at the defensive tackle position. In 13 games, he recorded five sacks and nine tackles for loss, earning second-team all-conference honors. For his fourth year, Mario received a spot on the pre-season all-conference team. Mario lived up to the high expectations, recording 14 sacks and 19 tackles for loss and earning the conference defensive player of the year award. Following his strong season, Mario declared himself for assignment in the DSFL.

College career statistics

Career statistics			Defense
Season	Team	Games	Tck	TFL	FF/FR	Sck	Int	PD	Sfty	TD
2049	HAW	0	Redshirted
2050	HAW	13	11	0	0/0	0	0	0	0	0
2051	HAW	13	44	9	2/0	5	0	1	0	0
2052	HAW	13	56	19	4/1	14	1	3	0	0

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables

Ht	Wt	40‑yd dash	20‑ss	3‑cone	Vert jump	Broad
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	315 lb (143 kg)

DSFL Career

2052: Waivers and Ultimini championship

Moloka'i was claimed off waivers by the Bondi Beach Buccaneers following the trade deadline of the 2052 (S37) season. He played one game as the team's starting defensive tackle, recording two tackles for loss in a game that had no impact on seeding. The Buccaneers entered the playoffs as the top seed overall. They defeated the Dallas Birddogs and the Portland Pythons to claim the 2052 Ultimini championship. Moloka'i himself recorded 11 tackles and three tackles for loss in the postseason, leading to speculation that he might be a high draft pick in the upcoming DSFL draft.

2053: Draft and Ultimini appearance

Mario Moloka'i was selected with the 11th overall pick in the second round of the Season 38 DSFL Draft by the Norfolk Seawolves and started at defensive tackle for the team. Norfolk started shaky with a 2-2 record, but after allowing 38 points to the Kansas City Coyotes in week 4 the Seawolves promised to turn things around. The team rattled off a 6-game win streak, during which the defense never allowed more than 24 points. The Seawolves finished with the top-ranked defense in the South conference and lead the league in turnovers forced by a large margin, in part due to the defensive line play of Moloka'i and his teammates. After week 12, the Seawolves were able to secure the first seed in the South conference. Moloka'i shone in the Seawolves' home playoff game against the Tijuana Luchadores, posting two tackles for loss and a sack, but was kept entirely out of the backfield in an Ultimini loss to the Coyotes.

2054: Move to linebacker and expectations

Before the season, it was announced that Moloka'i would slim down and play linebacker, as well as that the Austin Copperheads would send him down for another season with the Seawolves. While Moloka'i had performed solidly, if unspectacularly, during his rookie season, there were higher expectations in his second full season, especially at a position where experts felt he belonged more naturally.

These expectations were not fully realized. With highly-touted prospects Kenny McCormick and Toad Wananapaoa occupying the outside linebacker spots, Moloka'i played the season at the middle linebacker position. After the season, he commented that while the position was a bigger transition from the defensive line than outside linebacker would have been, he appreciated the opportunity to learn more about the linebacker position. Other than personal progress, however, Moloka'i posted a statistically weak season with 87 tackles and just two sacks.

For the second straight season, Moloka'i's Seawolves had a streaky season. During a 2-5 opening stretch, the Seawolves let up over 25 points per game despite the anticipated dominance of their defense entering the season. Moloka'i and the other veterans on the defense credited the development of the younger players on the defense, as well as rookie quarterback Rocky Franklin III for the team's ensuing turnaround, as Norfolk won all their remaining regular season games to seize the top seed in the conference. However, the team's defense once again faltered in the Ultimini, once again against the Kansas City Coyotes, drawing a close to Moloka'i's Norfolk career without a championship.

ISFL Career

After Moloka'i's strong rookie season in the DSFL, he was projected as a top prospect in the upcoming Season 39 ISFL Draft. The vast majority of pundits and analysts projected him as a first-round pick, noting his unusual speed and agility for the defensive tackle position. Common projected landing spots for Moloka'i included the Austin Copperheads and the Honolulu Hahalua, although there were concerns about his ability to remain on the defensive line against stronger offensive linemen in the ISFL.

The Austin Copperheads selected Mario Moloka'i with the seventh overall pick in the Season 39 ISFL Draft. He was sent down for the 2054 (S39) season.

2055: Debut

The Copperheads announced they were calling up Moloka'i prior to the 2055 (S40) season.

Professional career statistics

DSFL statistics

Career statistics				Defense
Season	Team	Pos	Games	Tck	TFL	FF/FR	Sck	Int	PD	Sfty	TD	Blk P/XP/FG
2052 (S37)	Buccaneers	DT	1	4	2	0/0	0	0	0	0	0	0/0/0
2053 (S38)	Seawolves	DT	14	66	9	1/0	3	0	0	0	0	0/0/0
2054 (S39)	Seawolves	LB	14	87	6	1/1	2	0	1	3	0	0/0/0
Total			29	157	17	2/1	5	0	1	3	0	0/0/0

ISFL statistics

Career statistics				Defense
Season	Team	Pos	Games	Tck	TFL	FF/FR	Sck	Int	PD	Sfty	TD	Blk P/XP/FG
2055 (S40)	Copperheads	LB	0	0	0	0/0	0	0	0	0	0	0/0/0
Total			0	0	0	0/0	0	0	0	0	0	0/0/0

Achievements and records

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