It took the University of Hawai‘i football team four years to reclaim the Paniolo Trophy. The Rainbow Warriors don't plan on relinquishing it in less than 10 months.
In its 2025 regular season finale, a 27-7 victory over Wyoming, players from the Hawai‘i sideline sprinted over to the opposite side of the field to snatch the trophy away from the Cowboys. The trophy, named to commemorate the rivalry between the two programs, had been in Wyoming's hands since 2022. Prior to that, the 'Bows had won the Paniolo Trophy with a victory at Wyoming to wrap up its 2021 regular season.
The Mountain West has scheduled the Rainbow Warriors and Cowboys against each other in either October or November in six consecutive matchups. But in 2026, the 'Bows will visit Laramie for a matchup on Saturday at 8 a.m. HST. Both teams are currently 1-2 and are hoping to use the matchup to springboard themselves into Mountain West Conference contention.
"I think what it represents, the Paniolo, the Cowboy, two tough programs historically. By nature, the elements in which they grew up in, the culture and environment which we have grown in, it makes for two tough programs," Hawai‘i head coach Timmy Chang says. "It signifies the toughness, the grit, and you get two teams that are going to play at that type of level. It means a lot."
Starting defensive end Lester Lagafuaina was the first Rainbow Warrior to run to the Paniolo Trophy in 2025. He certainly did his part with five tackles, including two for loss.
Lagafuaina's production (37 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks), combined with his imposing frame (6-foot-4, 245 pounds) made him a potentially intriguing target for teams in the transfer portal. The problem for other teams is he never actually entered the portal.
With an affinity for the Islands, the native of American Samoa chose to come back to Mānoa for his redshirt junior season. An injury in the team's season opener against Stanford sidelined him for the next two games, but following a bye week, Lagafuaina was back at the practice field on Tuesday.
"It's very exciting. I'm excited to be with my boys," Lagafuaina said. "I was on the sideline cheering. That's another way of adding value, but I want to add a lot more value on the field.
"Our main goal is not that trophy — it's really just to execute our jobs. We're not really focused on the trophy. ... You can have all the trophies in the world, but getting the win first is most important. Knowing our assignments, everyone doing their job, we're more focused on our job more than the trophy."
In Hawai‘i's 9-4 2025 campaign, the Rainbow Warriors went 2-3 on the road. Their two wins came at Colorado State and Air Force, a pair of schools that tout high elevation. Prior to Saturday's game, the 'Bows have practiced and are staying in Fort Collins, Colo., about an hour's drive away from Laramie.
"We're always emphasizing starting fast and finishing fast. That's the biggest thing right now. Away game, away environment, different things, it's about not letting those type of things kind of affect us as a team," says quarterback Micah Alejado. "It's about going out there, playing our game, and going out there and making plays."
Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.
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