Roman Pulefaasisina, a lineman for the Sunrise Mountain High School shot team, is verbally committed to San Diego State University. He is pictured June 10, 2026, successful the school's value room. Photo by: Ray Brewer
By Ray Brewer (contact)
Friday, June 12, 2026 | 2 a.m.
Sponsored by Zero Teen Fatalities
Roman Pulefaasisina arrived successful Las Vegas from Hawaii weeks earlier helium entered precocious school.
A fewer months later, the freshman was a two-way starter for the Sunrise Mountain shot squad successful the 2022 Class 4A authorities title game.
The lineman past week verbally committed to San Diego State and volition go the archetypal Sunrise Mountain subordinate to spell straight from precocious schoolhouse to a Division I roster. He’s successful the speech arsenic the program’s champion all-time player.
The schoolhouse opened successful 2009.
“He’s a quality shaper — conscionable ticker what different teams bash to instrumentality him retired of the game,” manager Patrick Achord said.
Pulefaasisina had 9 sacks past play arsenic a inferior — a fig that doesn’t shriek Division I recruit. But erstwhile you see he’s often double-teamed and adjacent triple-teamed, his quality comes into focus.
He ne'er comes disconnected the field, playing connected some sides of the line. He’s an intimidating 6-foot-2, 290 pounds — size seldom seen successful Class 4A. And, much times than not, he’s the astir diversion subordinate connected the field, Achord said.
He prefers defence due to the fact that “that’s wherever I tin tally escaped and unit the quarterback.”
He added, “My household drives maine to get better. My coaches thrust me.”
He’s credited for dedication to improvement, whether that’s starring teammates successful summertime workouts successful the value country oregon playing different sports to sharpen the competitory mindset.
He joined the wrestling squad to fortify his leverage successful staying debased — a cardinal for linemen. He went from a novice wrestler to heavyweight authorities champion successful May.
Pulefaasisina had assistance offers from UNLV, Idaho and New Mexico, yet picking the Aztecs due to the fact that of the transportation with the coaching staff.
“It felt similar family,” helium said of his recruiting visit.
Sunrise Mountain has had a fewer bully seasons implicit the years. It’s besides had a fewer seasons wherever it struggled for wins.
College recruiters, particularly those from Division I programs, don’t marque regular appearances astatine the eastbound Las Vegas schoolhouse backing into Frenchman Mountain.
That goes to amusement the unsocial endowment of Pulefaasisina. If you tin play, they volition find you.
“Everyone says I’m a chill person,” helium says. “But erstwhile I enactment the pads on, I’m different. I’m successful onslaught (mode).”
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