Beavers on Polynesian Football Player Watch List, Aug. 7

Oregon State senior football student-athletes Gus Lavaka and Noah Togiai have been included in the initial 2019 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year award watch list. The two Beavers are among the 62 players recognized by the award by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame based in Honolulu. Lavaka has started 31 of 34 career games at offensive guard, including 26 straight. The digital communication arts graduate from Kearns, Utah, has also been recognized as a member of the Outland Trophy watch list for the top interior lineman and is a preseason Pac-12 Conference second team honoree. He was a member of multiple Freshman All-America teams following the 2016 season. Togiai (Tong-EE-eye) enters the season having played 32 games, including 25 starts at tight end. The West Valley City, Utah native has 58 receptions for 642 yards and is on this season’s Mackay Award Watch List presented to the nation’s top tight end. Tongiai, who was a two-sport athlete at Oregon State playing basketball in 2015, will graduate with a degree sociology in December.