Thu Sep 12 10:06:00 UTC 2024: ## Rainbow Warriors Return Home: Hawaii Football Team Excited for Texas Trip

**Huntsville, Texas** – The University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors are headed back to their roots this weekend, traveling to Texas for their game against Sam Houston. The game marks the first time the team will play in Texas since the 2020 New Mexico Bowl, which was relocated due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For many of the players, this trip is a chance to reconnect with their Texan heritage and the passionate football culture that shaped them. “We are our own football country,” said defensive lineman Daniel “Sauce” Williams, who hails from San Antonio. “It’s Texas versus everybody, especially when it comes to football. We eat, sleep, and breathe it.”

The game holds special significance for players like slotback Pofele Ashlock, who grew up in Euless, Texas, just a few hours from Sam Houston’s Huntsville campus. “Going back home feels close to me, especially going back to my family,” Ashlock said. “I’ve been getting calls all week. I’m trying to make sure all my family is there. It’s really big for me.”

Quarterback Brayden Schager, a Dallas native, will have around 20 family members and friends cheering him on at Bowers Stadium.

The Texas-reared Warriors spoke about the deep impact football had on their lives, sharing stories of family gatherings centered around the sport, Friday night high school games, and the unique Texas football atmosphere. “It’s like a religion,” said Schager. “Everybody’s at the game.”

Williams remembers the electrifying energy of high school games: “Oh man, there was nothing better than coming to that stadium, thousands of people there, everybody screaming.”

After the game, the team plans to indulge in a Texas tradition: Whataburger. “Everybody goes to Whataburger after games,” said Williams. “It’s the 24-hour spot. Ain’t nothing more Texas than a good ol’ honey-butter chicken biscuit or a patty melt.”

The Rainbow Warriors take on Sam Houston State at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium in Huntsville on Saturday.

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