CARLSBAD — Christmas came early for the Washington Huskies and Ratumana “Mana” Bulabalavu of the Army-Navy Academy.
During Wednesday’s National Signing Day, the second-ranked college football team signed one of North County’s best players. And while much of the chatter around local prep football centers on Carlsbad High School quarterback Julian Sayin, and deservedly so as a five-star recruit and No. 2-ranked QB in the country, Bulabalavu, a four-star, is a standout in his own right.
The hulking 6-foot-4, 260-pound defensive tackle racked up huge numbers in leading the Warriors to an 8-4 record and an appearance in the Division V-AA CIF San Diego championship game this season. Bulabalavu, 17, terrorized opposing quarterbacks and offenses with an eye-popping 19 sacks, 20 tackles for a loss and 99 tackles. He also had 60 sacks in his career.
