Jojo Siofele is a humble, soft-spoken guy.
But he sure knows how to make a statement.
Siofele blew the roof off the Tacoma Dome in Union’s 52-20 win over Lake Stevens in the Class 4A state championship game on Saturday.
Siofele accounted for four of the Titans’ seven touchdowns, including TD catches of 56, 23 and 10 yards.
Fittingly, he capped Union’s scoring with an 80 yard touchdown run one play after making an interception in the end zone.
Siofele didn’t need to speak loudly after the game. His 179 yards of receiving and 113 yards of rushing turned heads.
And Union coach Rory Rosenbach was more than willing to make a loud statement on behalf of the 5-foot-11, 195-pound senior.
“If you’re a college coach in the Big Sky or anywhere in the Mountain West, if you watched that game, you’d better offer that man,” Rosenbach said. “He comes every single night and gives everything he’s got. Whoever gets him is going to get a steal.”
Perhaps one reason Siofele hasn’t been a hot recruit was a devastating knee injury that cost him all but a few plays of his sophomore year. He tore his ACL and MCL ligaments in addition to a bone fracture.
He showed no ill effects of the injury Saturday or any time this season. If anything, the work Siofele put in to return from that injury to become a multi-tool threat is a shining trait.
“His competitive nature is second to none,” quarterback Lincoln Victor said of Siofele, who has been his friend since childhood. “He’s got that high-end motor that people look for. That’s not coachable.”
Siofele made a statement Saturday, even if he didn’t plan to.
“I wasn’t really focused on that,” Siofele said. “Whatever I could do for my team to win.”
What Siofele did want to talk about was his pride in his family. His father turned 50 on Saturday and was among many relatives in attendance.
Siofele also wanted to talk about his teammates.
But Siofele allowed himself a brief moment to reflect on his long journey back from the injury.
“After that injury I knew everything happened for a reason,” he said. “I knew God had a plan for me because He knew I could take it.”
That plan saw Siofele, childhood friend Victor and the rest of the Titans lift the program’s first state championship trophy.
No matter what the future holds for Siofele, he’ll always have Saturday.
And Victor will always have his back.
“He’s the last one to take credit but I’ll tell you this, he needs more offers,” Victor said. “He’s one of the best backs in Washington state. I’m so proud he was able to put on a show today.”
