Well before 6-foot, 210-pound freshman Nelson Suisala ever put on a Hayward helmet and shoulder pads, coach Justin Redemer figured he would be an immediate varsity contributor. Suisala surpassed those expectations, however, becoming a two-way starter and a WACC-Shoreline all-league selection on defense.

When Suisala was still in middle school, he used to stop by practices while his older brother, Ayejay Havea, had his turn playing for Redemer and the Farmers. Havea was a team captain in 2015, his senior year, though his 6-foot-1, 330-pound frame dwarfs that of his younger brother. Still, Suisala made an immediate impression on the Hayward staff.

“I knew when he was in seventh grade that he could contribute to us right away,” Redemer stated. “He was already ready to go physically, and he is also a great kid in the classroom, with a high grade point average. He stepped right in from day one.”

Suisala started right away at middle linebacker for the Farmers, replacing Odale Hickman, who had transferred to Fremont-Oakland. In just his second game of high school football, the freshman standout notched 11 tackles, including two tackles for a loss, against Pinole Valley. The performances only continued to get better as the season wore on.

Hayward fell to Encinal early in Shoreline play, but Suisala was an impact player against the veteran and talented Jets, who went unbeaten during the regular season. He had two sacks in that game, but it was still just the beginning. In the final two games of the regular season, he totaled 22 tackles, four tackles for a loss, and three sacks, as the Farmers beat Arroyo and Alameda heading into the playoffs. In the win over Alameda, he also blocked a punt.

“Nelson is fast, has great feet, and has great instincts for the ball,” Redemer added. “He is also extremely coachable, and has great football knowledge on the field, which was a big reason why we were able to use him right away.”

Making Suisala’s late-season improvement more impressive was the fact that he also became a lynchpin in the backfield, stepping in at fullback after injuries had depleted the depth on that side of the ball. In the same regular season finale against Alameda, the freshman ran for 61 yards and a touchdown.

In the playoffs against Northgate, the Farmers were leading midway through the second quarter when Suisala had to exit with an ankle injury. His loss proved devastating on both sides of the ball, as Northgate scored the final 42 points of the game.

For the season, Suisala finished with 61 tackles, including nine tackles for a loss, and six sacks on defense. As a result of his efforts, we are pleased to award him as our Prep2Prep NCS Freshman of the Year.

Other players considered for this award include: California School for the Deaf’s Robert Gregor and Montgomery’s Reese Martin.