SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Before second-year players Noah Fifita, Tetairoa McMillan, Jacob Manu, and Keyan Burnett were Arizona Wildcats, they were Servite High School Friars in Anaheim, California.
Karlie Carlson handles the team's public relations, and there was a lot of attention on a team that was ranked 5th in the nation.
"Their football prowess speaks for itself, but for me, who worked with them on the sidelines, the people that they are stands out," said Carlson.
Carlson points to how Fifita and McMillan, the team's star quarterback and wide receiver, always wanted their teammates to share in the accolades and interview requests.
"They are special kids to take a step back when they've earned that opportunity."
Carlson follows the Wildcats closely, and she was at the game in which Arizona visited USC earlier this season.
"As a Trojan fan, I was rooting for Noah and the boys to pull it off in overtime."
The triple overtime defeat was Arizona's last loss before the current six-game winning streak that's led them to the Valero Alamo Bowl. It's thanks in part to the four former Servite High School players.
"To say we are not surprised sounds cliche but honestly, we're not surprised. We knew they were poised for greatness. We're really happy to see it, and it's probably happened a little more quickly than some people thought."
