SENIOR ALL-DISTRICT LINEMAN Dominique Owens leads the Fairfield Eagles varsity team in performing the “Haka” war dance and chant after defeating Hillsboro. Owens, of Tongan descent, learned the “Haka” from cousins who play for the Euless Trinity Trojans, a Class AAAAA team that has won the state football championship three our of the last five years. Fairfield Eagles footbal fans who attended the first two games of the 2010 season witnessed an addition to gridiron rituals, a Polynesian war dance at the end of the contest.

If the Eagles keep winning, players will continue performing the “Haka.”

“If that will make them win, we’re all for it,” head coach Darrell Piske says.

The dance, which consists of chanted words, cries and grunts, accompanied by slapping hands against the body and stomping feet, originated from the Maori tribe in New Zealand.

The All Black rugby team in New Zealand adopted the war dance several years ago, and in about 2005 the Euless Trinity Trojans football team added it to their pre game preparation.

Euless Trinity has won three Class AAAAA football championships over the past five years, started by Tongan members of the squad.

The Kingdom of Tonga is a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean and Euless has a number of immigrants from there.

The Trojans are responsible for the “Haka” appearing in Fairfield this year—-senior All-District lineman Dominique Owens is part Tongan and learned the chant from cousins playing football at Euless Trinity.

“It’s my senior year and we’ve got to do something. So far, it’s worked,” Owens says.

Fairfield is 2-0 on the gridion this year, already besting the 1-9 season mark in 2009.

Piske reports that Owens started doing the war dance at 2-a-day practices and told the team it could perform the “Haka” after games it won.

Owens says he taught his teammates the movements and chant immediately prior to the first pep rally this season.

The lineman has led the chant after the Eagles’ victories over Ferris and Hillsboro.

The “Haka” is performed just prior to singing the school song after the game.

Members of the team hope to move the chant to part of pregame activities as they continue winning.