Body found in ocean identified as Hayward football standout

The body of 18-year-old Naphtali Moi Moi, a standout football player at Hayward High School, was found Sunday in the ocean near Half Moon Bay.

SAN MATEO — The San Mateo County Coroner on Tuesday identified the body that was pulled from the ocean Sunday in Half Moon Bay as Naphtali Moi Moi, a standout football player at Hayward High School who drowned while boogie boarding at Poplar State Beach 10 days earlier.

On April 18, Moi Moi, a 6-foot-4, 235-pound defensive lineman, went to the beach with Hayward teammates and friends. Authorities believe Moi Moi fell off a Boogie Board at about 3 p.m. in rough, frigid surf off of Poplar State Beach.

Friends who were with Moi Moi said he disappeared under the water, according to his high school coach Justin Redemer.

Sunday, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a body in the ocean at 11:20 a.m. near the Ritz-Carlton.

A four-year starter for Hayward High, Moi Moi was headed to play at the University of Wyoming in the fall on a full ride scholarship.

Moi Mou also played volleyball at Hayward High. He was recently voted as a first-team, all-league player in the West Alameda County Conference.