The Bishop Hendricken football program has standout weapons on both sides of the ball, and it’s had them playing at an elite level for the past few years. The proof is in the pudding, with four consecutive Super Bowl titles helping to fill the trophy case.

Never, though, have the Hawks had a secondary quite like they do this season, and now there’s even more proof that Hendricken’s talent is the best around.

On Sept. 26, senior cornerback Power Kanga gave a verbal commitment to the University of Rhode Island to play football for the Rams next fall. He became the second Hendricken defensive back to commit to a high-level college program this year, as fellow senior Lee Moses committed to the University of Massachusetts in the summer.

Moses, though, starred last year on the football field for the Hawks and always seemed destined to end up somewhere playing in college.

Kanga, on the other hand, had a strong sophomore season but missed much of last year due to injuries. Now fully healthy, his journey is different than Moses’s, but it ultimately has him poised to become the first Hawk since Brandford Sowah, who graduated from Hendricken in 2008, to play at URI.

He’ll sign his National Letter of Intent in February.

“It was a good feeling to get the offer, which I was looking for and waiting for, for a long time,” Kanga said. “For a while, I didn’t get it. But when they told me, I was really excited.”

The waiting period was a tough time for Kanga, who hadn’t received as much college interest as his top-level speed and athleticism might usually dictate, due to his injuries.

He was also getting significant interest from Central Connecticut State, but he wanted to play in-state. It was just a matter of getting URI to notice.

“I always knew I had a chance to play at that level, but I kept getting hurt,” Kanga said. “Last year I barely played the whole season. I knew that if I stayed healthy, I can play with anybody. I can definitely compete at a high level.”

His summer is what really caught the eye of the URI coaching staff. He attended a number of camps – UMass, Boston College, Syracuse and URI – and he started to feel more comfortable in his recovery from a knee injury with each one.

At the Syracuse camp, Kanga felt his old burst come back. Next up was the URI camp, and without injury constraints, he was free to show what he could do.

“I played good on the receivers [at Syracuse] and got some confidence,” Kanga said. “The URI camp was the next one, and I put on a show over there.”

URI had already expressed some interest, but the camp added a new dimension. Kanga ran a 4.47 40-yard dash. Then finally, in late September, the Rams offered by phone.

He accepted on the spot. The next day, he and Hendricken offensive coordinator Frank Pantaleo went to Kingston to watch URI take on Albany.

It was a peek at what’s waiting for Kanga at the next step on his football journey.

“I think it’s a great fit for him,” said Hendricken head coach Keith Croft. “He’s going to get down there, he’s got to work hard and he’s got to hit the weight room. But I think he will. I think he deserves it. If he commits, he can be a college football player.”

Kanga plays receiver and also carries the ball some for the Hawks, while also playing full-time at corner. He’ll make the transition to strictly defensive back for URI, with some special teams likely mixed in.

It’s going to be a jump up in competition, certainly. The Rams play in the Colonial Athletic Association, and are a member of college football’s Football Championship Subdivision, formerly known as Division I-AA.

“They like him as a DB,” Croft said. “I think he can play some special teams there. He hadn’t played a lot of football before he came to Hendricken. I think his best days are ahead of him. He’s going to get really good coaching in college and he’ll be able to work just on one side of the football. I think he’ll be really good.”

For the season, Kanga has scored two touchdowns, one receiving and one rushing. He’s also added 68 return yards and made 17 tackles from his spot in the secondary.

The numbers aren’t eye-popping, but his talent stands out. This coming Friday, when Hendricken plays Cranston East, Kanga will likely be matched up on the outside against East star Marquem Monroe, considered by many to be the top talent in the state.

That responsibility is exactly what Kanga wants. Next year, he’ll be facing players like that week-in and week-out.

After a long wait to get the opportunity, he’s ready to prove he’s worth it.

“I believe I have the speed to keep up with anyone,” Kanga said. “It’s just the technique and physicality that’s going to be a lot different. Once I get that squared away, I should be fine.”