high school football targets! In our last episode, we learned that Robby Toma is an insanely magnetic tool for Punahou gunslingers Cayman Shutter and Kimo Makaula. We learned that not all great receivers have high target numbers, but much of the time, they have a high percentage of receptions to looks.

Here are the target/look numbers from last night's Leilehua-Kapolei game (won by the Mules 21-7). Prelude: Andrew Manley of Leilehua completed 25 of 40 pass attempts for 281 yards, three touchdowns and two picks. He was on fire in the first quarter (three scores), but Kapolei increased the pass rush and came up with two picks in the second quarter. Manley wound up throwing plenty of short stuff in the second half, and Leilehua took more than 6 minutes off the clock with one drive in the final quarter.

Kapolei's Noah Pascua was 12-for-24, 111 yards and one pick against a very disciplined Mules defense. Leilehua played a lot of reserves in the final quarter, but Pascua did show quite a bit of patience, rarely forced a pass into coverage. He was on the run quite a bit.

Anyway, here are the target totals.

Kapolei (vs. Leilehua)
Travis White, 5 targets, 2-15
Anu Sapla, 6, 4-12
Seth Roman, 1, 0-0
Elijah Tagura, 2, 0-0
Cyril Ontai, 1, 1-10
Lyle Santiago, 3, 2-38
Donnie King, 3, 1-3
Onosai Faumuina, 1, 0-0
Simione Vehikite, 1, 1-12
Kalani Brackenridge, 1, 1-21

Leilehua (vs. Kapolei)
Cheves Aberilla-Ramento, 8 targets, 5-85 td
Marcus Breakfield, 6, 3-18
Edieson Dumlao, 6, 3-50 td
Austin Schmidt, 4, 3-22
Kamana Akagi, 4, 3-25
Rico Newman, 11, 7-80 td
Jeremy Suguitan, 1, 1-1

That's right. Manley's main target was Newman, Mr. Jack-of-all-trades, with 11 looks. He lined up at running back a lot last year, but is in the slot quite a bit this season. Newman is in a category with just a select few, such as Punahou's Dalton Hilliard: running backs who are equally as effective and dangerous from the slot, or simply on RB routes from the backfield. Great hands, smart route runner, excellent after the catch. Explosive and disciplined -- every coach's prayer for an offensive skill player.

Dumlao got his looks before leaving early in the second half with a possible concussion. I think it happened on a deep post. He made a nice, diving catch, but seemed to take a hit on the head from one of Kapolei's outstanding safeties. We didn't know then, however, that he was injured at all.

Marcus Breakfield, the shutdown corner, had six looks on offense, too. Perhaps the most surprising stat was for Aberilla-Ramento, a diminutive receiver who plays big and had eight looks, second most for the night. He wears Allan Macam's number well.

One factor that you can't get just by looking at target numbers is a quarterback's ability to control a game with his accuracy and arm strength. Manley was able to go short many times, beautiful touch on the ball ("Learn to throw a catchable ball," as Bill Walsh preached to Joe Montana), and then deliver the deep ball with authority when the 1-on-1 was there. That first quarter for Manley and the Mules was magical.

It's a little surprising on the Kapolei side to see Sapla and White with the most targets. Leilehua's defense may have singled out Santiago as a receiver to stop. What's also interesting is the way Ontai and Vehikite did their damage when they got touches. Of course, they spend a whole lot of energy on defense, so asking for more from them is not reasonable.

Same goes for Brackenridge, who had a nice catch late in the game. He also had a late touchdown against Kamehameha a few weeks back.

Previous Article: What a pain in the ...
Next Article: Post-game: Saint Louis and Punahou