The long night began just about the time when most students and working folks are ready to hit the sack.

On the night of Aug. 6, 2007, Rico Newman's focus—playing football for the Leilehua Mules—was about to change. That night, he was on his way from Wahiawa to town, his full attention on girlfriend Ashley Ah-Quin.

This was not an ordinary night out for the couple. By 10 p.m., Ashley was in labor.

“;She was squeezing my hand, telling me that she loves me,”; Rico said, about to enter the delivery room.

By 6 a.m.—8 long hours later—the squeals and cries of baby Zaeven pierced the maternity ward of Kapiolani Medical Center.

“;It was weird, all the blood, but less scary than I expected. I saw his head and he was crying, 5 minutes straight. They asked me to cut the cord, and I said, 'Yeah, I'll do it.' “;

Since then, life hasn't been the same for Newman, perhaps the most persistent of all Leilehua Mules.

“;I want to go to college. I want him to see his dad play a different level of football,”; Rico said. “;I want to have a good job and buy a house, let him know that daddy's always going to be there for him. Buy him stuff when he needs stuff.”;

  RICO WAS IN fifth grade when his dad and mom broke up. Joseph Newman lives in Waianae now, commuting daily to work in Waikiki, seeing Rico at his games. Sports, Joe surmised, was the big red button that would get Rico going. Joe was right.

Peggy Molina was a center fielder at Waipahu—a real good one, she always told Rico—before graduating in 1982. There was no college in her future, and after Jose, Tiffany and Rico were born, Peggy found herself a single mom, struggling to pay the bills.

“;They get along. I still love my dad,”; Rico said. “;It was hard for me to see my mom and dad not together. I told myself that it's not going to happen to my son. I want him to know that his mom and dad are together.”;

Football cemented Rico to Joe, but the game also unveiled some of Rico's brashness as a freshman.

“;We knew he was a player, but at that point he was a selfish player,”; coach Nolan Tokuda recalled. “;Watching TV, the T.O. (Terrell Owens) type. He wanted the football, and when he didn't get the ball, he'd miss his assignments.”;

Tokuda reached out to several players, including Newman.

“;Coach Tokuda sat me down and talked to me about my freshman year and he didn't want me to be like that again,”; Newman said. “;He wanted me to make changes in my personality and stuff.”;

Rico, son of a military man, accepted discipline and responded with obedience. He progressed enough to become a game captain as a senior.

“;Now he's about what's best for the team. He'll play running back, slotback, scout quarterback,”; Tokuda said.

The respect is mutual.

“;I think of him as a family member who would talk to me, ask me if I need help school-wise,”; Newman said. “;If I have problems at home, I'll go up to him or Coach Mark (Kurisu) and talk about it. They help me out.”;

Ninth grade, 10th grade, bad grades. Rico looks back now and doesn't want his nephews to follow his tracks. One day, he talked with Tre, who is in the sixth grade.

“;I told him, 'I don't want you to be like uncle was in middle school, ninth grade. Don't tell mom them you're sick if you're not sick. Go to school,' “; Newman said. “;I don't want him to be a bad boy.”;

Mom—Grandma Peggy—is proud.

“;He wants to make it to help his mom out,”; she said. “;He did struggle in life and school and now it's where, wow, after every year went by, he improved in school, his attitude. Raising a baby.”;

  NEWMAN WAS PERFECTLY content at fullback when Tokuda asked him to switch to slotback for the 2007 season. For Rico, that meant learning how to read defenses and memorizing more plays. Newman spent countless hours studying his new position—a Mules Football 300-level course of sorts—until he felt comfortable. His conversion was a key part of Leilehua's run to the Division I state crown.

Now a 5-foot-10, 175-pound senior, he accepts all roles with relish.

The Mules (9-2) travel in the opening round of the state tournament to play Baldwin on Friday. Newman has 418 rushing yards and 512 receiving yards, and has a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. His 56 receptions are second only to Edieson Dumlao in Leilehua's high-powered passing attack.

“;As the years came on, he became a better person, changing his ways,”; Dumlao said. “;We're on the offensive crew and challenge each other and push each other to do better in the game.”;

Quarterback Andrew Manley and Newman spent time at the park working on their timing last summer.

“;Every now and then we'd do that to make sure we kept our connection from last year,”; Manley said. “;He would love to have the ball on every play, but now he'll ask the coaches to let other guys get on the field so they can play more.”;

Within the busy-ness, Rico has found a way to satisfy his paternal nature. Zaeven stays with Ashley, a 2008 Leilehua graduate, during the week, but is with Rico on weekends and occasionally stays over for a weeknight or two with a big helping hand from Peggy.

“;He's running around the house, breaking all my stuff. My Xbox controller, takes my mom's stuff around the house,”; Rico said. “;My teachers are always asking, 'How's Zaeven?' I tell 'em he's getting big and naughty,' and they laugh. He's just like the daddy.”;