Andrew Manley: Leilehua's QB would rather be talking about titles
POSTED: Sunday, December 21, 2008
All things considered, Andrew Manley would rather have another state championship than a personal title.
Leilehua reached the Division I state football final for a second year in a row, but was stopped short by Punahou. Still, Manley's magnificent season was more than enough for coaches and media to vote him Star-Bulletin Offensive Player of the Year.
Manley passed for 3,665 yards and 31 touchdowns. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound junior completed 62 percent of his pass attempts (315-for-509). In an offense without a consistent ground attack, Manley faced myriad defensive looks and endless blitzes, but his ability to read and adjust reached a new level.
The tangibles are clear in the numbers and the way he endured the physical toll of 14 games.
“;He's got the toughness of a linebacker. He knows he can take a hit and still stay in the pocket and make a throw,”; Leilehua coach Nolan Tokuda said. “;That toughness is something you can't coach.”;
Then there are the intangibles.
“;Besides his toughness and great character, it's his willingness to get better as well as get the guys around him better,”; Tokuda added. “;He treats everybody with respect. It could be the first-string guy or the third-string guy. He'll always pick you up. To me, that's a quarterback from the neck up.”;
Waianae, which upset Leilehua and gave Manley his first loss as a varsity starter, saw him throw for 352 yards, three touchdowns and no picks when they met in the playoffs.
He was stellar in the state tournament with 233 yards and four scoring strikes at Baldwin, shaking off would-be sackers in Ben Roethlisberger fashion. Against Kahuku, Manley threw for 291 yards and two scores to advance the Mules to the state final. Only then did he meet his match, but not before signing off with one of the most prolific seasons in Hawaii prep football history.
“;If not for him, Leilehua would not have gotten as far as they did,”; Aiea coach Wendell Say said.
'Iolani cornerback Kela Marciel agreed.
“;He knew how to throw in the rain, how to take advantage of our weaknesses,”; Marciel said. “;He used to focus on one or two guys, but he opened up his options and made more use of all his guys.”;
The selection of Manley wasn't unanimous by any means. Punahou wide receiver Robby Toma was nearly flawless, with hardly a drop while hauling in 85 passes for 1,388 yards and 18 touchdowns. The modest senior surpassed his mentor - former Punahou wideout Miah Ostrowski, who had 81 catches for 1,317 yards and nine touchdowns in 2006.
Marciel, a first-team pick at cornerback, said Toma was the toughest receiver he faced.
“;Because of his savvy and unexpected speed. He knows how to get open and makes good cuts,”; he said. “;If it's a run play, he'll block you and make you work for the tackle.”;
Toma also returned an interception for a last-minute touchdown in a close state-semifinal win over Farrington and threw for another score.
Punahou quarterback Cayman Shutter was also close in the balloting. Despite an early-season shoulder injury and a late-season concussion, he passed for 2,426 yards and 28 touchdowns and was picked off only seven times. In the final three games of the season, against Saint Louis, Farrington and Leilehua, Shutter passed for 1,124 yards and nine touchdowns with four interceptions.
“;Cayman didn't need to be great, but he was,”; Marciel said. “;He stepped up and knew what he had to do. He bounced back from that beginning loss (to Saint Louis) and played injured.”;
Buffanblu running back/wide receiver Dalton Hilliard, Saint Louis quarterback Jeremy Higgins and Farrington running back Apelu So'oalo also received considerable points in the voting.
Punahou's Kale Ane was a runaway choice for coach of the year honors after leading the Buffanblu to their first state title. Nolan Tokuda of Leilehua, Wendell Look of 'Iolani, Randall Okimoto of Farrington, Fred Salanoa of Radford and Amosa Amosa of Campbell also received significant vote totals.
Punahou, No. 1 in the Star-Bulletin Preseason Top 10, overcame Shutter's injuries and reworked its defense after the early loss to Saint Louis. Ane and his staff deftly maneuvered personnel - Kimo Makaula became a key contributor as a quarterback, tight end, wide receiver and punter, while Toma and Hilliard saw time at cornerback - to eke out a banner season.
First-team Offense
Player of the Year
Andrew Manley, Leilehua
| Name | School | Pos. | Cl. | Ht. | Wt. | |
| Stan Hasiak | Kapolei | OL | Sr. | 6-6 | 330 |
|
| Chauncey | ||||||
| Winchester-Makainai | Kailua | OL | Sr. | 6-4 | 330 | |
| Mana Greig | Saint Louis | OL | Sr. | 6-0 | 285 |
|
| Tytan Timoteo | Saint Louis | OL | Sr. | 6-1 | 295 |
|
| Benson Ma'afala | Mililani | OL | Sr. | 6-2 | 305 |
|
| Robby Toma | Punahou | WR | Sr. | 5-10 | 170 |
|
| Edieson Dumlao | Leilehua | WR | Sr. | 5-10 | 190 |
|
| Billy Ray Stutzmann | Saint Louis | WR | Sr. | 6-1 | 170 | |
| Apelu So'oalo | Farrington | RB | Sr. | 5-10 | 185 | |
| Troy Matautia | Waipahu | RB | Sr. | 5-6 | 200 | |
| Andrew Manley | Leilehua | QB | Jr. | 6-3 | 215 | |
| Dalton Hilliard | Punahou | AP | Sr. | 6-0 | 190 |
|
| Maika Kunioka | Leilehua | K | Sr. | 5-11 | 165 |
|
| Rico Newman | Leilehua | R | Sr. | 5-10 | 175 |
Second-team Offense
| Skylawn Folaumahina | Farrington | OL | Sr. | 6-1 | 300 |
|
| Kaiwi Crabb | Punahou | OL | Jr. | 6-5 | 244 |
|
| Joseph Siliga | Farrington | OL | Jr. | 6-0 | 254 |
|
| Paul Kama | Farrington | OL | Sr. | 6-0 | 265 |
|
| Jamal Napeahi | Kahuku | OL | So. | 6-1 | 265 |
|
| London Amorin | Pac-Five | WR | Jr. | 5-10 | 160 | |
| Arthur Aiwohi | Campbell | WR | Sr. | 5-8 | 156 | |
| Shaydon Kehano | Castle | WR | Jr. | 5-11 | 155 |
|
| Kellen Imada | 'Iolani | RB | Sr. | 5-8 | 160 | |
| Danny Kekoanui | Waianae | RB | Sr. | 5-10 | 190 |
|
| Cayman Shutter | Punahou | QB | Sr. | 6-1 | 190 |
|
| Rico Newman | Leilehua | AP | Sr. | 5-10 | 175 |
|
| Corey Nakagawa | Mililani | K | Sr. | 5-10 | 130 |
|
| Dalaunte Stevenson | Mililani | R | Jr. | 6-2 | 180 |
Third-team Offense
| Lindon Kahana | Farrington | OL | Jr. | 6-0 | 331 |
|
| Dan Voa | Waianae | OL | Sr. | 6-0 | 270 |
|
| Josiah Chongtim | Waianae | OL | Sr. | 6-2 | 245 |
|
| Kapua Sai | Saint Louis | OL | Sr. | 6-5 | 320 |
|
| Luke Spencer | Kapolei | OL | Sr. | 6-3 | 260 |
|
| Cheves Aberilla-Ramento | Leilehua | WR | Sr. | 5-9 | 160 | |
| Shawn Putman-Curry | Radford | WR | Sr. | 6-1 | 205 |
|
| Darren Kamealoha | Pac-Five | WR | Jr. | 5-10 | 150 |
|
| St. John Lessary III | Kahuku | RB | Jr. | 6-0 | 170 |
|
| Ryan Ho | Kamehameha | RB | Jr. | 5-7 | 155 |
|
| Jeremy Higgins | Saint Louis | QB | Jr. | 6-0 | 175 |
|
| Mosiah Manuma | Radford | AP | Sr. | 5-10 | 185 |
|
| CeeJay Santos | Baldwin | K | Sr. | 6-1 | 160 |
|
| Robby Toma | Punahou | R | Sr. | 5-10 | 170 |
Coach of the Year
Kale Ane, Punahou
Runaway selection after leading the Buffanblu to the first state championship in the school's history..
Andrew Manley
3,655 yards, 62 percent completion rate (315-for-509), 31 touchdowns
Stan Hasiak
OL, Kapolei
Dominant guard, projects as a guard or tackle in college.
Chauncey Winchester-Makainai
OL, Kailua
Consistent anchor of the Surfriders.
Mana Greig
OL, Saint Louis
Durable chief of the Crusaders line, cleared the way for one of the state's top offenses.
Tytan Timoteo
OL, Saint Louis
Teamed with Greig to give first-year starting QB Jeremy Higgins plenty of time.
Benson Ma'afala
OL, Mililani
One of the best from a program renowned for its offensive-line play.
Robby Toma
WR, Punahou
85 receptions, 1,388 yards, 18 TDs. Also threw a TD pass and returned a pick for a TD.
Edieson Dumlao
WR, Leilehua
78 receptions, 939 yards, 10 TDs despite injuries.
Billy Ray Stutzmann
WR, Saint Louis
44 receptions, 670 yards and eight touchdowns.
Apelu So'oalo
RB, Farrington
1,215 yards, 5.4 yards per attempt, 12 TDs. He also made eight field goals.
Troy Matautia
RB, Waipahu
1,227 yards, 7.4 yards per attempt, 15 touchdowns. All-purpose yardage: 1,915 yards.
Dalton Hilliard
AP, Punahou
605 rushing yards, 11 TDs; 62 receptions, 711 yards, seven TDs. Also returned an interception for a TD.
Maika Kunioka
K, Leilehua
Drilled nine field goals and hit 42 of 45 PAT attempts.
