Nerdpod: Receivers

It’s game day on the gridiron for roughly half the teams in the OIA and ILH. Nerdpod takes a look at some of the scintillating performances so far as we enter Week 7 of the prep football season.

Ryan Ramones, Moanalua
Measurables: 5-11, 152, Sr. 40: 4.52 Hudl
Crunch this: 5 games, 40 receptions, 781 yards, 14 TD
Yards per catch: 19.53
Yards per game: 156.2
The skinny: (Sept 16) Is there anyone with more fun time on the gridiron at the position of wide receiver? That list is extremely short, perhaps one (Jaymin Sarono) or two. It doesn’t hurt that Ramones is a fairly tall receiver who has the complete trust of his partner in aerial arms. Against Waianae, Ramones was targeted 22 times. I’d be willing to wager a side of Taiyo Ramen gyoza that there are entire teams that haven’t passed the ball 22 times in a game this year. Ramones isn’t just a gifted athlete catching bombs against average or sub-par competition. The OIA Blue is rugged, and even Moanalua’s nonconference game was against one of the state’s top Division-II teams, Damien, which currently is unbeaten in the ILH.
X factor: (Sept 16) Yes, nine TDs were against just two teams, Damien and Kaiser. But Ramones has still scored at least one TD against every team Moanalua has faced. How does Ramones manage to score FOURTEEN TOUCHDOWNS when every defense knows he is Alaka‘i Yuen’s go-to man? I’ve only seen one Moanalua game. The tape will tell to an extent, but is it remotely possible that defenses still underestimate Ramones?
Game by game / Passcode (¥ receiving statistical values):
vs. Damien 8/5: 10-268, 5 TD (88, 27, 41, 16, 19). ¥72.8
@ Kailua 8/13: 6-76, TD (16). ¥19.6
@ #4 Waianae 8/19: 9-91, 2 TD (3, 25). ¥30.1 + $5.0 = ¥$35.1
@ Radford 9/2: 5-118, 2 TD (10, 71), PAT. ¥31.8
vs. Kaiser 9/9: 10-228, 4 TD (15, 74, 44, 13). ¥62.8
@ Campbell 9/16:
vs. Kahuku 9/24:
vs. Aiea 9/30:
To date: ¥$222.1 / ¥$44.4 pg

Jaymin Sarono, Kapolei
Measurables: 5-10, 185, Sr. Hudl
Crunch this: 5 games, 50 receptions, 496 yards, 10 TD
Yards per catch: 9.9
Yards per game: 99.2
The skinny: (Sept 16) Yes, the math is correct. Sarono has clutched an average of 10 passes per game. Stupendous, yet not shocking for the hard-working senior. He is most clutch on third and fourth downs, and he is far from a one-man show with QB Taulia Tagovailoa scanning from sideline to sideline. Five Hurricanes in all have double-digit reception totals so far. Sarono earns his keep, willing to run inside routes.
X factor: (Sept 16) Sarono’s yards-after-catch is a big part of his production value. He takes big hits, holds on to the ball and accelerates forward. YAC is the marrow of what makes the four-wide a moderate-risk, high-reward system — when placed in the hands of the poised and skilled.
Game by game / Passcode (¥ receiving statistical values):
@ Campbell 8/5: 10-85, 2 TD (6, 14). ¥30.5
vs. #4 Waianae 8/13: 11-87, 2 TD (8, 26). ¥26.7 + $5.0 = ¥$31.7
@ Leilehua 8/20: 7-50, 2 TD (7, 7). ¥24.0
@ Castle 8/26: 10-135, 3 TD (10, 10, 38). ¥40.5
@ #4 Mililani 9/5: 12-139, TD (8). ¥32.9 + $5.0 = ¥$37.9
vs. Kailua 9/16:
vs. Farrington 9/23:
vs. Nanakuli 9/30:
To date: ¥$164.6 / ¥$32.9

Ethan Takeyama, Punahou
Measurables: 5-10, 168, Sr. Hudl
Crunch this: 3 games, 22 receptions, 417 yards, 6 TD
Yards per catch: 19.0
Yards per game: 139.0
The skinny: (Sept 16) Takeyama, like Sarono and Ramones, is part of a very good corps of receivers. Not as tall or explosive as his predecessor, Kanawai Noa, but extremely effective on all routes. Punahou lines Takeyama up usually as the single receiver on trips formations and he often delivers on go routes or inside routes. His chemistry with QBs Nick Kapule and Stephen Barber seems equally excellent. Great hands, body control and acceleration.
Ramones has put up two huge performances against Damien and Kaiser. What Takeyama did against Saint Louis was even more monumental: 10 catches, 189 yards, four TDs and a PAT reception.
X factor: (Sept 16) He is a key cog in the system, whether he’s getting targets or drawing double coverage. Thus, his value isn’t necessarily in the numbers, especially with a head coach (Kale Ane) who would really like to see the offense generate more production on the ground.
Game by game / Passcode (¥ receiving statistical values):
@ Leilehua 8/5: 5-82, TD (12). ¥19.2
vs. #6 Kamehameha* 9/1: 7-146, TD (7). ¥28.6 + $5.0 = ¥$33.6
vs. #2 Saint Louis* 9/9: 10-189, 4 TD (19, 59, 10, 19), PAT. ¥57.9 + $5.0 = ¥$62.9
@ #10 ‘Iolani 9/17:
vs. Kamehameha* 9/23:
vs. Saint Louis* 9/29:
vs. ‘Iolani 10/7:
* Aloha Stadium
To date: ¥$115.7 / ¥$38.6 pg

Justin Genovia, ‘Iolani
Measurables: 5-8, 150, Jr.
Crunch this: 5 games, 32 receptions, 461 yards, 4 TD
Yards per catch: 14.4
Yards per game: 92.2
The skinny: (Sept 16) Genovia has flourished against evenly-matched programs, as well as some of the better programs around. But Saint Louis limited him to on receiving yardage two weeks ago. He fared better against Kamehameha last week.
X factor: (Sept 16) He simply makes plays, at least when I’ve seen him play. He sticks out because he will take advantage of regular pass coverages — most of the time.
Game by game / Passcode (¥ receiving statistical values):
vs. Radford* 8/6: 7-140, TD (12). ¥28.0
vs. Waimea 8/20: 6-102. ¥17.2
vs. La Jolla Country Day (Calif.) 8/27: 11-145, 2 TD (24, 8). ¥38.5
vs. #2 Saint Louis* 9/2: 2-0. ¥2.0
@ #6 Kamehameha 9/10: 6-77, TD (3). Rush 1-(-1). ¥19.6
vs. Punahou 9/17:
vs. Saint Louis 9/23:
vs. Kamehameha* 9/30:
@ Punahou 10/7:
*Aloha Stadium
To date: ¥$105.3 / ¥$21.1

¥ point values
1 reception +1 pt
1 receiving yard +.1 pt
100 receiving yards +1 pt
150 reeciving yards +2 pts
200 receiving yards +3 pts
100 rushing yards +1 pt
150 rushing yards +2 pts
200 rushing yards +3 pts

$ strength of schedule (5 pts per Top 10 opponent)
¥$Total / ¥$Avg. per game

Next week: A deeper dive for pass catchers.