The new mailman

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Junior quarterback Matt Barkley passed for a million yards Friday against American Fork, Utah. Well, actually, he passed for 435, which broke the Mater Dei record he had set a week earlier against West Covina with 303 yards.

At first glance, 303 seemed like a soft school record, especially for a team of Mater Dei’s caliber. That 435 seems much more Monarch-ly. It just goes to show that stats can be deceiving if A) You gain your yards only when you need them instead of piling on unnecessarily, and B) You’re not playing (NAME OF REMARKABLY WEAK TEAM HERE) every week. Too many records are the result of piling on.

I’m guessing Barkley will have big numbers in the first half next week against Long Beach Cabrillo, which was beaten 35-0 by St. John Bosco, whose Keith Price -- who is not Matt Barkley -- completed eight of 10 passes for 132 yards

‘The biggest thing is Barkley’s maturity and grasp of the offense,’ said Bruce Rollinson, whose team beat American Fork, 50-32. ‘We’ve opened up the playbook. We’re doing a spread offense and running it to its truest design. Matt’s a student of the game and understands what needs to be accomplished, he has a corps of experienced receivers. We leaned it out last year when the receiving corps was young. It helps to have that offensive line. He knows he’s going to have the time.

‘Now, we run the whole package.’

Thus far, Barkley has delivered it perfectly.

- Martin Henderson