Daly City - Jonathan Emelo made Nick Chenault’s 1989 transfer to Colma Elementary smoother. The second-graders forged an immediate connection, quickly becoming the best of friends.

Ten years later that connection still exists.

The San Mateo County high school receiving records held by Chenault are proof of it. After just one game in the 1999 season, the Jefferson High of Daly City senior is the new owner of the county’s career receiving yardage record (2,101), adding it to the career receptions record (135) he broke as a junior.

By this season’s end, the records might be unapproachable, and when the subject of San Mateo County’s best-ever prep receiver is broached, one will need to look up only this name: Chenault, Nick.

The record-smasher, however, wants everyone to remember another name, that of the quarterback who has been at the front end of most of those passes he’s hauled in. And that would be Emelo.

“He has so much more responsibility than I do,” said the 17-year old Chenault, one of the state’s top prospects at receiver of the year. “He handles the blitzes, hands off to the running back, reads the defenses. He has so many things to look for and he always makes a good decision. He should be getting credit, not me.”

Chenault has an idea of how tough the QB position can be. When he and Emelo started playing flag football at Colma Elementary, Chenault took the snaps from center while Emelo lined up at wideout.

It was quickly realized that each was better suited for the others position.

“Nobody knew about his arm, and I was bigger and faster,” Chenault said. “He started throwing the ball and it was perfect.”

Perfection is what Jefferson almost achieved last season in going 6-0-1 (8-1-2 overall) to capture the Peninsula Athletic League-Ocean Division. The combination of Emelo to Chenault, along with a big assist from running back Jamon Simmons (1,774 yards, 24 touchdowns), also led the Indians to the Central Coast Section Division III playoffs.

But the Indians will have a toughter time of it this season. After being promoted to the more competitive Bay Division, they will face stiffer competition in defending champion Aragon of San Mateo, runner-up Terra Nova of Pacifica and perennial power Woodside.

Emelo and Chenault are confident Jefferson will be competitive in the new division. The two friends point to their close relationship for much of their success.

Chenault (6-foot-3, 200 pounds) set county season records with his 78 receptions for 1,125 yards. Emelo (6-foot, 170) racked up 1,774 yards and 16 touchdowns in completing 114 of 193 passes in his first year with the varsity.

“There’s lots of communication, a lot of confidence in each other,” said Emelo, 17. “Whenever I need help, he’ll bail me out. If I’m getting run down by a defensive end, (Chenault) will come back and I’ll just dump the ball off to him.”

Said Chenault, “There’s a camaraderie we share, we look out for each other. If I’m going down the middle and there’s a free safety or linebacker lurking, Melo wont throw the ball. He won’t mess me up. Knowing that makes a difference in the way we play together. He has confidence in me, I have confidence in him.”

It’s not necessarily all instinctive, according to coach Dan Duke.

“They both put in the extra time,” he said, “They’re hard workers. When everybody else is heading home, they’re hanging around and working on different things.”

Circumstances have split up the best friends before on the football field. Chenault transferred to a different middle school in the eighth grade, and they played for competing Pop Warner teams before reuniting on the Indians’ junior varsity as freshmen.

But the reunion turned out to be short-lived as Chenault moved on to the varsity as a sophomore. Then came last season’s break-out year, one had hope to top this season.

Emelo and Chenault will part ways as teammates again after this season. Chenault, who is equally adept at defensive back, will most likely end up at a Division I school in the West. Emelo also has received notice from colleges, mostly from the East.

Should Emelo need any references, Chenault is ready with a ringing endorsement.

“I will always give him credit,” said Chenault. “There are so many good wide receivers around but not that many good quarterbacks. I’m lucky enough to have a good one. I’ve never made a good catch where he didn’t throw a good ball.”