San Diego High School Player of the Week : Daugherty Living Out His Dreams

When Duffy Daugherty was in grade school, he would sit at home on Friday nights and listen to the noise from Orange Glen High School’s football games just down the hill. He dreamed of becoming the team’s quarterback.

Now, Daugherty, a senior at Orange Glen, is living those dreams.

Daugherty earned The Times’ player of the week honors with a 4-touchdown, 286-yard performance Friday in Orange Glen’s 35-14 victory over San Pasqual.

“It has always been my goal to play quarterback in high school,” Daugherty said. “I was the quarterback on the junior varsity team my freshman and sophomore years, but I only had one touchdown pass in those two years combined.”

Through three games this season, Daugherty, a tight end on the varsity last season, has thrown 9 touchdown passes and is averaging 245.3 yards a game for Orange Glen (3-0).

With Orange Glen trailing 6-0 Friday, Daugherty threw 15 yards to Matt Fiorello for a touchdown.

With 1:20 left in the first half, Daugherty hit Fiorello for another score.

“We were in our two-minute offense and I didn’t like the defense (San Pasqual) showed (defensive backs playing up),” Daugherty said. “I called an audible and had (Fiorello) do a 35-yard post-corner. That made it 14-6 and set the tempo for the game, I knew we would have a big night.”

In the third quarter, Daugherty threw a three-yard pass to Scott Carlovsky to make the score 21-6. Fiorello put the game away in the fourth quarter when he took a quick eight-yard pass from Daugherty at the Orange Glen 35 and raced 73 yards.

“It was a simple hitch play,” Daugherty said, “and Matt made a great juke on a defensive back.”

Daugherty said being a tight end last season and playing in passing league with Fiorello and Carlovsky this summer have helped him tremendously.

“In my first game last year, against San Marcos, I had an easy touchdown pass and I dropped it,” he said. “That taught me a lot. When a receiver drops a ball I throw I don’t let it bother me. . . .

“And in that summer league, it was just receivers against defensive backs. I got to learn many different kinds of formations, and was throwing to the guys I am throwing to this season. Carlovsky and Fiorello are the best two receivers in the county.”

Said Coach Jeff Carlovsky of Daugherty: “Last year he was a follower. This year he is a leader. The (summer) league taught him to be patient. In the huddle he is very calm and he doesn’t just talk, he communicates. He doesn’t force anything. And he is best under pressure. Two weeks ago, against Escondido, we were down, 19-7, with six minutes left and he pulled out a 21-19 win.”

And Daugherty realizes the importance of having a good offensive line. Sunday, Daugherty took his line out for pizza.

“They cleaned me out,” he said. “I left there with an empty wallet. But if they do what they did Friday night every night, I’ll take them out every week.”