A Big Catch for Canyon : Football: Clint Beauer snubs Hart and becomes a star receiver.

When Clint Beauer was a 14-year-old Canyon High freshman-to-be, his father, Bill, approached him with a question.

“Look, I want to ask you this,” said Bill, “because I want to know if you’re thinking about it. Do you want to go to Hart?”

Hart High? Canyon’s cross-town rival? Where passing is practically a tradition? Where Beauer surely would be on the receiving end of spiral upon spiral? Where his father served as dean of students and administrator of athletic affairs?

The prospect had to be tempting. The younger of the two blond-haired Beauers mulled the notion for, oh, about five seconds.

“I said, ‘No,’ ” recalls Beauer, now a husky senior wide receiver for Canyon. “And he said, ‘OK, then that’s the end of it.’ ”

Father was pleased with son’s reply. A move to Hart would have meant moving into the school’s attendance boundaries to satisfy school district rules. Besides, Bill believed that a child should not attend a school at which his parent works.

“I didn’t want him to deal with that kind of pressure,” he said. “I don’t think he would understand the ramifications.”

So, that was indeed the end of it--and seemingly the end of Beauer’s chances of having a prolific high school career.

At Hart, fancy passing is no passing fancy. The Indians threw for 2,196 yards in 1988, 2,976 in 1987 and 3,275 in 1986. In each of the past three years, a Hart receiver has led Valley-area players in receptions. Last season, tight end Brian Allen caught 62 passes. In 1987, Chris Whitten (61 receptions), Joe DeSchryver (55) and Allen (44) were the Valley’s top three receivers. In 1986, tailback Chris Hite hauled in 88 passes.

But footballs have filled the air at Canyon too. In 1986, when Beauer was on the freshman team, varsity quarterback Ken Sollom passed for 2,884 yards and wide receiver Chad Zeigler caught 46 passes for 896 yards.

But since the arrival of tailback Chris Peery in 1987, Canyon’s offense has been about as fancy--and effective--as a punch in the jaw. The Cowboys rushed for 2,767 yards last season and 2,277 in 1987.

But Beauer--call it 20-20 foresight--knew what he was doing.

His 34 catches place him first among Valley-area receivers and third in the state. Last week, Beauer set a school record with 1,560 career yards. And he has attracted the attention of more than 50 major colleges, including UCLA, Washington and Oregon, as well as the service academies.

He is big (6-foot-3, 190 pounds) with above-average speed and good hands. And he has consistently beaten double coverage throughout the season. “He’s usually open,” quarterback Tim Beidle said. “And I know if I get it near him, he’s going to catch it.”

Beauer, in fact, has been invaluable to the Cowboys (1-3-1), who have struggled through a tough nonleague schedule and enter Golden League play tonight against visiting Burroughs of Ridgecrest. With Peery still suffering from a preseason groin injury, Beauer has scored a team-high six touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass in every game.

“He is certainly carrying the team,” Canyon Coach Harry Welch said. “At this point in the season, he’s as good as anyone we’ve ever had. He’s the heart and soul of this team.”

Beauer, who also competes in basketball and track, undoubtedly will be remembered as one of the school’s most talented--and tenacious--athletes.

Last season, in the Southern Section Division II title game, Beauer was magnificent in Canyon’s 28-22 loss to league rival Antelope Valley, hauling in 11 passes for 143 yards and repeatedly carrying would-be tacklers through the secondary. What made Beauer’s performance more impressive is that he played with his left ankle heavily taped because of a season-long ankle injury.

“He has an incredible amount of desire,” Canyon basketball Coach Greg Hayes said. “He’s a leader and he’s well-liked and respected by his teammates. I think Clint Beauer is one of the most special athletes that has ever worn a Canyon uniform.”

One thing Beauer has never done in a Canyon uniform, however, is defeat Hart-- in any sport.

For the past three years, Hart’s football team has gunned down Canyon with a potent passing attack, including a 30-12 rout this season. This season, Hart (4-1) is flying high while Canyon has labored.

But Beauer insists he has no regrets.

“I wish I would have been able to beat them in football. That’s been on my mind,” he said. “But I have no regrets. None at all. I’m really satisfied with what I’m doing.

“I don’t think I would have been as successful if I had gone to Hart,” said Beauer, who maintains a B average. “I’m a relaxed person and that seems like that would go better at Hart. But sometimes I need somebody to kick me in the butt. It helps.”

Welch is glad to lend a helping foot.

Those well-read on the subject of Southern California high school football are aware of Welch’s coaching methods--and success. The Cowboys have won six league titles and three Southern Section championships in Welch’s seven years.

Discipline, intense practice and tremendous physical demands upon players are chapter and verse in Welch’s coaching scroll.

“We test all the young men,” Welch said. “We push everyone to the limit and challenge the toughest. Clint is the toughest, so we challenge him the most.”

Beauer has more than measured up. “He practices as hard as anyone I know,” Beidle said. “People look up to him.”

Said Beauer: “It’s not fun, but it’s definitely worth it. I like the sport enough that I’m willing to take the good and the bad with it. In fact, I think I’m a better player here than I probably would have been at Hart because of it.”

Despite his duties at Hart, Bill Beauer attends every Canyon game. “Deep down,” Clint says, “I know he’s on my side.” The only time Bill can be found on the Hart sideline is when Canyon and Hart meet in their traditional nonleague season opener at College of the Canyons.

The elder Beauer, admittedly a supporter of Hart football, finds himself with divided allegiances.

“My wife gets very upset because I wear my Hart jacket on the sideline,” he said. “But I work here at the school and there are a lot of kids at Hart that I support.”

But for which team does he root? Well, he conspicuously avoids a direct answer. But the answer is obvious.

“The bottom line,” he said, “is that I root for my son.”