Recruiters Look On as QBs Show Their Stuff

There was no lack of quarterback talent--past or present--in the inaugural Air-7 Quarterback Challenge last week at Wilson High School.

The July 16 event, organized by former Mules’ All-City quarterback Steve Clarkson, and sponsored by Gatorade and Jack in the Box, attracted 64 quarterbacks and their receivers to the inner city from as far north as Sacramento’s Bear River High School (senior John Anderson) and as far south as San Diego’s Morse High School (senior Rashard Cook).

Clarkson, the 1978 City Player of the Year, said it was a pleasure to put on the event “because we were able to assemble some of the best talent in the nation.”

The Air-7 Quarterback Challenge, free of charge, was the first of its kind in California. It tested skills of some of the state’s top talent as college recruiters and scouting services looked on. Each participant was videotaped performing essential quarterback skills and then rated by a panel of judges. The categories:

* Throwing for distance;

* Pass routes (hitting receivers on their breaks while running curl, out, post, streak, outside comeback and post/corner patterns);

* Scramble techniques (running an obstacle course);

* Rapid-fire (two throws within a 15-second period at bull’s-eye targets.)

* Read-and-react drill for the top 10 finishers in the earlier events.

Los Alamitos signal-caller Kevin Feterik, a junior, won the overall competition, tying or taking first place in three of five events. The rest of the top 10, in order: Sylmar’s Greg Marquez, Westlake’s Brian Shubin, Cerritos’ Ryan Matthews, Upland’s Davey Goggin, La Puente Bishop Amat’s James Free, San Diego Grossmont’s Mike Van Raaphorst, Santa Monica St. Monica’s Steven Pulley, San Diego Morse’s Rashard Cook and Gardena Serra’s Tommy Brady.

Cook captured the distance throw with a toss of 66 yards, Marquez took the pass routes competition, Feterik won the scramble drill, tied Van Raaphorst in the rapid-fire competition and tied Coggin in the finale, the read-and-react event.

The competition was judged by former Carson coach Gene Vollnogle, former three-time City Section Player of the Year and ex-Wilson quarterback Ron Cuccia, former Carson quarterbacks Perry Klein (Atlanta Falcons) and John Walsh (BYU), and Notre Dame tight end Oscar McBride. Other top performers included Ramona’s Kris Olson, La Habra’s Sonje Berg, L.A. Murphy’s Danny Ragsdale and Chris Pappas, who as a senior last season was the quarterback for City 3-A champion San Pedro.

The Central City was represented by Wilson quarterbacks Eddie Gonzales, the area’s leading passer in 1993, and the Mules’ junior transfer Brian McGann.

Clarkson conducted the event along with the help of several volunteers from Para-Dice Scouting, Cal-Hi Sports magazine and the Wilson High School football team and boosters. The Mules’ football team and booster club will receive all of the concession profits from the event.