Boller Growing Into Position

Kyle Boller of Hart High is growing so fast his pant size changes every couple of months. Since summer, he has gone from large shirts to extra large, and from size 13 shoes to size 14.

He’s 16, 6 feet 2 1/2 and 180 pounds.

“I should be 6-5, 6-6,” Boller said. “I could be growing into my second year of college. Our family grows late.”

Boller, a junior, is the heir apparent at quarterback for Hart. He can throw a football 70 yards and possesses perhaps the strongest arm of any quarterback in school history.

He’ll make his first appearance in preparation for the 1998 season today at noon in the NFL Air-It-Out four-on-four flag football competition at Pierce College.

More than 550 teams of all ages began play at Pierce on Saturday. The Top Gun division will have its championship game today at 1:15 p.m., with the winner advancing to the national finals next month in Orlando, Fla.

The high school competition is noteworthy because it’s a sneak preview of the quarterbacks and receivers to watch in the fall. No one will draw more attention than Boller, whose size and arm strength make him an attractive college prospect.

He won’t have his No. 1 receiver available, Jerry Owens, who’s still involved with the basketball playoffs, but sophomore Jared Bazar and junior Shane Lavoie will be catching his passes.

Boller broke his collarbone in the final game last season against Peninsula, but he’s healthy and raring to go.

“I can’t wait until [summer] passing league,” he said. “Those are going to help me a lot reading defenses.”

Four quarterbacks in the region received Division I scholarships earlier this month--Hart’s David Neill (Nevada), Agoura’s Ryan McCann (UCLA), St. Francis’ Kjell Nesen (Washington State) and Antelope Valley’s Justin Mobley (New Mexico).

For next season, Boller has the credentials of a Division I prospect. But he won’t be the only Hart quarterback on display today. Sophomore Travis Nicol and freshman Kyle Matter also entered teams.

Two sophomores participating are Zac Wasserman of Westlake and Jon Palacios of Royal. Palacios will be trying out two new receivers who just transferred from rival Simi Valley, Eric Cooper and Nick Campanelli.

The fields figure to be muddy because of rain, but the competition is scheduled to go on.