Hart Loses Snap Decision

Here is the First Commandment for local sportswriters: “Thou shalt never compare John Elway to another high school quarterback.”

It’s a pledge I’ve followed for 20 years, ever since watching Elway’s aerial circus at Granada Hills High from 1976 to 1978.

No one before or since has come close to matching Elway’s unique physical skills as a teenager.

Through the years, any high school coach who hyped his quarterback by saying, “He’s another Elway,” I immediately dismissed as having no credibility.

So here I am, on Saturday night, at the Hart-Loyola football game, ready to disavow my Elway Commandment.

Full blame goes to 17-year-old senior quarterback Kyle Boller of Hart.

Five games into what could be a magical season, the 6-foot-3 Boller has passed for 1,803 yards and 21 touchdowns. Against Loyola, he finished with 359 yards and came close to engineering a miracle comeback.

A botched 20-yard field-goal attempt with 15 seconds left gave Loyola (5-0) a thrilling 23-22 victory over Hart.

In defeat, Boller’s performance only reinforces what I have reluctantly concluded: He has the best physical tools of any area quarterback since Elway.

Yes, there have been some outstanding quarterback prospects, from John Mazur (El Camino Real, USC) to Tom Ramsey (Kennedy, UCLA), from Tom Tunnicliffe (Burroughs, Arizona) to Erik Kramer (St. Genevieve, Burroughs, Pierce, North Carolina State), from Jim Bonds (Hart, UCLA) to Keith Smith (Newbury Park, Arizona), but only Elway possessed the kind of cartoon-like super-hero arm strength that left onlookers mumbling, “Wow!”

Boller is starting to produce a similar reaction.

“He throws the ball better than half the people I see playing on Saturdays,” said Hart receivers coach Mike Halcovich.

Added Joe McKeon, a longtime Hart junior varsity and freshman coach: “What most people don’t understand is he’s a rookie. He’s played in [five] games. That says he’s going to be awesome.”

Facing one of the most determined, effective defenses in Southern Section football, Boller and Hart’s high-powered offense were limited to a 24-yard field goal by Kirk Bardin in the first half. This was a true test of toughness for Boller, who carried the ball 10 times and took his share of solid hits by Loyola defenders.

In the second half, he was 12 of 21 for 233 yards and two touchdowns. He tried to emulate Elway with a game-winning drive by taking over with 1:45 left on Hart’s 28 and down by one point.

Twice on fourth down, he kept the drive alive with bullet-like completions. On fourth and 10 from the 45 with 1:09 left, he connected with Jared Bazar on a 19-yard gain. On fourth and 18 from the 35 with 30 seconds left, he completed a 22-yard pass to Jerry Owens. He got Hart to the Loyola seven-yard line with 15 seconds left, but Bardin never got to kick the field goal because of a high snap.

“They are a great team,” Loyola defensive back Christian Rhodes said. “They gave us a great challenge.”

It is never surprising when Loyola finds a way to win. Under Coach Steve Grady, the Cubs are a Division I program that performs well week after week.

Loyola did what it does best--run the ball. John Grady, the coach’s son, pounded his way for 130 yards in 24 carries and two touchdowns.

“We go 63 yards in 10 plays, they go 90 yards in two [plays],” Steve Grady said. “They were pretty unstoppable offensively. Our guys bent but we tried to hold them to field goals.”

Two missed conversion kicks and two missed field goals cost Hart (3-2) the game. But this is a team that won’t lose the rest of the season, not with a passing combination like Boller and Owens.

Owens caught 12 passes for 204 yards and left little doubt why the likes of UCLA, Ohio State and USC badly want his services.

But seeing Boller’s arm on display is a sight football fans should take advantage of this season.

Early this week, I stood behind Boller during practice to get a sense of the velocity he can generate with the flick of his right wrist. The sound of the ball spiraling toward its target would awaken any receiver not paying attention.

Catching passes from Boller is not for everybody. Your hands go up instinctively as protection, but there is no guarantee your fingers will survive the ball’s impact.

“We don’t even like to warm up because our hands become numb,” Owens said.

Loyola disguised its defense and limited Boller’s long passes until the third quarter. Boller completed a 41-yard strike to Owens down the middle. Later, he rolled right and fired a 44-yard pass to Owens streaking down the left side. There aren’t many high school quarterbacks who could execute that kind of pass.

The college recruiting battle is heating up for Boller. California and Colorado have offered scholarships. USC is gaining interest, along with many others.

It’s wrong to place the burden of Elway’s legacy on Boller’s shoulders. He’s no Elway, because there’s only one Elway. But he does astonishing things with a football just like a young Elway.