Hart Bollers Over Burroughs With Five Touchdown Passes

OK, let’s see his encore to this.

It seems every time Kyle Boller, Hart High’s prolific senior quarterback, straps on his helmet and trots onto the football field, fans, teammates and coaches wonder just what he is going to do to top his last impressive performance.

Thus far, Boller has not disappointed, and his stellar performance in Hart’s 52-0 Foothill League victory over Burroughs on Friday night at College of the Canyons was just the latest in a long string, as he completed 26 of 37 passes for a season-high 423 yards and five touchdowns.

“I actually expect it now,” said receiver Jerry Owens, half-joking but meaning every word. “He’s our gift from God. He dominates every week. If he doesn’t throw five or six touchdowns then it’s a bad game.”

Boller, who has 2,621 yards and 32 touchdowns for the season, was sharp throughout against Burroughs. He effectively stepped up in the pocket, rolled out and completed passes to eight receivers. He did not have an interception, and has thrown 218 consecutive passes without one.

“He amazes me every week,” offensive coordinator Dean Herrington said. “His pocket awareness is unbelievable for someone with such little experience.”

This was Boller’s seventh varsity start, something Coach Mike Herrington keeps having to remind himself.

“We had some plays we thought were for-sure sacks,” he said. “He’s so good in the pocket it’s amazing.”

His first-half numbers alone (22 of 28 for 325 yards and four touchdowns) are the type that have amazed college scouts from Colorado, Oregon and California as well as Florida State.

But after connecting with Owens, Chris Ciccone and Jared Bazar twice for first-half touchdowns and a 38-0 halftime lead, Boller was not finished.

He connected with Shane Lavoie for a 54-yard gain on the first play of the second half, and the smoke that clouded the field from a halftime homecoming fireworks show might just as well have been coming from Boller’s red-hot right arm.

Hart didn’t score on the drive, but one play after Hart turned the ball over on downs at the Burroughs eight, Garrett Fuller intercepted Joe Kroells’ pass and ran it 24 yards for a touchdown and a 45-0 lead.

Lavoie led the Hart receiving corps, catching seven passes for 123 yards, but did not score.

Billy Becht caught six passes for 115 yards.

Bazar caught five passes for 69 yards and three touchdowns, including the final strike, a 12-yard score with 7:19 left in the third quarter.

The starters did not play after that.

“It’s cool,” Boller said of putting up the gaudy statistics every week. “But that’s not something I’m thinking about. I just try and go out and do what it takes to win.”

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Boller Watch

A game-by-game look at how Kyle Boller of Hart High has fared this season:

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Opponent Com. Att. Yds. I TD Quartz Hill 25 42 422 1 5 Thousand Oaks 22 44 399 0 3 Sylmar 13 21 269 0 5 Palmdale 22 36 348 0 6 Loyola 22 41 362 0 2 Saugus 25 31 398 0 6 Burroughs 26 37 423 0 5

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