Cathedral’s De La Cruz Retains Passing Touch

Robert De La Cruz of Cathedral High has picked up where he left off last season when he set a state record with 61 touchdowns passes in 13 games.

De La Cruz, a 6-foot-1, 170-pound senior, has passed for 2,451 yards and 43 touchdowns. Last Friday in a 56-20 Camino Real League victory over Santa Monica St. Monica, he passed for six touchdowns to give him 112 for his career, breaking the record of 107 set by Chris Lewis of Long Beach Poly last season.

Cathedral (8-0, 1-0 in league), which advanced to the Division XII semifinals last season, moved up this season and is ranked No. 1 in Division XI. The Phantoms play Verbum Dei (6-2, 1-0) Saturday afternoon.

De La Cruz hopes to play college football, but he knows his future is not at a big-time program.

“I would like to go somewhere where I can start and play,” said De La Cruz, who also plays volleyball. “I’m looking at more of a smaller college like Montana State, a school that throws the ball.”

De La Cruz started as a sophomore for Cathedral, but was not the featured player in the Phantoms’ double-wing offense that spotlighted running back Chris Hanks, now at Cal.

Last year, however, Cathedral Coach Kevin Pearson went to a single-back spread offense with four receivers. De La Cruz completed 205 of 384 passes for 3,883 yards with 17 interceptions as the Phantoms advanced to the Division XII semifinals, losing to eventual champion Lancaster Paraclete, 62-33. He also set a state record by passing for nine touchdowns in a 67-38 victory over Panorama City St. Genevieve.

This season, De La Cruz has completed 136 of 223 passes for 2,451 yards with only five interceptions in seven games. De La Cruz sat out a victory over Daniel Murphy because of a sore shoulder.

“I’m a smarter quarterback [this season],” De La Cruz said. “I’m picking up blitzes better, using audibles when I need to.”

Cathedral is expected to go deep into the playoffs again this season and possibly win its first section championship.

“We have the offensive line and the defense is going great. . . . We also have a good running offense now,” De La Cruz said. “We just have to come together.”