Doug Musgrave remembers setting the state high school record of 44 touchdown passes in a season, though he can’t recall the exact pass. It was 1988, after all, but he thinks he tossed it to his best friend.
Justin Holland tied the record 10 years later as a precocious sophomore playing for Bear Creek. Holland wishes he had done it his senior year, when he might have better appreciated the accomplishment.
Last week, Clay Garcia surpassed them both, throwing his 45th, 46th and 47th touchdown passes during the Class 3A state semifinals at Alamosa. Perhaps it will mean more to Garcia later. He recalls firing a 45-yarder to tight end Dustin Bolt to break the record in his second-to-last high school football game, but that feat is taking a back seat while Garcia tries to maintain Alamosa’s perfect season.
Garcia is focused on winning a state championship as his Mean Moose (13-0) prepare to host the city’s first title game when Pueblo County visits at 1 p.m. Saturday.
“Records and rankings and stuff like that are cool, but it’s not the measure of our season. The success of our season depends on how far we go and how well we play,” said Garcia, who has a weighted 4.3 grade-point average, is the student body president and figures to be Alamosa’s valedictorian.
While the quarterback is appropriately cool, his parents, Fred and Teresa Garcia, can’t help but boast.
“Teresa and I were a whole lot more excited about the record than Clay was,” Fred said.
Alamosa has been the top-ranked 3A team from the start of a season in which Garcia has made a furious assault on the record books. His state-best 3,741 passing yards this season are second all-time to Holland’s 4,181. Garcia also ranks among the top five in career touchdown passes and passing yards.
Under 22-year head coach Manny Wasinger, Garcia often opens a game with a long bomb down the sideline to Bolt or the speedy Jason Espinoza.
“Oh, my goodness. That’s a wonderful way to start a game,” Teresa said.
Garcia then continues to pepper the opposing defense with pass after pass. Alamosa’s air-it-out offense excites the crowds. Garcia is the catalyst, but he is the first to credit his playmakers, his line and his defense.
Musgrave, the 1988 Denver Post Gold Helmet winner who played for the University of Michigan, appreciates that kind of thinking.
“The record is a tribute to he and his teammates. I never would have broken that record without a tremendous team – the receivers, the offensive line, everybody. We had such a tremendous group of guys, it was easy pickings for me,” said Musgrave, now an orthopedic hand surgeon in Vancouver, Wash.
With a deep, talented senior class full of soft hands and blazing speed, Garcia has had plenty of weapons. Espinoza has caught 62 passes for 1,351 yards and Bolt has caught 59 passes for 1,246 yards. Three other Mean Moose have combined for another 55 catches, running patterns out of Alamosa’s shotgun scheme.
It was an offense Wasinger instituted two years ago, geared to Garcia, who is 6-feet, 219 pounds.
“Because he is so big, we always used to joke that Clay would be the first Garcia lineman,” said Teresa, whose other two sons and daughter continued their athletic careers in college. Brandon played college football, Eric played college baseball and Jenna played college volleyball.
But Wasinger had a vision for this Garcia.
“Manny always said Clay was going to be his quarterback,” Fred Garcia said.
Garcia stepped into the starting role near the end of his freshman year after a concussion knocked out the previous starter, Drew Ford. Garcia studied the game and developed an accurate and powerful throwing arm while compiling a 27-10 record the past three seasons. Despite the success and state record, Garcia hasn’t allowed his all-star status to go to his head.
“My take on him is that he is a great athlete, a three-sport athlete, and he is the triggerman for everything we do. But he is a better person than he is an athlete. I’ve nominated him for every award and scholarship out there,” Wasinger said.
Garcia has garnered interest from a number of NCAA Division II schools for his football skills. Combine those traits with his academic prowess, and Princeton and Yale come into the Garcia’s potential future.
First he has one more game to add to his high school record for touchdown passes, and a huge day would bump him ahead of Holland for passing yards in a season. The magic number would be 441 yards. While Garcia has a one-track mind with the title game approaching, he might look back in a few years and be able to enjoy his jaw-dropping statistical season. And if he possesses the same competitive spirit of one other great high school quarterback, Garcia will want to see his name at the top of the list.
“Oh, so he’s cheating. I only had 12 games to do it,” a joking Holland said after hearing Garcia broke the record in his 13th game.
Clay Garcia by the numbers
47 touchdown passes this season, a Colorado record
502 career completions, sixth in Colorado history
906 career passing attempts, third in state history
3,741 passing yards this year, second-best in Colorado history
8,075 career passing yards, fifth in state history
– Source: State records provided by the Colorado High School Activities Association
Touchdown!
The top 10 single-season leaders in touchdown passes in Colorado high school history:
1. Clay Garcia, Alamosa, 2006, 47*
2. (tie) Justin Holland, Bear Creek 1998; Doug Musgrave, Grand Junction, 1988, 44
4. Brian Stout, Salida, 1997, 41
5. Brett Stang, Revere, 1996, 40
6. Barry Helton, Simla, 1982, 39
7. Mark Schaffer, D’Evelyn, 2006, 38
8. (tie) Troy Branom, McClave, 1991; Blake Cure, Idalia, 2005, 37
10. (tie) Jim Adamson, Florence, 1983; Isaiah Quigley, Grand Junction, 2005, 36
– *One game remaining
Top guns
A panel of five media members who regularly cover high school football came up with their top five performers at the quarterback position this season:
1. Clint Brewster, Mullen, Sr., 6-1, 190: Leads undefeated team into this weekend’s 5A state championship game. Bound for the University of Illinois, he has completed 63 percent of his passes; has 27 TD passes, seven interceptions.
2. Clay Garcia, Alamosa, Sr., 6-0, 219: Led all QBs in yards passing this season; set a state record with 47 touchdown passes. Threw winning pass to beat league rival and defending state champion Florence in the Class 3A semifinals last week. Being recruited by Princeton and Yale along with NCAA Division II schools.
3. Sean Cunningham, Aurora Central, Sr., 6-2, 170: Can make plays with his arm and his legs. Cunningham racked up 3,000 total yards this season, including 2,218 through the air for his Class 4A team. A heavily recruited basketball player, Cunningham has not chosen a college or decided which sport to play at the next level.
4. Jake Spitzlberger, Bear Creek, Sr., 5-10, 160: Has followed in the steps of other big-time Bear Creek quarterbacks, including Sean Davis and Justin Holland, running an offense that always produces big numbers. Spitzlberger showed the ability to make the right read and complete the difficult pass for his Class 5A team. Spitzlberger has received interest from Ivy League, Division II schools and a handful of other Division I schools.
5. Ty Tschacher, Platte Valley, Sr., 6-1, 180: Another run-pass threat, Tschacher accounted for about 65 percent of his team’s offensive output in leading his Class 2A team to the postseason, and a state semifinals appearance, for the first time in 13 years. Air Force and several Division II schools are interested in him.
BEST OF THE REST
Matt Yemm, Fort Collins, Sr.: With great speed, he’s a multiple threat who could play a number of positions on either side of the ball.
Mark Schaffer, D’Evelyn, Sr.: The first quarterback in state history to throw for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards.
Gabe Walsh, Cherokee Trail, Jr.: Threw 20 touchdown passes and only five interceptions in his first year as a full-time starter.
Keiffer Garton, Douglas County, Sr.: Led the Huskies to their first state championship last year and followed it with another big season.
Danny Beck, Mountain Vista, Sr.: Was named to the 2006 Elite 11 list of quarterbacks to watch.
Bobby Adamson, Byers, Sr.: Overlooked a bit in the smallest 11-man classification, but he is the real deal with good quarterback size (6-4, 175).
