CIF Drops the Ball on Receiver’s Pass Mark

It was, in the words of St. Bernard football Coach Duke Dulgarian, a “phenomenal performance.”

It also appeared to be a record-breaking performance for St. Bernard flanker Jason Lucky, who caught 17 passes for 329 yards and 4 touchdowns Saturday night in a 41-6 non-league win over host Bell-Jeff of Burbank.

According to the CIF-Southern Section record book, Lucky’s yardage total eclipsed the single-game receiving mark of 323 yards set by Bishop Amat’s John McKay Jr. in 1969.

However, a check of another publication ruined the party.

The California Prep Record Book published by Cal-Hi Sports lists Tori Brown of Duarte as the state and Southern Section record holder with a 335-yard game against Keppel in 1983.

Scott Cathcart, public relations director for the Southern Section, was waiting for verification of the record from Cal-Hi Sports but said, “There’s no reason to doubt their record book.”

Which probably leaves Lucky with only the school record--but a tremendous performance just the same.

Dulgarian said it wasn’t until late in the game that he became aware that Lucky might be close to a record.

“We were trying to get him into the (all-time Southern Section) top 10 as far as receptions go, but we had no idea he was on a record-breaking pace for yardage,” he said. “We threw him two hitch passes late in the game, and each went for about 15 yards. That’s what put him over the top.

“It wasn’t by design that we threw him the ball so much.”

Although he didn’t come out and say it, Dulgarian hinted that Bell-Jeff failed to do a thorough job of scouting St. Bernard and Lucky, who entered Saturday’s game as one of the leading receivers in the state. In six games, the 5-11, 170-pound senior has 47 catches for 956 yards and 9 TDs.

“I imagined they’d do something to try to stop him,” he said. “We’ve basically thrown to him the whole year. But they had only one defensive back about 5-4 or 5-5 trying to play man defense (on Lucky) the whole game. It was sad almost.”

St. Bernard quarterbacks Terence Sullivan and Danny Ulrich took advantage of the situation. Sullivan completed 11 of 17 passes for 262 yards and 3 TDs before leaving with a bruised knee in the fourth quarter. Ulrich came in and connected on 7 of 8 passes for 90 yards and 1 TD.

Lucky’s scoring catches covered 35, 13, 24 and 15 yards.

“He’s amazing,” Dulgarian said. “On one of his touchdowns he was in the end zone, parallel to the ground, and caught the ball with two fingers.”

Lucky, who is a Mormon, would like to play for Brigham Young University. So far, though, the Cougars’ interest has been minimal.

“I’m going to call (Coach) LaVell Edwards at BYU and tell him he’s crazy if he doesn’t give Lucky a scholarship,” Dulgarian said. “He’s dying to go there. There or Utah.”

Some question Lucky’s speed. Dulgarian says the receiver consistently runs the 40-yard dash between 4.6 and 4.7 seconds.

“He has pretty good speed,” the coach said, “even though it doesn’t look like he does.”

Lucky is having a great football season, but the big man on St. Bernard’s campus these days is Ed Stokes, a 6-11 center for the basketball team.

The highly recruited Stokes visited UCLA last weekend and has other trips planned to Arizona, Syracuse and Louisville, according to Coach Jim McClune.

Prep seniors can sign letters of intent during an early one-week period on Nov. 9-16.

Is Carson Coach Gene Vollnogle taking his team’s game with lowly Narbonne seriously? Probably not, judging from some of his comments this week.

Vollnogle says the Colts have a special play planned for Narbonne, which has lost 17 straight games and has been outscored 205-13 in five games this season.

“A friend of mine has asked me for several years to do this, but we never have,” he said. “It’s not a trick play. We’ll lose 15 yards and the ball. I wouldn’t do it if we were playing Banning. Hopefully the game will be in hand at this time.”

Vollnogle prefers the play to remain a secret until Friday night’s game at Gardena.

Let’s just say this: It will be funny and confusing.

Leuzinger leads the Bay League football race with a 3-0 record and is one of three unbeaten South Bay teams with a 6-0 overall record, but you’d never suspect it by looking at the team’s poor passing statistics.

The Olympians have one of the area’s most one-dimensional offenses, having rushed for 1,220 yards and passed for only 313.

In last week’s 28-7 win over Beverly Hills, Leuzinger quarterback Zak Odom completed 1 of 8 passes for 27 yards.

“We’re not going to be able to beat the good teams without being able to pass the ball,” said Coach Steve Carnes. “If it’s not a dropped ball, it’s an overthrown pass or a sack. We’re just not clicking.”

Rolling Hills football Coach Gary Kimbrell, who scouted Hawthorne’s 41-28 loss to Santa Monica last week, said this about Hawthorne quarterback Curtis Conway:

“I think Curtis Conway might be the best high school football player I’ve seen. I’ve always believed football was a team game, but he’s the type of guy who is capable of winning a game by himself.”

PREP NOTES--Miraleste’s football team lost its inaugural game in the Olympic League to Ontario Christian, 14-0. The Marauders (3-2) visit Whittier Christian (5-1, 1-0 in league play), ranked No. 2 in the CIF Division IX poll, Friday night . . . As expected, Palos Verdes’ girls blew away the competition Saturday by registering a perfect team score of 15 at the Los Angeles County Cross Country Invitational at College of the Canyons. The Sea Kings swept the first five places, led by Ashley Black (20:54), Lauri Lucas (21:26), Traci Goodrich (21:40) and freshman Maya Muneno (21:46). Palos Verdes competes in the 40th annual Mt. San Antonio College Invitational on Saturday morning. More than 100 schools are expected to compete in the meet, including entries from 10 nt states . . . Mira Costa’s water polo team is ranked No. 2 in the CIF 2-A Division and Palos Verdes is the No. 10-ranked 3-A school.