Southern Columbia High School senior Julian Fleming highlights Watch the nation's No. 1 receiver prospect and Ohio State recruit in action.
Southern Columbia (Catawissa, Pa.) seniors Gaige Garcia (#23) and Julian Fleming (#4) own the PIAA records for career rushing touchdowns and receiving touchdowns, respectively.
Photo by Paul Weaver
Commentary: "It's definitely something."
One is Pennsylvania’s all-time-leader in receiving touchdowns. One is Pennsylvania’s all-time-leader in rushing touchdowns. One is committed to The Ohio State University. One is committed to the University of Michigan.
“It’s definitely something,” Fleming told
dailyitem.com. “(Gaige) came here a couple years ago and we became real close.”
Said Garcia: “We’re kind of like brothers.”
Last Friday, Southern Columbia’s football family had a historic and unrivaled night.
In a
76-6 win over visiting South Williamsport, Fleming and Garcia set the state standards for career receiving and rushing touchdowns, respectively. Pennsylvania, one of the country's most revered high school football states, has been playing the sport since 1885.
Southern Columbia scored 10 first half touchdowns – including eight on 13 offensive plays – and led South Williamsport 69-0 at halftime.
Fleming scored touchdowns on his first two receptions and Garcia added his third touchdown on a 70-yard run early in the second quarter.
“Sometimes I feel bad for some of our guys…Some of them just (don’t) get a lot of opportunities because it gets out of hand pretty quick,” Southern Columbia head coach Jim Roth told
The Daily Item. “We wanted to try to get the ball to Julian and Gaige to get those records (at home).”
Said Fleming: “It means a lot, with all the great names that have come out of (Pennsylvania).”
Garcia, whose rushed for 121 career touchdowns, will also wrestle at Michigan. He already owned state records for total career touchdowns and points.
“The most impressive thing for these milestones is that (Julian and Gaige) have accomplished these feats with limited playing time in their careers,” Roth told
pafootballnews.com.
Southern Columbia is frighteningly elite. The two-time defending PIAA Class AA state champions own a record nine state titles and are riding a state-record 77-game regular season win streak (haven’t lost since 2011). They check in at No. 8 in the current
MaxPreps Great Lakes Region Rankings.
Last season the Tigers scored 859 points, averaged 53.7 points per game and had an average margin of victory of 43.6 points. This season Southern Columbia has scored 360 points, is averaging 60 points per game and has allowed six points total. Its average margin of victory is 59 points.
“Imagine the stats these guys would have if they played in the second half of most games,” Roth said. “Plus, they are hoping that they still have 10 more games to add to these totals.”
Said Garcia: "When you’re a little kid you’re like ‘There’s no way, you’ll never score that many touchdowns’...it’s just crazy."
