High school football's top senior quarterback prospect
Sam Huard of
Kennedy Catholic (Burien) broke the Washington state record for career passing yards Saturday late in the second quarter of a 60-17 home victory over Kentwood (Covington). The 6-foot-2, 190-pound left-hander entered the game needing 341 yards
to break the mark of 13,044 set by current Denver Broncos backup Brett Rypien of Shadle Park (Spokane) from
2011 to 2014.
Huard reached that with a 12-yard completion to
Leland Ward just before halftime as Lancers (2-0) took a 34-3 lead at intermission. By then, Huard was 30 of 38 for 384 yards and five touchdowns.
He left the game with 4 minutes, 25 seconds left having completed 40 of 56 passes for 514 yards and eight scores, upping his career totals 13,226 passing yards and 153 touchdowns. The fourth-year starter and Washington signee told his team after the game it would be his last as a Lancer. He starts classes at Washington on Monday.
"I've said it before and I'll say it now, coaching Sam Huard is what I imagined it would be like to coach Peyton Manning," Kennedy Catholic coach Sheldon Cross told MaxPreps Friday after the team's practice. "He wants to be so great. He does everything right. He's a great person, a great teammate and the players love him.
Kennedy Catholic quarterback Sam Huard broke the state record for career yardage during his team's home game on Saturday against Kentwood.
Photo by Paul Caldwell
"Sam being on top of the list of great Washington quarterbacks is just where he belongs."
Huard is ranked the No. 11 player in the Class of 2021 nationally by 247Sports Composite and his father Damon and uncle Brock both played quarterback in
the NFL.
He's carved up opponents throughout his brilliant career, entering the pandemic-shorted 2021 spring season with 11,745 passing yards and 132 touchdowns in just 32 games. He was the MaxPreps Freshman of the Year in 2017.
Running Cross' air raid offense to near perfection, Huard opened the season completing 28 of 37 for 515 yards and seven touchdowns in a 49-14 win over Tahoma. The following week he was 30 of 42 for 444 yards and six scores during a 53-6 win over Decatur.
On Saturday, he completed touchdown passes of 32 and 35 yards to his future Washington teammate
Jabez Tinae, and 14- and 11-yard TDs to Arizona State signee
Junior Alexander, making it 27-3.
After an interception, the Lancers took over deep in their own territory, zoomed up field before Huard found Ward on a short dump off pass for 12 yards just before halftime to break Rypien's record.
The game was halted briefly in the first half to mark Huard breaking the record.
Photo by Paul Caldwell
Cross called timeout, a sparse crowd — due to COVID-19 protocols — cheered and he was presented with a giant banner of Huard with a photo of his image and the words "Most passing yards in Washington state history."
A few plays later, Kennedy Catholic was back in the end zone, where Huard has led them throughout the last four seasons.
Cross said that Huard didn't return to play in order to break the record. He simply wanted to have one more experience with his teammates. By January, most believed there there wasn't going to be a season due to the pandemic. When Washington committed to the spring, Cross said Huard was one of the first to contact him. Huard had always planned to graduate in December after his senior
season to attend Washington early. When COVID-19 wiped out the fall season, Cross thought Huard was done.
"He said, 'Coach I can't miss it, I have to play with my guys one more time,' " Cross said. "I wasn't planning on him coming back. He had absolutely nothing to prove. He had his dream school all ready assured. I was in awe that he wanted to come back. It's something I'll always cherish."
Huard led a student driven advocacy group — Student Athletes of Washington (SAW) — and met with Gov. Jay Inslee to help get prep sports back in play. On Friday, in his final academic assignment, he presented a senior project on the importance of high school athletics.
On Saturday, in his final prep athletic assignment, he finished on top of the heap as king of Washington quarterback. On Monday, he's off to college.
"He's obviously way more than just a great high school football player," Cross said. "He's going to do many more great things from here."
Huard leads his teammates onto the field before the game.
Photo by Paul Caldwell
On Senior Day, Sam poses with his father, Damon, and mother, Julie.
Photo by Paul Caldwell
