Wednesday, October 6, 1999
Chang continues
QB tradition
Though he'd never say it,
By Ben Henry
Timmy Chang may be St. Louis'
best quarterback yet - and
that's saying something
Special to the Star-BulletinThe St. Louis Crusaders have an extensive list of blue-chip quarterbacks to go with their list of 14 Prep Bowl victories.
Darnell Arceneaux, Jason Gesser, Joel Lane, John Hao, Mike Nua ... the list goes on.
But the current starter, Timmy Chang, refuses to add his name to that list.
"I think I'd probably be at the bottom of that list," Chang said. "I don't compare myself to those guys. I looked up to them when I was little."
But no matter how much he denies it, no one in the state has thrown more touchdown passes in a half (6), touchdown passes in back-to-back games (11) and touchdown passes in three consecutive games (16).
Chang also holds ILH records with 29 touchdown passes in a season and 6 touchdown passes in a game - a mark he has achieved three different times in his career.
Chang's favorite target, Gerald Welch, feels Chang's humble attitude doesn't accurately reflect his dominance on the field. "Not at the bottom - he should be at the top," said the senior slotback, who holds the state record for touchdowns in a season with 16. "It's harder for us - other schools, they're catching onto our offense. So for him to keep doing what he does is something special."
The comparisons between quarterbacks of Crusader past and present are hard to ignore.
In 1993, when Chang entered St. Louis as a sixth-grader, Arceneaux, then a third-string sophomore, came off the bench and led the Crusaders to a 37-22 victory over Kahuku.
Three years later, Chang, a sophomore, came off the bench when Gesser went down against Punahou and led the Crusaders to a Prep Bowl.
St. Louis ended up beating the Buffanblu, but Chang lost his first career start against Kamehameha the following week.
"I think I felt real pressured in the Kamehameha game the first time - they sent a lot of blitzes at me," Chang said. "I felt bad after the game. I think I went home and cried for awhile. I remember watching the film, seeing a lot of missed plays by inches. But that's the breaks."
The loss to Kamehameha forced a playoff for the Interscholastic League of Honolulu title for the right to go to the Prep Bowl.
Needless to say, Chang hasn't lost a single game on the field since.
"I felt relieved (to beat Kamehameha the second time)," Chang said. "We had Waianae the next week, so I couldn't really relax, but I think it took a lot of pressure off of me."
Ironically, if not for choosy Kamehameha admissions standards, the only St. Louis list Chang might be on would be Kamehameha scouting reports. Chang originally planned to attend Kamehameha, but because of its extensive waiting list, he couldn't get in. "It was either here or Kamehameha, and I was on the waiting list for Kamehameha," he said.
So far this season, Chang has thrown 21 touchdown passes, while the rest of the ILH quarterbacks collectively has 16. Indeed, it hasn't been opposing defenses that have provided adversity in Chang's life.
"The passing of my grandfather when I was in eighth grade was rough," Chang said. "I keep a picture of him in my locker. I'm always reminded of his presence around me. I think that's been my strength."
Beyond the inspiration of his grandfather, he has had the support of teammates and friends like Welch to count on.
Welch, who also started his St. Louis varsity career as a sophomore, has been Chang's favorite target. Welch accounts for half of Chang's career completions, nearly half of Chang's passing yards and 34 of Chang's 80 career touchdown passes.
A Kahuku-native who followed cousin George Ornellas to St. Louis, Welch says Chang has matured from his days as a nervous sophomore in the state's most successful prep football program.
"He was smarter with his choices on what to do when he's under a lot of pressure - not forcing anything but taking what they give you," Welch said.
But Chang, ever the politician (he is on the school's student council), refuses to acknowledge his role in the team's success.
"I shouldn't receive a lot of the credit for what I do," he said. "Coaches, players, the defense, the offensive line, guys who catch the ball for five yards and run for 80 - guys who make the big plays ... they're all willing to step up. I think that's what makes St. Louis what they are today."
