Parry McCluer’s football team had one of their long-standing marks surpassed this year when Nathan Glass completed a 95-yard touchdown pass to Zavion Dunn against Page County in a 46-12 home win on Sept. 5. That heave topped the mark of 90 yards set by quarterback Marty Carter and running back Mickey Branch way back in 1977.
To celebrate the achievements of both duos, they were recognized in a “Passing-the-Record” ceremony prior to last Friday night’s Hall of Fame game at Bobby Williams Field in Buena Vista.
“With the great tradition of football at Parry McCluer,” said former PM athletic director and Hall of Fame Committee member Mike Cartolaro, “I thought it was great to be able to recognize a record-breaking stat on a night with all of the members there.”
The previous mark was set nearly 50 years ago when the Blues, backed up near their own goal line, faced Riverheads in the opening game of the 1977 season, a year that would culminate with the team’s first state championship.
“Coach Williams called goal-line pass,” said Carter, recalling the play. “Mickey went in motion, I hit him in the flats, and he just went right down the sideline.”
“And I just ran like hell,” Branch joked.
The situation for the record-breaking performance was similar. With just seconds remaining in the first half against Page County, the Blues found themselves backed up to their own five-yard line. Lining up in a spread formation, Dunn sprinted past his defender on a wheel route, and Glass lofted a perfect pass, hitting Dunn in stride and allowing him to do the rest.
“When if first happened, they were like ‘What? We broke something?’ said current PM head coach Jeremiah Brockenbrough. “That was something special [Friday night]. They were all deserving of that recognition.”
Like the current record holders, the former were unaware that their special play was part of a record.
“My wife was on Facebook, and she said, ‘Why didn’t you tell me you had a record?’” said Branch. “I didn’t even know it. I thought it had been broken.”
“I’m h appy for t hem,” C arter s aid of t he current record holders. “We grew up eating and breathing Blues. All we wanted to do was play football.”
And who knows? Perhaps the quartet honored last Friday night has inspired another generation.
PRIOR TO LAST Friday night’s football game in Buena Vista, former and current record holders were recognized at midfield. Included in the photo are (from left): current Parry McCluer had coach Jeremiah Brockenbrough; Zavion Dunn and Nathan Glass, who combined for a 95-yard touchdown pass to set the new record; Carson Irvine and Hans Mohler, co-captains from the 1977 state championship team; and Mickey Branch and Marty Carter, who set the previous record in 1977. (Chris Floyd photo)
