Hart Mobilizing for Attack as Crescenta Valley Digs In : Offense: Indian quarterback Delmatoff chases records, scholarship with a proliferation of passes.

With each perfectly thrown spiral, Hart High senior quarterback Davis Delmatoff receives more accolades from his coaches and teammates.

Now, college recruiters are beginning to take notice.

BYU and San Jose State have shown interest in the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Delmatoff--and with good reason. Delmatoff, who will lead undefeated Hart (11-0) against Crescenta Valley in the quarterfinals of the Southern Section Division II playoffs tonight, has completed 59% of his passes for 2,987 yards and a state-leading 36 touchdowns.

Hart offensive coordinator Dean Herrington has been fielding calls from recruiters regarding Delmatoff. Several NCAA Division I programs have requested game footage of Delmatoff in action.

“It’s nice that I am getting some attention, but I’m putting that on the back burner for now,” Delmatoff said. “I can only concentrate on the season right now.”

The quarterback’s focus is currently on the Falcons’ defense.

Crescenta Valley allowed the fewest yards among area teams during the regular season. The Falcons surrender 173.5 yards per game, or about what the Indians usually gain by the middle of the second quarter. Hart’s average of 415 yards of offense is tops in the area. The Indians--ranked 10th in the state by Cal-Hi Sports--have outscored opponents, 425-72.

Delmatoff expects a struggle.

“They do have one of the best defenses in the area; they know how to stop people,” he said. “But they haven’t faced a real passing team yet, so we think we have a good game plan.”

Delmatoff needs four touchdowns to pass Jim Bonds (1986) and Ryan Connors (1991) for the school single-season record. With seven touchdowns, Delmatoff will break the section record of 42 set by Pat Haden, the former USC and Rams quarterback, at Bishop Amat in 1970.

Delmatoff’s success has prompted observers to compare him to Bonds, acknowledged as the best quarterback in Hart’s distinguished history. Bonds, now a Hart assistant, says Delmatoff is as good as he was.

“Our offense was so simple back then, Davis just has so many more things to think about than I did,” said Bonds, who played at UCLA and is now the offensive coordinator for the junior varsity. “He reminds me a lot of me back then, with that big butt and strong arm.

“He has impressed me with his field presence and his leadership. Schools will be making a really big mistake if they pass him by.”

Not bad for a guy who is in his first season as a starting quarterback. Delmatoff, who runs 40 yards in 4.5 seconds, was an all-league defensive back last season. He also was a key receiver for the record-setting Connors.

Delmatoff’s inexperience and lack of height combined to keep him off recruiters’ lists at the season’s outset. His status quickly changed as the Indians began rolling over opponents with Delmatoff pulling the trigger of the team’s run-and-shoot offense.

While Delmatoff is not opposed to shattering records, he is determined to leave an even bigger mark: leading the Indians’ to their third section championship.

“I’m not going to say that I wouldn’t like to break the records, but that’s not what I think about during games,” Delmatoff said. “The last thing I want to do is get down to the one-yard line and start thinking, ‘Oh, I need a touchdown pass.’

“Honestly, the only thing that matters is for us to score any way we can to win.”

Hart has scored--and won--at a dizzying pace with Delmatoff at the controls. He has even been better than his coaches envisioned.

“I thought he’d be pretty good, but I didn’t think he would be quite this good,” Dean Herrington said. “Schools are realizing that he is definitely someone they need to take a long, hard look at.”

Said Hart Coach Mike Herrington, brother of Dean: “We couldn’t have expected Davis to do any more than he has done.”