Richard Stallworth leads high-powered Yuma Catholic with state title aspirations
YUMA, Ariz. (BVM) – Richard Stallworth’s sophomore season was one of peaks and valleys.
The Yuma Catholic High School quarterback not only led the state of Arizona in passing yards (3,803) and passing touchdowns (49) in his first season as a starter, but he also led the Shamrocks all the way to the 3A state title game after an undefeated regular season. The miraculous run ended there, however, as Stallworth suffered a broken collarbone in the first quarter of the state final.
Yuma Catholic was unable to recover, falling to Snowflake 38-14, and Stallworth’s spectacular debut season ended on a sour note.
“It was a terrible feeling that I let the other guys on the team down and that I couldn’t finish the game,” Stallworth said. “All I could do was cheer them on and give them the best attitude I could so that they could finish that game.”
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The disappointing ending to what was such a promising season wasn’t all bad for Stallworth, though.
“It definitely made me work harder than I usually have been,” Stallworth said of his injury. “It was definitely a booster for my game knowing how much this team relies on me and how much more effective I have to be to be able to move and take a hit.”
Now fully recovered and reaping the benefits of his newfound knowledge, Stallworth has picked up right where he left off for his junior campaign.
In his first game back since breaking his collarbone at midfield of the state championship, Stallworth threw for 493 yards and five touchdowns in a season-opening win. He followed that up with a 390-yard, six-touchdown performance in a 67-0 win over Bourgade Catholic.
Through five weeks of the season, the Shamrocks are 4-1 and Stallworth once again leads the state in both passing yards (1,749) and passing TDs (21). The junior signal caller has a lot to do with his state-leading 349.8 passing yards per game, but certainly not all of it.
“We came out and wanted to pick up from last year; I can’t take all of the credit for this,” Stallworth said. “I have one of the best receiving corps in the state and they help out a lot. Every once in a while if I have a bad ball, I know they’re going to bail me out of trouble. The offensive line is doing a great job of giving me time and really taking the pressure off me.
“The defense has been great, forcing turnovers and three-and-outs. It’s really a whole team effort; I can’t really take the credit for all these touchdowns and yards because it’s really them.”
While Stallworth definitely owes some thanks to his receiving corps – led by the senior duo of Austin Rush (30 receptions, 435 yards and four touchdowns) and Mario Martinez (14 receptions, 565 yards and six touchdowns) – it’s safe to say that his father deserves some credit, too.
Rhett Stallworth doubles as Richard’s dad and Yuma Catholic’s head coach.
“He’s definitely a lot harder on me than other kids because he expects more out of me,” Richard said. “But it’s really nice being able to go home and if I have questions or if he wants to tell me something, he’s just calling me out of my room and telling me. It’s really nice having him always around to help me improve in any way I can.”
The extra hours of film study and preparation with dad have paid off. Richard has the physical tools to play the position at a high level, but his deep understanding of the game is what sets him apart and has him atop the state’s passing marks.
“I have a high football IQ about being able to understand what’s going on around me,” Richard said. “Working with my dad definitely helps with how I see things. He has a very high football IQ so working with him has definitely helped improve my game a lot.”
The Shamrocks sparkled again Friday night as their junior QB tossed four touchdowns in a 42-0 win over Mohave. But nothing Richard ultimately wants to accomplish can be attained during the regular season.
Richard watched Yuma Catholic win three state titles throughout his youth and witnessed the Shamrocks lose a triple overtime thriller for another championship as an eighth grader in 2018. His first chance at a state title of his own didn’t go as planned, but his childhood dream is still very much within reach.
“I want to lead this team to get a ring; that’s definitely been my goal since I was little, to get a state championship ring,” Richard said. “We have the talent to get it done, we just have to get better every week. We don’t have time to take a couple weeks or days off; there’s no time for that. We have to bring our effort all the time.”
Check out my first four games ☘️. @JacksonYumaSun @k_dorrell @JUSTCHILLY @CoachPart @CoachJeddFisch @cdorrell18 @CoachRenoYale @Utah_Football @AZHSFB https://t.co/SDzxfwA7w4
— Richard Stallworth (@richardstall44) September 22, 2021
