Published on October 13, 2023
In football, no player is as idolized as the quarterback. While the position was not always the heart and soul of the offense, its relevance has grown as the decades have passed. Monroe High School has seen its fair share of excellent athletes at every position, and quarterback is no exception. Though the position has changed significantly over the years, great Bearcat quarterbacks have been leading the team in every era of the program. Of these players, six in particular stand out as some of the most successful, record-setting, or important in team history. Playing in the 1940’s, Cal Boyes represents the first of Monroe’s great quarterbacks.
The Boyes family have lived in Monroe for decades and have produced many excellent players throughout Bearcat history. In the mid-1940s when Cal Boyes began playing for the Bearcats, the quarterback position was not nearly as important as it is today. Until the last few decades, quarterback played a relatively minor role as passing plays were rarely used. Cal was initially a halfback when he first joined the team but still contributed a great deal by playing in every game during his Junior season in 1945. After Senior quarterback Calvin Davis graduated, Cal Boyes officially became Monroe’s new quarterback in Fall 1946. [1]
Changing the Game
Cal’s first game at quarterback was an important contest in Monroe history as it was the first football contest played at night thanks to the recent installation of lighting.[2] Boyes showed no fear under the bright lights as he torched the visiting Issaquah team with his passes. He threw two touchdown passes and converted a couple two-point attempts with passes, culminating in a 20-0 rout.[3] Despite the opening victory, the team faced significant challenges as Cal was only one of the few upperclassmen leading a young Monroe team.
Consistency proved to be a challenge for the 1946 team, but Boyes played an essential role in leading Monroe to victory. After a tough game against Marysville, Boyes displayed his versatility during a 33-0 victory over Coupeville. Cal completed long passing plays and showed off his receiving skills by catching a touchdown pass.[4] Over the next four games, the Bearcats alternated between wins, losses, and a tie, with Cal throwing passing touchdowns in three contests. With a 3-3-1 record, Monroe met an undefeated Sultan team in the final game of the season.
As the contest began, the Bearcat defense held down the Sultan offense but still trailed 7-6 at halftime. In the third quarter, Monroe drove towards the Turk’s goalline until a Boyes pass was intercepted on the Sultan 5-yard line. After another drive to Sultan’s endzone ended with a fumble, Monroe’s chances of victory seemed slim. Nevertheless, the Bearcat defense stood tall and forced a fumble on the next play, giving Cal and the offense another chance. Boyes, unphased by his earlier interception, failed to connect on two passes into the end but found a Bearcat receiver on his third attempt for the go-ahead touchdown. Monroe’s defense held Sultan scoreless in the final minutes as the Bearcats secured a 12-7 victory.[5]
Two Hall of Fame Careers
After graduating with the Class of 1947, Cal Boyes continued find a place on the gridiron as his skills caught the attention of scouts. He was offered a spot to try out for the Cleveland Browns but turned down the opportunity to instead attend college. After one year at Washington State College, now Washington State University, he transferred to Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. In addition to playing football, Boyes played baseball and basketball and became one of the program’s most accomplished athletes. According to his biography in the Whitman Hall of Fame, Cal was “an all-conference quarterback, served as a senior co-captain and won the Niles Trophy as Whitman’s most outstanding and inspirational football player.”[6] After graduating in 1951, Cal went on to have a storied career with various positions at Sacramento State University. By the time he passed away in 2018, Boyes was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Whitman College and Sacramento State University.[7]
Sources
[1] “High School Sports”, Monroe Monitor, September 12, 1946
[2] “Many Witness Official Dedication”, Monroe Monitor, September 26, 1946
[3] “Bearcats Victors In First Game”, Monroe Monitor, September 26, 1946
[4] “Bearcats Victors Over Coupeville”, Monroe Monitor, October 10, 1946
[5] “Monroe Trounces Sultan Turks”, Monroe Monitor, November 14, 1946
[6] https://athletics.whitman.edu/honors/whitman-hall-of-fame/cal-boyes/23
[7] https://giving.hornetsports.com/campaigns/the-cal-boyes-memorial-fund
The Orange and the Black 