FLAT ROCK – Purdue once earned the nickname the “Cradle of quarterbacks” for the number of signal callers it produced who went on to fame in the NFL.
If the current trend continues, Flat Rock might earn the same kind of reputation in Michigan high school football ranks.
From 2021-24, the Rams had Graham Junge under center.
He threw for 8,178 yards and 92 touchdowns in four seasons, rewriting the passing record books for Flat Rock and the Monroe County Region.
Most figured there would be a falloff at quarterback for the Rams last season after Junge’s graduation.
That didn’t happen.
Joel Scully stepped seamlessly into Junge’s big shoes.
He led the Region with 1,668 passing yards and 19 TDs as a junior. No other QB came within 300 yards of that yardage total.
And he did it despite missing two full games and parts of two others with an injury.
Everyone in the 2026 training camp for the Rams is excited to see what Scully will do as a senior.
“It’s good to have him back,” Flat Rock coach Buck Reaume said. “He makes us go. … He missed three games and he still threw for almost 2,000 yards. He’s our main piece.”
“Joel is a big part of this team,” added senior running back Blake Recore. “He does a lot.”
Scully says he wasn’t really aware of his numbers until after the season.
“I just had fun,” he said. “I was focused on the game. … It went by fast.”
Watching Junge for four years helped him learn the position.
“Graham told me some things for sure,” he said. “He would tell me about coverages.”
Scully is spending some time in training camp mentoring his backup Chase Elswick in hopes of continuing Flat Rock’s quarterback dynasty.
Elswick might learn the most by just watching Scully play.
He should put on quite a show.
No. 1 receiver Evan Szalay, who led the Region with 811 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns last season, was lost to graduation, but the Rams still have a lot of weapons.
Recore is entering his fourth season on the varsity. He will have a bigger role after serving primarily a defensive player and part-time receiver his first three years.
“Blake will be our guy at running back,” Reaume said. “He had a great summer. He didn’t miss a day.”
Recore will play anywhere he is needed.
“It’s changed each year,” he said of his role. “The first year I was only on defense, then I started getting reps and running back and receiver. This year I am the starter at running back.”
The Rams have good talent at receiver with Jordan Godfrey, David Riddle, Alex Beaudrie, Braylen Hoover, Landon Higdon and Christian Garcia.
The line is experienced with Colin Booms, Noah Nehila and Gabe Sanchez back as starters.
“We’ve got three guys back,” Reaume said. “The line will be pretty big. We’re working on our depth there.”
Booms has been around the team since 2017, serving as water boy when his older brother was playing for the Rams.
He has watched Flat Rock go from a team that won just two games in 2020 and 2021 combined to a squad that has amassed 33 wins over the past four years reached the state semifinals in back-to-back seasons.
“I’ve seen all the players, all the games,” Booms said. “It’s been fun. There is more pressure now.”
Reaume believes this team is ready for that challenge.
“We have 15 seniors,” he said. “It’s a good senior class. I feel like each year we are a little ahead of where we were the year before. That’s a good thing.”
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Flat Rock grooms another great quarterback | Training Camp Report
Reporting by Niles Kruger, The Monroe News / The Monroe News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Niles Kruger, The Monroe News | USA TODAY Network
