Antonian senior QB Schwalen thriving
First-year starter has thrown12 scores for undefeated Apaches
No one on Antonian’s coaching staff had a better idea of quarterback Zach Schwalen’s ability than Blake Fuschak.
Fuschak has coached Schwalen since he was a freshman. He believed he could handle the Apaches’ starting reins this season after being a backup for two years.
Still, Schwalen’s hot start has surprised Fuschak, the Apaches’ offensive coordinator.
“I had a good idea that he was going to be a good quarterback, but there was no way to predict that he was going to take off like he has to start the season,” Fuschak said.
Schwalen has thrown for 844 yards, 12 touchdowns and one interception on 47-of-57 passing for
the 3-0 Apaches. The yardage total leads all private school passers. His completion percentage (82.5) leads all area passers with more than 50 attempts. And he has completed touchdown passes to nine different players.
Schwalen had conquered several hurdles on his way to becoming Antonian’s full-time starter.
First, Antonian hired former Texas Lutheran and O’connor coach Danny Padron in May to replace Van Fuschak, Blake’s father, who retired as the end of last season.
Padron introduced an offense that emphasized more passing. But restrictions on summer camps limited Schwalen’s reps with it.
Schwalen said he was apprehensive about the new system because he thought it would be complicated because of Padron’s college background.
“I thought, ‘ We have a college coach now? Oh, geez,’ ” Schwalen said. “But, no. It was cool. He introduced himself. We talked, and weworkwell together. His offense is not as crazy as I thought it would be, so it’s working well.”
Padron retained Blake Fuschak, so that’s helped in the transition. Fuschak was also Schwalen’s coach when he was on the freshman team.
“A person that believes in me is here, and he’s believed in me for so long,” Schwalen said. “To have him here still is really good.”
Antonian has catered its offensive around Schwalen’s throwing
ability. The Apaches utilize more drop backs as opposed to read options, which suited his predecessor Khalil Warfield, who is now at UTEP.
A season ago, Warfield rushed for 1,314 yards and 15 touchdowns on 212 carries. He also completed 97 of 196 passes for 1,367 yards, 16 touchdowns and two interceptions in Antonian’s run to the TAPPS Division I state semifinals.
Antonian groomed Schwalen for the starting job by playing him in one series a game during his sophomore season.
Van Fuschak told Schwalen the day before Antonian’s opener against Seguin two years ago
about their plan to use him a series a game.
Schwalen completed1of 2 passes for13 yards in that series as part of the Apaches’ 25-22 victory.
“To actually play in a varsity game and have my stats there, that was crazy,” Schwalen said. “It made me feel good. It made me feel like I was getting my chance.”
A season ago, Schwalen played in one series each half. The stakes rose during Antonian’s first round playoff against Argyle Liberty Christian a season ago when Warfield was injured.
Schwalen played the second half and helped the Apaches to a 27-22 victory. He completed 5 of 7 passes for 71 yards. He completed a pass to Devin Grant, now at Colorado, on a third-and-10 late in the game that helped run out the clock.
“He’s been under the lights, and he’s seen it all,” Blake Fuschak said. “Mentally, he was ready for this year. He knew what he could do.”
Although Padron was new to Antonian, he trusted his staff, who spoke highly of Schwalen’s ability.
“The coaches here have known Zach since he was a freshman,” said Padron, who joined Antonian after retiring from Texas Lutheran in 2016. “They know what kind of ability he has, so it was pretty easy on my part to rubber stamp that.”
Schwalen struggled understanding the new offense initially, Padron said. His passing ability helped him overcome some of those difficulties.
He’s overcome that and has been able to build up.
“He has the talent,” Padron said. “It was just a matter of understanding what his eyes saw. That’s the name of the game.”