East Catholic receiver breaks Connecticut high school football record

MANCHESTER, CT. (WFSB) - East Catholic High School wide receiver Joey Montalvo broke Connecticut’s all-time high school football receiving record, surpassing a mark that had stood for nearly 20 years.

Montalvo caught a 60-yard touchdown pass to break the previous record of 3,677 receiving yards, which was set by Aaron Hernandez.

“It means a lot. There’s definitely so many people involved and I’m truly thankful for everyone who’s helped me to get to this point,” he said.

The record-breaking moment came on senior night, allowing Montalvo to celebrate the achievement with family and teammates.

He credited his family and faith for helping him reach the milestone.

“My family definitely. Everything they do for me. All the sacrifices they put in, and my mother especially, and God. God definitely. I’m big in my faith and I’m truly blessed,” he continued.

His mother, Tertia Montalvo, expressed pride in watching her son achieve his goals.

“To watch him reach his goals, it’s just brought so much joy to the whole family and the crowd, everybody loves him, and it’s just a great thing to watch. I love it for him. I love it for us, and it’s just been a great ride,” she said.

East Catholic coach Tommy Seaver praised Montalvo’s character alongside his athletic ability.

“It’s just great to see a great kid break records. Not only just a great football player, but a great young man,” he said. “He never makes it about himself, but he’s such a good player that he’s always going to be in the spotlight, and he deserves to have his name in that record book.”

Tertia Montalvo said her son plays for his family and hopes the record stands for years to come.

“Everything he does is for his family. He always says that too. So, to have the name in the books I hope it stays there for a while. I mean, I’m super proud of him. He definitely holds that close to his heart,” she said.

Montalvo was named the Porter and Chester Institute Athlete of the Week.