Granada Hills Snares QB Leach : But Stroh Is Looking Farther Than a Promising Sophomore

Jeremy Leach, sophomore quarterback of the L. A. Baptist High football team last fall, has transferred to Granada Hills.

He is the second quarterback in the last two years to transfer into the Highlanders’ football program.

Last season, Brent Spurlin, who started for Hart High as a junior, transferred to Granada Hills.

Leach, who is also an outstanding baseball prospect, will begin classes at Granada Hills next week.

Darryl Stroh, coach of the Highlanders’ football and baseball teams, denied recruiting Leach but did admit that he had his eye on another L. A. Baptist athlete.

“I am working on one kid--a seventh grader,” Stroh said. “He’s a baseball player who doesn’t have much size, but he does a lot of things well. I’d like to coach him.”

The name of the player: Darryl Stroh, son of the Granada Hills coach.

There has been little time for Harry Welch to savor his third straight Northwestern Conference championship at Canyon High.

Since the end of the football season, Welch’s time has been occupied by college recruiters.

More than 100 schools, by Welch’s estimate, contacted him about Randy Austin, who gave a verbal commitment Monday to attend UCLA. That broke down to about five phone calls or visits a day, seven days a week, just for Austin.

Welch isn’t complaining.

“I’m honored when any major university takes the time to recognize the success of our team or individual members of our team,” he said. “I enjoy their calling Canyon High School and their coming by to seek our input on the evaluation of players.

“But it is very, very time consuming. Some people don’t realize the commitment we have here, but is is something that we do joyfully.”

Austin’s early signing didn’t end Welch’s postseason work. He is still helping at least four other players select a university or college to play for next season.

“We’re being real active in trying to find the right place for many of the different players,” he said. “I expect at least five will go on and play college football somewhere next season.”

The signing period begins Feb. 12, meaning Welch should get a few weeks rest before preparing for spring practice.

Then the cycle starts all over again.

Bill Hughes returned as a coach to the Los Angeles Sports Arena a week ago when his Reseda Regents played Hamilton in a prelude to the Lakers-Clippers game.

Hughes last coached at the Sports Arena two years ago when the Regents, the City 3-A champions, played in the state playoff tournament.

After that season, in which he won his second consecutive 3-A title, Hughes went on to become the head coach at Pierce College.

He is back at Reseda this year but the Regents are having their problems. With a 73-68 loss to Hamilton, Reseda is 0-7 in the Valley 4-A League and 5-10 overall.

“This is my sixth year here,” Hughes said, “and this is probably the least amount of talent I’ve had.

Adding to Hughes’ woes is that the Regents are in the 4-A Division this season.

“I don’t think the kids are down,” he said, “but we’re all disappointed. I’m trying to get everyone to realize what we’re up against.”

Add Hughes: The Reseda coach may be struggling in his return to high school coaching but he had perhaps the best comment on the rule that requires coaches to be seated during games. A coach can only stand when applauding an outstanding play or signaling a timeout.

In one game this year, an official warned Hughes to take a seat.

Said Hughes, after turning to the scorer’s table: “I’d like to see him officiate from a sitting position.”