There’s White, Then It’s Tight : Crespi Back, Hart’s Allen and Johnson of Channel Islands Head Short List of Division I Prospects From the Valley

Just listen to what Valley-area high school football coaches have to say about Crespi High tailback Russell White.

Harry Welch of Canyon: “When he’s on, he’s the best high school player I’ve ever seen.”

Bob Richards of Thousand Oaks: “He may be the best high school running back ever in Southern California.”

White’s coach, Bill Redell, makes it unanimous: “I have never seen a high school football player in the caliber of Russell White.”

Certainly not this season. Listen to what coaches have to say about the remaining crop of Valley-area seniors.

“I really haven’t seen anybody (of Division I quality),” Granada Hills Coach Darryl Stroh said.

Said Redell, seemingly echoing everyone: “Nobody really pops out at you.”

Not the way White does. White (6-0, 185), who needs no introduction and sometimes no blocking, has rushed for 4,658 yards and 69 touchdowns in two seasons. He is certainly the best player in the Valley, probably the best in the state and arguably the best in the nation.

But introductions are in order when it comes to identifying the best of the rest in the year of the Great White Back. Where are all the “blue-chip” athletes, as coaches call them? Rise from your three-point stances and be counted.

Coaches are not counting this as a year void of Division I talent. Yet, no one can fire off more than a few names when pressed.

“I have difficulty thinking of others,” Richards said. “But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any. There are a lot of good players out there.”

Maybe. But how many? For now, coaches say that only two come close to White:

* Hart tight end Brian Allen. “B.A.,” as first-year Coach Dave Carson refers to Allen, has the size for Division I (6-4, 215 pounds), has good hands (44 receptions last year) and can run with the ball as he demonstrated two years ago as the tailback and most valuable player of Hart’s sophomore team.

“He’s just a great athlete and has great eye-hand coordination,” Carson said. “It’s a rare exception when he drops the ball.”

Said Welch: “He can do everything. He’s got major league size and he’s a great basketball player.”

Allen, however, probably will be recruited as a linebacker, Carson said. “From the people I talk to--USC, UCLA and Notre Dame--they’re very interested in him,” he said.

* Channel Islands halfback John Johnson: He could be the most recruited back in the state behind you know who. Johnson (5-11, 185) is nearly as explosive as White and an excellent pass receiver.

“His ability to catch the ball in the backfield is something colleges really like about him,” Channel Islands Coach Joel Gershon said. “His explosive cutting ability, instincts, hips. . . . He’s just a great athlete.”

As far as colleges go, “UCLA is all over him,” Gershon said. “They’ve made a commitment in recruiting him. People are beginning to back off, thinking ‘Jeepers, we don’t have a shot at him.’ ”

Last season, Johnson rushed for 1,672 yards and 27 touchdowns and averaged 9.8 yards a carry. He needs 1,728 yards to break the Ventura County career rushing record, set last season by Marc Monestime of Thousand Oaks with 4,024 yards. Monestime eclipsed the mark set by Johnson’s brother, Hilria, in 1979.

“Everybody looks at Russell White,” Richards said. “But next in line is John Johnson.”

Coaches say there is a drop in quality behind Allen and Johnson. The players given the best chances of getting a Division I scholarship are:

Quarterbacks: Crespi’s Ron Redell (6-3, 190), Newbury Park’s Wayne Cook (6-4, 180), Canyon’s Rod Baltau (6-2, 178) and Notre Dame’s Bobby Hughes (6-3, 200).

Running backs: Taft’s Kelvin Byrd (5-10, 175), Cleveland’s Sean Burwell (6-0, 180) and Harvard’s Marty Holly (5-11, 200).

Receivers: Taft’s Uda Walker (6-4, 170) and San Fernando’s Sean Williams (5-1, 175).

Linemen: Thousand Oaks’ Rick McCathron (6-4, 240) and Lance Burch (6-1, 230), Taft’s Erin Reeder (6-4, 240), Canyon’s Justin Fix (6-4, 212), Harvard’s David Eagle (6-4, 241) and Chaminade’s Steve Rosen (6-2, 240).

Coaches insist the list is sure to grow, but they don’t how long. In fact, about the only thing coaches do know is that they don’t know who will emerge. Juniors who warranted nary a glance last season sometimes evolve into super seniors.

“A year of maturity changes a lot of kids,” Stroh said. “You’d be surprised.”

Said Gershon: “It’s always hard to say. It’s funny how all the names arise as soon as that first game is played.”

The presence of a player such as White may help other players get noticed.

“A guy like Russell White attracts more scouts to the area,” Richards said. “More kids will be seen. In our area, everybody’s looking at John Johnson, so a lot of other players will be seen, too.”

All in all, however, this year may be best remembered for its quality teams rather than its talented individuals.

“First of all, I see that looking at my own team,” Welch said. “And I know Taft has quite a few good players. And I know Notre Dame and Alemany do. And I know Thousand Oaks is going to be really good. It may be an up year for team play.”

And Russell White.