For Openers, Stroh Looks Like Genius

At first glance, the return of Darryl Stroh as the Granada Hills defensive coordinator was an unqualified success.

Last year, Granada Hills gave up 464 yards and 33 points in their season opener. Last week, the Highlanders held their opponent to six yards passing and 56 total yards en route to a 35-0 victory.

Don’t get too excited. There was one difference--quality of competition.

Granada Hills opened the 1997 season against Hart, the best offensive team in the region this decade. The Highlanders posted last week’s gaudy numbers against North Hollywood, which averaged 143.3 yards a game last year.

Doing it all: A year ago, it was Joey Cuppari catching, kicking, tackling and generally doing whatever it took for Westlake to win.

On Friday night, it was Travis Campbell doing the same.

Campbell, who spent the last two seasons in Cuppari’s shadow, burst to the forefront in the third quarter of Westlake’s 37-12 victory over Buena. He caught two touchdown passes, returned a punt 60 yards, made three tackles, kicked three extra points and made a behind-the-back pitch that will have Westlake fans talking for weeks.

With Westlake leading, 7-6, Campbell caught a short pass from Zac Wasserman and tossed the ball behind his back to a sprinting Chris Catalano, who dashed 75 yards for a touchdown.

Campbell finished with 11 receptions for 127 yards, six tackles, four extra-point kicks and two touchdowns for 16 points.

“We have a whole bunch of good receivers, but Travis is the guy I’m looking for a lot of the time,” Wasserman said.

Numbers game: Channel Islands, not lacking for size but short on numbers, played Harvard-Westlake tough Saturday in a 28-13 nonleague loss.

The Raiders, who have won 12 games in the last eight seasons, impressed second-year Coach Jack Willard with their effort. But he said the team’s 25-player roster allows some players to coast.

“I wish we had 50 guys and could put more people in the game and be comfortable with them,” said Willard, who had seven two-way starters Saturday. “But this is the hand we’re dealt. You stay positive with them and hope they say, ‘He’s talking to me, I better get my [butt] in gear.’ ”

Spartan force: Although Rio Mesa allowed Saugus to roll up 476 yards of offense in its 35-28 victory over the Centurions, Spartan linebacker Jerome Stevens had an outstanding game.

Stevens, 6 feet 4 and 245 pounds, made 16 solo tackles, assisted on four others, had a sack and another tackle for a loss.

Happy returns: Jason Stauffer was Village Christian’s top offensive player Saturday night in the Crusaders’ 17-14 loss at Santa Paula.

The only problem is that Stauffer plays defense.

The junior defensive back returned interceptions for Village Christian’s two touchdowns.

Stauffer’s return yardage totaled 92 yards. The Crusader offense gained 52 yards.

Celt injured: Crespi running back Blake Tibbetts suffered a sprained right ankle last week against Chaminade and is questionable for the Celts’ game Friday night against Quartz Hill.

Tibbetts led Crespi with 46 yards rushing in a 23-21 victory over Chaminade.

“That’s the biggest part of our offense, right there,” Crespi assistant coach Richard Fong said of Tibbetts. “He packs the mail for us.”