Verbal commits and overlooked recruits

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It happens more times than people expect.

A celebrated high school football recruit faces a player hungry to get noticed by college scouts and the under-publicized athlete steps up for the matchup.

That was the case last Friday night when Harvard-Westlake and Lynwood played to a 21-21 tie in North Hollywood.

Although Lynwood features one of the most athletic secondaries in Southern California -- led by California-bound cornerback Vachel Samuels -- Harvard-Westlake’s spread offense and senior quarterback Sean Berman gave the Knights’ defensive backs all they could handle.

Working under the guidance of veteran coach Dave Levy, a former NFL and USC assistant who has been the Wolverines’ offensive coordinator since 2005, Berman finished 20 of 35 passing for 238 yards and two touchdowns.

But the story of the game was Berman’s favorite target -- senior Corey Vann, who had 10 catches for 104 yards before leaving the game in the third quarter because of leg cramps.

Listed in the Harvard-Westlake game-program at 6 feet 1 and 160 pounds, Vann may not have ideal size or blazing speed but he gave Lynwood’s secondary big-time problems every time a pass was thrown his direction.

With Levy lining him up in a variety of formations, Vann was unstoppable throughout the first half. Even when Lynwood moved Samuels over to defend him in single coverage, Vann still found a way to get open.

It would not be a reach to think that if Vann had stayed in the game, he could have finished with 20 catches.

But this is not a knock against Samuels, who also had a dominant game.

At 6-1 and 190 pounds with legitimate speed, Samuels made several plays to see why he’s a verbal commit to Cal.

For most of the night, Harvard-Westlake often passed away from the direction of Samuels, who also played running back and scored a touchdown.

-- Lonnie White