Cal Lutheran Signs 2 More for Football

Trying to bolster its football program with the caliber of players able to improve on last season’s 1-4 record in the Western Football Conference, Cal Lutheran signed two more high school seniors to national letters of intent on Friday.

Cal Lutheran Coach Bob Shoup said that additional players are close to signing and that another--Canyon High’s Joe Zacharia--is working to improve his grades so that he is eligible in June for a scholarship to Cal Lutheran.

Shoup was especially pleased to have landed Cary Grant. Although Grant is not an actor, he may have a dramatic impact on Kingsmen football.

A 5-8, 155-pound speedster, Grant helped Muir High win the Coastal Conference title last season. He played wide receiver, tailback, defensive back and kick returner.

“I think of wide reverses and long punt returns when I think of Cary Grant,” Shoup said. “He will be an excellent spot player for us right away. We can use a three wide out offense, he will cover fast receivers and he’ll return punts.”

Grant was the most valuable player of the 1985 Watts Summer Games passing league and scored 15 touchdowns during the regular season for Muir. He has a vertical leap of more than 35 inches.

Shoup’s alma mater is Muir, and his father, Donald, was a longtime football and baseball coach at the school.

Another incoming freshman, linebacker Tippy Wilcox of Simi Valley High, also signed, bringing the number of incoming freshman football players to four.

Wilcox (6-3, 190), who is currently playing for Simi Valley’s Marmonte League champion basketball team, was most inspirational player on the Pioneer football team.

“He’s Mr. Hustle,” Shoup said. “And he could be 230 pounds down the road.”

The Kingsmen received a verbal commitment from fullback Shawn Johnson of Porterville Community College. He should be signed over the weekend, according to Shoup.

Zacharia, a Times’ All-Valley selection at nose guard, must achieve a 2.5 grade-point average in three college prep classes this semester to be eligible for a scholarship to Cal Lutheran.

Contacted at his home, Zacharia said that while he was depressed over not receiving scholarship offers from Division I schools, he looked forward to playing at Cal Lutheran.

“Things didn’t go the way I thought they would,” Zacharia said. “But Cal Lutheran is a great place to play. I’m impressed with their coaches.”