Valley’s Catch Includes Trio of Receivers From Titlist Granada Hills

Chuck Ferrero was not tossing around a bad pun when he called recruits Sean Brown, Kevin Carmichael and Darryl Stephenson “three awfully good catches.” After all, as receivers at Granada Hills High last season, the trio helped lead the pass-crazy Highlanders to the City Section 4-A Division football championship.

Ferrero, the Valley College football coach, is talking about his good fortune at latching onto one of the best groups of talent to come out of a single school in several years.

“We’ve been working on getting these guys for a long time,” he said. “They’re here, they’re in school and they’re practicing.”

Brown, a 6-foot, 2-inch, 230-pound tight end, twice was named Times All-Valley. Last season, Brown caught 56 passes for 605 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was offered an athletic scholarship to attend Arizona State but was unable to satisfy Division I academic requirements.

“Brown is a great, great athlete,” Ferrero said. “Arizona State isn’t the kind of place that offers full rides to just anybody.”

Brown, who started for Granada Hills in City championship games in football, baseball and basketball, will play tight end at Valley. Brown was the most heavily recruited athlete at Granada Hills last year out of a group that included quarterback Jeremy Leach (New Mexico) and receiver Kyle Jan (Arizona).

“Sean was No. 1,” said Darryl Stroh, who coached Brown in baseball and football. “There were more coaches after him than any of the others, no question about it.”

Carmichael (5-11, 175), Granada Hills’ No. 3 receiver and a starter at defensive back, is the surprise of Valley’s summer workouts, Ferrero said. Carmichael received a scholarship offer from Bethune-Cookman but also was unable to satisfy NCAA academic standards.

“He is the best freshman defensive back prospect that I’ve had in a long, long time,” Ferrero said. “When I see him in practice, I keep thinking, ‘People are going to hear about this guy someday.’

“He keeps jumping out at you. He has that innate ability to close on the ball quickly, and that’s something you can’t teach.”

Although they are freshmen, Ferrero said Brown and Carmichael may start in Valley’s opener against Moorpark on Sept. 17, this despite the fact that there are currently 100 players--many with junior college experience--out for the team.

“Their odds are as good as any freshman can have,” he said. “They’re as talented as any two athletes we’ve ever had from one school.”

Stephenson (6-0, 170) will have a tougher road to a starting berth; six receivers return for Valley, which finished 8-2 last year and second in the Southern California Conference. Yet Stephenson’s athletic ability--he had eight touchdown receptions and averaged 16.9 yards a catch in 1987 and batted .346 for the baseball team--will only help his chances.

“He’s a real smooth glider-type of receiver,” Ferrero said. “He has good speed, and that should only get better. He has a good chance to play.”

Carmichael said the trio decided to play at Valley after they all played for the victorious West team in an all-star football game last month.

“Darryl and I had made up our minds a little before that,” he said, “and Sean decided right afterwards.”

In addition, Brown said both he and Stephenson will try out for the baseball team.