Granada Hills’ Harp Resigns Football Post

Tom Harp, who choreographed the most-versatile offense among area City Section schools, has stepped down as football coach at Granada Hills High.

Harp, 41, said last fall that he could not guarantee he would coach beyond the 1994 season. His longtime co-coach, Darryl Stroh, resigned last summer.

No replacement has been named, although defensive coordinator John Wordin has expressed interest in the position.

Harp has been at Granada Hills for 12 years, the last 10 with the varsity. The Highlander passing attack routinely ranked as one of the most feared in the region.

“I’ve been coaching high school football for 18 years, since I was in college,” Harp said. “It takes a total commitment in terms of energy and time. I need a break.”

Under Stroh and Harp, Granada Hills developed into one of the region’s strongest teams. The Highlanders were 74-32-2 and compiled a mark of 49-10-2 against league competition over the past 10 seasons. The school’s only losing season during that span came in 1993, when Granada Hills finished 3-7.

In 1987, Granada Hills pulled off one of the biggest upsets in San Fernando Valley football history by defeating Carson, then ranked second in the nation, to win the City 4-A Division final.