Winn Provides Happy Homecoming

Quarterback Jason Winn threw for two touchdowns as Granada Hills gave co-coaches Darryl Stroh and Tom Harp a successful return with a 35-0 season-opening victory over host North Hollywood on Friday.

“It’s been four seasons but it felt like an eternity,” Stroh said after his team recovered from first-half sloppiness to dominate in the second half. “That was about as ugly a first half as I’ve seen. We had to settle them down a little bit. We’re looking forward to some good things.”

Winn displayed plenty of promise, providing hope to a program that won three of its last 30 games. The junior transfer from Chatsworth threw for two touchdowns, completing nine of 17 passes for 166 yards.

Both of his touchdowns--tosses of 26 and 47 yards--went to Gerald Jones, with the last score giving Granada Hills a 28-0 lead with 8:30 left.

Like most of his teammates, Winn suffered from some early jitters. He hit on two of his first seven passes but completed seven of his last 10 as his confidence grew.

“I was thinking about this all week,” Winn said. “After the first touchdown, the nervousness went away.”

Granada Hills took a 14-0 lead in the first half but had 70 yards in penalties, including two that cost Winn a pair of touchdown passes.

But the Huskies struggled, fumbling three times on their opening series and finishing with five by the end of the half.

North Hollywood quarterback Billydee Payne ran for 69 yards on 13 carries. Payne was provided little protection and found himself scrambling out of trouble for most of the half. He fumbled five times, with Granada Hills recovering once.