PREP FOOTBALL: Jaguars' Johnson under microscope at passing tournament

By TERRY MONAHAN - Staff Writer | Saturday, June 21, 2008 10:28 PM PDT ∞

SAN DIEGO ---- James Johnson has gone from a 5-foot-8, 160-pound freshman playing varsity football at Valley Center High to a 6-1, 187-pound senior who has become one of the state's top recruits at both defensive back and wide receiver.

Every time he steps onto a football field, Johnson is under the microscope, both by college coaches and opposing teams.

Offenses try to pass away from him and defenses routinely double and sometimes triple team him on pass routes.

Such is the life of a high-profile college recruit.

"This is a super serious time for me,'' said Johnson, after the Jaguars were eliminated from the San Diego Passing Tournament II on Saturday at San Diego State where temperatures were well over 100 degrees all day. "I can't worry about it except to try to win every play, but getting triple-teamed does suck.

"I look forward to the pressure of being the go-to guy. It makes me better. Yes, it is a burden, but it's one I want to accept.''

Valley Center was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Scottsdale Chaparral 38-32 in overtime.

Scottsdale Chaparral claimed that title with a 26-20 overtime victory over Cienega of Vail, Ariz.

The loss to Chaparral ended Johnson's day, but the recruiting chase continues.

Johnson, who would prefer to play receiver in college, has whittled a list of interested schools that once included Arizona State, USC, Oregon, San Diego State, Colorado, Utah, Boise State, Wake Forest, California, UCLA and Arizona down to just two choices.

"I can tell you Oregon is the first choice,'' Johnson said.

He declined to name that second team.

"I'm just not ready to let that one out yet,'' he said. "Oregon has been a school I've always liked for a long time.''

Johnson is scheduled to attend a camp at USC this week.

Oceanside, the defending tournament champion, was eliminated in the semifinals by Cienega 20-19.

The CIF State Division II Bowl Game champion Pirates, had downed El Camino (33-18), Lincoln (38-27) and Diamond Ranch (39-12) before coming up just shy of another trip to the finals.

"We needed one play on offense or one play on defense in that last game, but we ran out of gas,'' Oceanside coach John Carroll said. "Once it gets over 80 degrees, it's not Pirate weather. It was really hot out there.

"Besides teaching new players how to compete, passing games are a joke. It's not real football. I'm more interested in finding a level of consistency. That's the No. 1 goal.

"We've won eight CIF championship, but this tournament only three times. You figure out what really counts.''

Contact staff writer Terry Monahan at (760) 739-6648 or tmonahan@nctimes.com.