VALLEY CENTER -- It's easy to see James Johnson's athletic talent.

Whether he was catching a pass deep down the sideline, dunking a basketball or blazing over a hurdle, the Valley Center High senior stood out.

In football, he caught 55 passes for 1,261 yards and scored 17 touchdowns in leading the Jaguars to the CIF San Diego Section Division IV title. He set a section record for career receiving yards (2,930), was a unanimous first-team All-CIF selection, and earned a scholarship to Washington.

In basketball, he averaged 21.3 points and 9.3 rebounds, and was the Valley League player of the year and a second-team All-CIF pick.

In track, he was the Valley League champion in the 110-meter high hurdles, finished second in the 300 hurdles, and placed sixth in the CIF championships in the 110s.

For his accomplishments on the field, Johnson was chosen as the North County Times boys athlete of the year as voted by the prep staff.

And while it's obvious Johnson is a gifted athlete, Valley Center principal Ron McCowan got to see another side of his school's three-sport star.

"James was our school's most inspirational student," McCowan said. "That's not just for athletics, but for the entire school. And it's voted on by the teachers, so it's not a popularity contest.

"James is the most polite kid I've ever met. He presents himself so well. His leadership and behavior have been an inspiration."

McCowan went on to tell a story about a student who was sitting outside the principal's office, crying.

"James sat down and spent 20 minutes with her," McCowan said. "He stopped and took her under his wing for no other reason than she was upset and crying."

The ultimate selfless act, however, came in the Division IV football championship game at Qualcomm Stadium, when Johnson tucked away his No. 5 jersey and wore No. 23 in honor of teammate Jeremy Rubio, who was hurt and couldn't play in the title game for the second straight season.

"I was on my way to the doctor, and James stopped me," Rubio said. "He asked if he could wear my jersey, represent me on the field.

"It's a brotherhood thing. It meant a lot to me. He's a great athlete, but a better friend."

It hasn't always been easy for Johnson in Valley Center, however. With his parents out of the picture, Johnson moved in with his brother, Greg Anthony, and his family as an eighth grader. Anthony moved the family to Valley Center.

"My sophomore year was tough," said Johnson, the youngest of 13 kids. "I was hurt by the attitude of my teammates, the seniors. I don't play for myself. I play for the team. But they didn't care. All they saw was this sophomore taking a spot that belonged to a senior.

"It wasn't my fault that the coaches thought I was good enough to play as a sophomore. I worked hard for that spot. I can see why that player was embarrassed that a sophomore took his spot. But it wasn't my decision."

Things got so bad, Johnson said, that he was within minutes of leaving school and moving to Oceanside.

"I was outside Mr. McCowan's office ready to turn in my books," Johnson said.

That's when football coach Rob Gilster stepped in.

"Coach Gilster told me you can't run from a problem," Johnson said. "You have to tackle them head on.

"I love Coach Gilster. He has been an inspiration as a coach and a person. He's tough, but he's fair. I appreciate and love him for that."

Gilster was quick to recognize he had a special talent in Johnson. And with a talented quarterback in Tyler Bernard -- Johnson's best friend -- the Jaguars attempted more than 500 passes over the last two seasons.

"James' talent was obvious, and we needed to take advantage of it," Gilster said. "Beyond that, he set the standard for us. He breeds a competitive spirit in the team. He doesn't want to lose, and when we did lose, he worked to correct it.

"This is a kid who has been in the limelight since he was a freshman. He has been put on an athletic pedestal. He has truly taken advantage of the gifts God gave him.

"But he's still kind and respectful. He shakes your hand and looks you in the eye. That's rare in young people today. James Johnson is the genuine deal."

College talent evaluators agreed. Rivals.com, one of the most respected recruiting services in the country, rated Johnson as the 66th-best athlete in the nation.

He was offered a scholarship by Oregon, Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Utah, Washington State and Colorado State before finally choosing to play football at Washington.

"James is probably the biggest get of this recruiting class," first-year Washington coach Steve Sarkisian said.

The fact that Washington went 0-12 last year didn't deter Johnson. The fact that the Huskies are 18-53 since their last winning season in 2002 didn't scare him away.

"I've never been afraid of challenges," Johnson said. "Washington had a great program once, and it can be again.

"I start summer school there July 12. I'm not wasting any time. I want to get there and get going. There is an opportunity to play as a freshman, and I plan to outwork everyone. It all depends on me.

"Washington's terminology is different than what I'm used to, so mentally there will be much more of a challenge. I'm not cocky, but I plan to compete for a job. I'd like to make a living playing football someday, but it's not fun and games anymore. It's a business."

Johnson will give up his first love -- basketball -- in college. He would, however, love to run track for the Huskies.

"I don't want my grades to slip, and I need sports as the motivation to keep my grades up," said Johnson, who had a 3.2 grade-point average in high school and plans to major in criminal justice in college, with an eye toward working for the FBI.

"Plus, I think track is a great complement for football. Track training is very specific and efficient.

"I'm one of the Washington Huskies now, but I'll miss Valley Center. After those early struggles, I fell in love with the place and the people. I came out of my shell here, grew up. It's like Valley Center was meant to be. I mean it, I'll miss Valley Center."

And Valley Center will miss Johnson, McCowan said.

"Valley Center was good for James, but James was good for Valley Center," the principal said. "This kid is about way more than athletic ability. My three kids all have James Johnson jerseys because they want to be like him.

"We, as a school and a community, have benefited from having him here."

Contact staff writer John Maffei at 760-740-3547.