2012: New Coaches, Realignment Change Football Map

There are at least 21 new head coaches in the San Diego Section. More could be revealed as the season, which began Aug. 24 with Calvary Christian San Diego defeating visiting Las Vegas Calvary Chapel, 37-22, opens on a full scale this week.

A new league, the City, also makes a debut and changes have been made in the structure of others.

* Escondido             Steve Bridges  for Jason Texler.

* Granite Hills        Kellan Cobbs for Randy Dewitt.
* Grossmont           Tom Karlo for Ron Murphy.
* Hoover                  Jerry Ralph for Cree Morris.
* Horizon                 Chris Johnson for Eric Stavola.
* Monte Vista         Ron Hamamoto for Page Culver.
* Montgomery       Tom Jarumayan for Gary Harris.
* Mount Miguel     Shaun McDade for Tom Karlo.
* Ocean View         Ron Loewenthal for Jon Clark.
* Rancho Buena Vista    Paul Gomes for Eric Jorgensen.
* San Diego             Doug Packwood for Keir Kimbrough.
* San Diego Jewish   Joe Gurfinkiel for Mark Wetzel.
* San Diego Southwest     Frank Paredes for Jason Lewis.
* San Marcos          Jason Texler for Robert Cendros.
* Santana                Tim Estes for Dave Gross.
* St. Joseph            Tom Davis for Ed Wean.
* Steele Canyon     Scott Longerbone for Ron Boehmke.
* The Rock             Rone Torres for Victor Andujo.
* University City   Eric Perry for John Hutsel.

Karlo and Texler were head coaches at Mount Miguel and Escondido, respectively, last season.  Ralph is the former head coach at Santana, St. Augustine, and Del Norte. Hamamoto formerly Unhiversity, Rancho Beernardo, and Lincoln.

Gomes was head coach at Escondido before Texler and is returning to the San Diego Section after two seasons as an assistant at Anaheim Servite. Hamamoto was head coach at University, Rancho Bernardo, and Lincoln.

Karlo is returning to his alma-mater.  He replaces Ron Murphy, who passed away.

OLD RIVALS

The City League has been re-created with San Diego, Hoover, Morse, and Patrick Henry, who were partners for years in the Eastern League. The fifth City squad, Serra, was in another incarnation of the Eastern League in the 1990s.

The first City League was formed in February, 1950, in retrospect the first move by San Diego teams in an eventual separation from the CIF Southern Section.

San Diego High had been a member of the Coast League, playing a schedule largely made up of schools North of San Diego County, since 1923.

The San Diego City Prep League was divided in 1959 with advent of the Eastern and Western Leagues.

CENTRAL HAS NEW FACE

Formation of the new City League has diminished membership in the Central League, which fielded eight teams in 2011.

Kearny has moved to the Western League and San Diego and Morse have moved from the Central.

Clairemont, Christian, Coronado, Crawford and University City remain in a five-team Central.

WITHER KUYPER?

Small school leagues also welcomed and said goodbye to members.  The Sunset, Pacific, Southern, and Coastal leagues all underwent change and the Citrus League has been brought back.

Kuyper Prep of National City, 7-1 in the 8-man Sunset loop last season, may not field a team. Maranatha moved to the Pacific League and La Jolla Country Day from the Pacific League to the Coastal.

The Sunset has added independent St. Joseph.

The Southern League is no longer part of the Southern Conference. Borrego Springs, Calvary Christian San Diego, Classical, Julian, and San Pasqual Academy form the Citrus League, a Division V alignment.