Centennial of Corona football coach Matt Logan said via text that he had preliminary discussions with Santa Margarita about its football head coaching position. Logan stated it never went beyond that and that he is not among the interviewees.
Whether contact was initiated by Santa Margarita or Logan is unknown. One could certainly understand one of those parties reaching out to the other, at the least just to check it out.
Logan, who has coached Centennial to back-to-back CIF-Southern Section championships in the Pac-5 Division, is going to be pursued by every school that thinks it has a chance of luring him away from Centennial. Logan’s loyalty to Centennial is steadfast and admirable.
Santa Margarita president Andy Sulick set Feb. 1 as the target date for the announcement of the school’s football coach.
A name that has been circulated among Orange County’s football coaching community for the Santa Margarita position: Paul Cronin, coach at Cardinal Newman in Santa Rosa. He has coached Cardinal Newman to two CIF State championship game appearances.
Los Alamitos principal Brandon Martinez reported via email today that the school is finishing the interviewing process this week and wants to make the announcement early next week. (Monday is a national holiday.)
The names that pop up a lot regarding Los Alamitos are Brian Barnes, Ray Fenton and Mitch Olson. Olson was a star football player at Los Alamitos.
All three have not responded to requests to discuss their potential interest, although John Barnes, who retired as Los Al coach after the 2015 season, said his son, Brian, did apply.
Any of the three would be a terrific choice.
Fenton and Olson, though, might not be interested because they thoroughly enjoy their current coaching situations, Fenton at Fountain Valley and Olson at Loara. Their names will surface in coaching-job speculation, whether they are truly interested in an opening or not, because they have excellent reputations.
All of these men would be excellent candidates, too, if a community college coaching position becomes available. Community college coaching jobs are coveted.
