It’s going to be a very new-look Moore League next year, with five of the seven schools set to have new head coaches.
We reported earlier today that Lakewood coach Justin Utupo has departed the Lancers to take over at Long Beach Poly for departed head coach Stephen Barbee. Among the finalists for the Poly job was Millikan coach Romeo Pellum, who told the 562 last week he was offered the position but declined it to stay with the Rams.
Pellum and Compton coach Calvin Bryant will now be the veteran guys in the Moore League, with the other five teams all getting new coaches. With transfers more and more common every year and the semester break already happening outside of the LBUSD (and in a few weeks within it), the schools with vacancies will be looking to fill them quickly.
Poly
Utupo is the guy for the Jackrabbits, but there are plenty of questions regarding his staff–particularly, who is leaving Lakewood to go with him, and who from Barbee’s staff will still be at Poly. Popular former assistant coach Josiah Blandin is in the mix to come back as well–Blandin was a well-liked assistant under Barbee who was at Santa Margarita last year.
Lakewood
With Utupo departing Lakewood for Poly, the Lancers will be looking for another head coach. Among potential candidates would be former Warren and Cathedral coach Kevin Pearson, who is respected and who reportedly applied for the Poly job. Lakewood also had bright up-and-coming coaches on staff with Utupo like Fernando Viramontes, who has also been a head lacrosse coach for the school.
Wilson
Offensive coordinator DeSean Jackson took the head coaching job at Delaware State last week, and his first move was to bring his brother and close friend Travis Clark with him. Clark had been the head coach at Wilson, and the duo’s departure leaves a vacancy with the Bruins, who reached the Division 9 championship game this season.
Clark will be the assistant head coach to Jackson at Delaware State, and sent this message to his team last weekend:
It is with a heavy heart that I announce my departure from The Wilson Football Program. I have accepted the Assistant Head Coaching position at Delaware State University, effective immediately.
I know some of you have heard rumors or have received this news from other sources. My hope was to sit down with each and every one of you to share my news, but this has been a fast-moving situation.
I will cherish the time that I have spent with every single player, coaching staff, booster, parent and every member of the Bruin Nation. We had a magical season together, and I know that each and every player has a bright future ahead of them. I took great pride building great men in my players and I look forward to seeing their continued success in the future.
With deepest sincerity,
Coach Travis Clark
Wilson is looking to move quickly on hiring a new coach, with potential interest in Pearson and others. Interested parties should contact AD John Janzen at JJanzen@lbschools.net.
Jordan
The Panthers have been looking for a new head coach with the departure of Jon Nielsen, who said he went on leave early in the season. The Panthers are nearing announcement of their candidate having completed interviews. Among the finalists was Poly alum Alfred Rowe, a well-respected defensive assistant coach who had stints at Millikan and Wilson; Larmar Avila; Raudric Curtis; and Ryan Washington, offensive coordinator at Fountain Valley most recently.
Cabrillo
The Jaguars have been looking for a new coach since the resignation of Shane Gonzales in November. Gonzales was much-admired by other Moore League coaches for the job he did keeping the program going on the Westside coming out of COVID-19, when low numbers threatened to shut it down. Cabrillo has interviewed candidates and is expected to have a candidate to announce shortly after the break as well.
