High school football coaching carousel is heating up. Here are the latest changes.
It didn’t take long for the Columbus Explorers to name a new head football coach.
And they are bringing in a familiar face.
Just four days after Chris Merritt accepted a job at FCS Bryant University in Rhode Island, Columbus announced on Monday it had hired Dave Dunn to take over the Explorers program. Dunn, who spent the last two years as the offensive coordinator at Colby College, served as Columbus’ head coach in 1999 and 2000 and led the Explorers to a pair of district titles in his two years at the helm.
Since then, Dunn spent two years at Boca Raton’s Pope John Paul II High before moving onto college coaching. He spent the 2003 season at FAU before becoming the first head coach at Becker College, a post he held for a year before spending 10 seasons as the head coach at Catholic University of America in D.C. and then the last two at Colby College.
Gibson new head coach at Killian
Killian High School brought home “one of its own” this week when Derrick Gibson was hired as the team’s new football coach.
Gibson, the defensive coordinator at Miami Central since 2009 and part of five state championship teams, graduated from Killian in 1997 after achieving USA Today High School All-American honors during the 1996 season.
He then went on to become a three-year starter at Florida State and was a member of the Seminoles’ 1999 national championship team before the Oakland Raiders made him their first round draft choice in the 2001 NFL draft where he played until 2006.
Montoya takes over at Springs
After spending the last six seasons as the team’s defensive coordinator, Mario Montoya was named the new head football coach at Miami Springs High School on Friday. Prior to his arrival at Springs in 2013, Montoya spent four seasons as the DC under Keenan Lawhorne at Hialeah-Miami Lakes.
“A really exciting time for me and a really exciting challenge ahead,” said Montoya, who replaces Darryel Bethune who stepped down from the job after seven seasons two weeks ago. “I’m looking forward to moving this program forward and appreciate everything Coach Bethune did for me over these past six years.”
Bethune heads to Edison
Bethune, meanwhile, wasted no time finding a new gig as he announced this week that he will be joining forces with Miami Edison head coach Luther Campbell next season.
Bethune, who coached Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton when he was the offensive coordinator at Springs from 2006 to 2008, will become the new assistant head coach and offensive coordinator for the Red Raiders next season.
BOYS’ BASKETBALL
University School at City of Palms Tournament: University School d. Vashon High 96-69; Imhotep Charter d. University School 57-54; IMG Academy d. University School 88-51.
Miami Christian at City of Palms Tournament: McEachern d. Miami Christian 71-48; Miami Christian d. Gray Collegiate 96-80; Immaculate Conception d. Miami Christian 61-56
Gulliver Prep Holiday Tournament Day 3
Championship Game: Orlando Jones 62 , Coral Gables 57: OJ- Blackahear 25, Leggett 11, Moreno 8, Felton 6, Musazi 6, Jordan 4, Escontrias 1; CG- Gonzalez 21, Dawkins 16, Walker 10, Bryant 6, Patin 2, Hall 2.
3rd Place Game: Archbishop McCarthy 95, Coral Reef 66; AM- Schmidt 21, Alcime 20, Chee 15, Mizrahi 8, Cucalon 8, Velez 6, Robertson 6, Ennis 4, Garcia 3; CR- Lipson 18, Lane 10, Williams Jr. 9, Frater-Headley 6, Polanco 6, Clark 5 Clarington 4.
Riviera Prep 76, Westland Hialeah 50: RP- Lluberes 11, Ndour 10, Hoyack 9, Yepez 8, Nick 7, Frank 7, Alerte 6, Araujo 6, Yaron 6, Brenner 6; WH- Cruz 12, Rodrigues 9, Gonzalez 9, Fernandez 6, Sieza 5, Romero 3, Gamarra 1.
Gulliver Prep 55, Miami Central 48 GP- Sanders 28, Taylor 13, Idlett 7, Lamonica 6, McWhorter 1; MC- Jeanty 14, Bruce 13, Rolle 11, Baker 6, Davis 2.
St. Brendan 78, South Dade 38: SB: Hernandez 16, Spina 15, Saller 13, Valenzuela 10, Perez 10, Iglesias 9, Mereles 4; SD: Regalado 9, Louijeuve 7, Regalado 6, Clarke 4, Laguerve 4, Clairsot 4, Walton 3, Castro 1
Palmer Trinity 43, North Miami Beach 35: PT(9-3): Thomas 14, Z. Friedland 8, Waldman 8. NMB: Valentin 15, Alize 7. HT: PT 25-18. Three-pointers: Waldman 2, Barnett 2, Arrien, Williams. Rebounds: Thomas 6, Marley 5. Steals: Waldman 3, Marley 2. Assists: Z. Friedland 6.
American 58, Hialeah Gardens 48; American- Valerio 6, Wade 11, Alic 16, Figueroa 12, Moratinos 4, Noel 11; HG- Pierre 10, Garcia 10, Hayos 15, Crespo 6, Pulido 2, Herrera 5.
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
Miami Country Day 61, New Hope Academy (Maryland) 60: MCDS (7-1) M. Alvarez 22, K. Love 19, S. Shaw 6, J. Theodule 7, C. Gonzalez 4, M. McCormack 3; NHA: D. Pinnick 3, J. Walker 9, K. Kornegay Lucas 17, J. Ezen 12, D. Washington 18, E. MateKaityte 1
Northwest Guilford (N.C.) 34, Miami High 27 at Crescom Holiday invitational in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina: Miami High finishes 6th out of 16 teams. Colleen Bucknor All-Tournament
Carrollton 70, Westminster Christian 41: CAR (10-2)- Paneque 24 pts, Benitez 17 pts, Mendez 15 pts, Mas 10 pts, Rabassa 2 pts, Williams 2 pts.
Gulliver Prep 53, Carrollton 33; GP (10-0): Ka. Sanders 22; Haymore 12; Kaplan 6; Doctor 6; Kr. Sanders 5; Joseph 2.
GIRLS’ SOCCER
Archbishop McCarthy 3, LaSalle 1: Nadia Colon 2 goals, Devyn Encalada 1 goal, Jaden Roberts 1 assist, Cassie Lawson 1 assist, Sophia Goetz 1 assist; AM: 11-0-0.
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