Cimarron football coach Maki resigns

Spencer Patterson

Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2001 | 10:44 a.m.

Less than a year after replacing Greg Spencer at Cimarron-Memorial, Gary Maki has resigned as the school's head football coach.

Maki, who coached the Spartans to a 3-8 record and an upset of top-seeded Clark in the regional playoffs, said he would seek out head coaching opportunities elsewhere.

"It wasn't a real good fit to begin with," Maki said. "It would have been a real challenge for just about anyone."

Maki, a former assistant at Basic, Clark and Mojave, came to Cimarron to succeed the departed Spencer, who resigned with 75 wins, two state tiles and a 33-5 mark in his final 38 contests.

"It's a very difficult situation when you come into a program such as Cimarron-Memorial's with the success it has had and try to replace someone who won two state championships," Cimarron athletic administrator Craig Hill said.

"It was hard for Gary coming in to forge the (coaching) staff he needed to be successful," Hill added.

Hill said the position is now open to new applicants, both internal and external.

One potential candidate could be Meadows football coach and athletic director Frank DeSantis, who has expressed interest in coaching at the 4A level after five straight 2A state championships.

"He just decided to go a different direction, but we appreciate all the time he put into it," Sierra Vista athletic administrator Daniel Bittman said. "We have a lot of good coaches, a strong parent base and some great kids, so we're looking forward to the future."

Bittman said the school will officially open the position to applicants during the second week of December.

Clark could soon become the area's third varsity football vacancy, as Chargers head coach Jim Massey has hinted that the 2001 season might be his last.