Columnist Adam Candee: Cimarron-Memorial fires football coach

Adam Candee

Thursday, April 10, 2003 | 10:10 a.m.

Adam Candee covers high school sports for the Sun. Reach him at (702) 259-4085 or by e-mail at candee@lasvegassun.com.

Coaching high school football in Southern Nevada these days apparently comes with the job stability of Anna Kournikova's victory party planner.

Just ask Frank DeSantis, who was dismissed Monday as head coach of Cimarron-Memorial after just one year.

"It was a big surprise," DeSantis said. "It was a shock."

DeSantis joins dismissed Eldorado head coach Dave Castro -- fired last week after two years leading the Sundevils -- as late casualties in the football coaching ranks.

After winning five consecutive 2A championships and his final 41 consecutive games at Meadows, DeSantis came to Cimarron last season and led the Spartans to a 5-6 record and the Sunset Region semifinals. The fourth seed from the stacked Northwest Division, Cimarron stunned Bishop Gorman in the opening playoff round, 50-6.

His reward was an unexplained dismissal in early April, when most football coaching slots already are filled. DeSantis said Cimarron athletics administrator Craig Hill asked to meet with him after school Monday, and the firing took place in a 10-minute meeting.

"They said they want to go in a different direction," DeSantis said. "So now, I'm caught without a coaching position. It's kind of late right now. The timing of it wasn't very good."

DeSantis, who will continue to teach at Cimarron, informed his core players of the change.

"They were not very happy, but I told them it wasn't my doing," DeSantis said.

DeSantis did not know who the Spartans plan to hire as their fourth coach in as many years. Greg Spencer resigned with two state titles, Gary Maki replaced him in 2001 and DeSantis followed Maki last year.

Spencer attempted to quell rumors that he will take over the program Wednesday night, saying that his "job has not changed" from that of teacher at Cimarron.

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