Preps slow in naming coaches

Adam Candee

Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2003 | 9:14 a.m.

Though as many as six jobs are available, just one vacant prep football head coaching job has been filled.

And the new guy at Mojave is an old face in city football circles.

Mojave announced Monday that it hired former Las Vegas head coach Tyrone Armstrong to head its young football program. Armstrong succeeds Mike Gutowski, the school's only coach since Mojave opened in 1996. Gutowski resigned after last season.

"I pride myself on putting academics and discipline together with winning," Armstrong said.

Armstrong takes over a struggling Rattlers program that went winless in 2002. Most recently, Armstrong served as an assistant coach at Cheyenne. After coming to town in 1991, Armstrong left Las Vegas when the school brought on current coach Kris Cinkovich in 1995.

Armstrong is a former Oklahoma football player, and a member of the Sooners' 1974 Orange Bowl title team.

At Bishop Gorman and Silverado, the hiring process is in full swing.

Gaels associate athletic director Sally Nieman said the school is beginning interviews this week, and Silverado athletic administrator Faron Springer said that Skyhawks hope to have a new coach picked from a pool of about 20 within a week.

"It's important that the kids have a coach in there to get some leadership," Springer said.

Both Gaels coach Kevin Kent and Skyhawks coach John DeNardin stepped down after last season.

The situation at Chaparral is anyone's guess. The Cowboys suspended head coach Ricky Watts early last season after a player alleged that Watts struck him during practice.

Since then, the school has not announced any resolution to the situation, and Chaparral administrators have refused to return phone calls from the Sun, dating to October, all the way through Monday.

New high schools Shadow Ridge (Northwest Division) and Liberty (Southeast Division) will open in fall 2003 and are also hiring new coaches.