More than 30 apply for vacant South football job

HARLINGEN - And so the search narrows.

After a month of accepting applications, the Harlingen school district on Tuesday released a list of 35 applicants for the vacant head coaching post at Harlingen South.

The impressive list includes at least 8 to 12 current and former head coaches from the Valley and across the state.

The list is expected to be whittled down to 14 candidates by Thursday, one school district official said.

On Thursday, those 14 will be interivewed by a committee which will include Harlingen athletic coordinator Randy Cretors and Harlingen South principal Guadalupe Nava.

The list could be cut down to four names and the school board could make a decision during their meeting scheduled for next Tuesday, one school official said.

Among the most notable local coaches are Mercedes head coach Gilbert Leal, Brownsville Pace head coach Rene Medrano and former Valley View and Donna head coach Dave Evans.

Leal has spent the last four seasons with the Tigers, taking them to the postseason the last three.

Medrano is currently the longest-tenured high school football head coach in Brownsville.

Evans was recently reassigned from his head coaching duties at Valley View after being there two seasons.

Other notable assistant coaches include current Harlingen offensive coordinator Spencer Gantt. Los Fresnos defensive coordinator Jason Wheeler also applied, along with Rio Hondo offensive coordinator and former longtime South assistant Jesse Landeros.

Landeros and Leal were finalists a couple of years ago when South hired Alan Cherry.

Some of the notable names from outside the Valley include former Harlingen defensive coordinator, current Kenedy head coach and player favorite Mike Ramirez.

Ramirez was the Hawks' DC during the magical 2007 season but left after one season to take the Kenedy post.
Houston St. Pius X head coach Clarence Kirk also applied. Kirk has won three TAPPS 5A state championships at St. Pius since 1999, including titles in 2006 and 2007.

The South job opened up when Cherry was relieved of his duties in November.

The move came less than two weeks after the end of a dreadful 2008 season that saw the Hawks endure a 2-8 campaign. This came just one season after South went 10-0, won the District 31-5A championship and went three rounds deep into the playoffs in 2007. Cherry was hired in March 2007 to replace Jim Helms.

Helms left South in January 2007 after serving as the Hawks' head coach for three years. He took over as Brownsville Rivera head coach. Cherry was the fourth head coach in Harlingen South history. Alex Leal, John Lerma and Helms preceded Cherry.

Eladio Jaimez covers District 31-5A for Valley Freedom Newspapers.

The following is the list of applicants for the vacant Harlingen South head football coach/athletic coordinator position provided by Harlingen CISD: (In alphabetical order)

>> Richard Alaniz, Laredo United ISD

>> Marcus Booker, Cotulla head coach

>> David Evans, former Valley View, Donna, Hanna head coach

>> Robert Fraga, Harlingen assistant

>> Spencer Gantt, Harlingen offensive coordinator

>> Michael Gaston, San Antonio Holmes head coach

>> George Gomez, Donna defensive coordinator

>> Mario Heredia, San Antonio Southwest defensive coordinator

>> Pat Inskeep, Harlingen South assistant

>> Fred Johnson, Wichita Falls ISD

>> Jerome Kantor, McKinney ISD

>> Paul Kilby, San Marcos offensive coordinator/QBs

>> Clarence Kirk, Houston St. Pius X head coach

>> Craig Krell, McHi assistant

>> Jesse Landeros, Rio Hondo offensive coordinator

>> Gilbert Leal, Mercedes head coach

>> Philip Lopez, former McAllen Memorial, Rio Rancho N.M., head coach

>> Jerry Malone, Marlin head coach

>> Scott McRitchie, Hemet West Valley (CA) head coach

>> Miguel Medina, Roma assistant

>> Rene Medrano, Brownsville Pace head coach

>> Sergio Munoz, La Feria assistant

>> Jorge Pena, former Hidalgo, RGC head coach

>> Mike Ramirez, Kenedy head coach

>> Rene Rosales, Spring Branch ISD

>> Carlos Saenz, Poteet defensive coordinator

>> Joe Salinas, Van Horn, La Villa head coach

>> Juan Sanchez, Premont ISD

>> Stanley Scott, Aldine ISD

>> Carl Straube, Mathis ISD

>> Radford Taylor, Dallas Skyline assistant

>> Gus Torres, Harlingen South assistant

>> Todd Waters, Beaumont Central offensive coordinator

>> Jason Wheeler, Los Fresnos defensive coordinator

>> Nicholas Williams, Alamo Heights ISD