(back)

Aztec Report...with Brian Gomez
No shortage of applicants for CdS coaching job

By Brian Gomez

Judging by the number of applications Corona Athletic Director Dan Nero has received since Joe Maisel stepped down as boys varsity basketball head coach two weeks ago, he shouldn’t have a hard time filling the job.

Nero said earlier this week that 10 to 12 people have applied for the position, which was vacated April 25 when Maisel resigned to spend more time with his family.

Nero describes the strong pool of applicants as one comprised of “current Corona coaches, several coaches with Corona backgrounds, people who have helped us out in the past, some ex-players and some very good coaches from within the district and from out of the area as well.”

Ironically, the same search committee that hired Maisel in 1997 is the one looking for someone to replace him. The three-man group consists of Nero, Corona Principal Jim Denton and Tempe Union High School District Athletic Director Don Wilkinson.

Having already completed paperwork screenings, Nero planned to narrow the field of applicants before finishing on-campus interviews May 16.

He said he may decide to conduct a second round of interviews if conditions warrant.

Nero says he hopes to have a new head coach in place “right around the time school is out,” allowing that individual plenty of time to hire a staff and make plans for summer conditioning programs.

He said the position will remain open until it is filled due to restraints over the number of teaching positions Corona has to offer.

“We’ll have to take a look at everything that comes in and see the combinations because we definitely want a teacher on campus,” Nero said.

“If there’s any possible way we can take care of it that way, we’re going to do it. We’re not real big on having an off-campus coach for a head coaching position. It’s such a tough thing, especially in those high-profile sports.”

Maisel’s pick

Maisel has endorsed varsity assistant coach Andy Strom as his hands-down choice to fill the position. Strom would be an ideal candidate to take over, not only because he graduated from Corona, played basketball for the legendary Sammy Duane and currently teaches math at the school, but also because he has coached within the program for the past seven years.

“My heart is totally praying and hoping that he gets the position,” Maisel said. “He deserves the chance. I don’t care what anyone else says. It’s out of my hands, but he was seven years as an assistant. What hasn’t he done?”

After receiving a bachelor’s degree in math education from Northern Arizona University in 1996, Strom started working at Corona as the freshman head coach under the tutelage of Duane and Maisel. He took over as junior varsity head coach in 1998 and has held the position ever since.

Now 29, Strom is on the cusp of landing his first head coaching job. He may have a bit of competition, though.

Gary Trousdale has tossed his name in the hat only a year after joining Corona’s coaching staff as a varsity assistant. Although he coached previously at the University of San Francisco and Tulsa, he likely doesn’t have the teaching qualifications needed to fill the position.

“He would be excellent, too,” Maisel said. “He brings a lot of expertise and a lot of knowledge.”

What now?

Next year, Maisel will continue teaching psychology at Corona, along with coaching freshman softball. He would like to coach freshman boys basketball, he says, but only if the new varsity head coach is comfortable with the situation.

Maisel has expressed interest in taking over as the boys junior varsity soccer team’s head coach under the guidance of his close friend, varsity head coach Fran Bader, if he can’t stay in the boys basketball program.

The opening was created this spring when varsity assistant coach Jim Wallace vacated the position.

“Corona is going to be fine,” Maisel said. “I’m not going to change. My role is just going to change here.”

Looking back

Corona has experienced much success under Maisel, having advanced to the state tournament in four of the past six years.

In Maisel’s first year at the helm, the versatile Duane McClendon helped lead the Aztecs to the Central Region championship game, where they were dealt a 15-point loss against archrival Mountain Pointe. Corona was then blown out by Phoenix Brophy in the opening round of the state playoffs.

One of Maisel’s most memorable seasons came in 1999, when the Aztecs got redemption against the Pride with a 58-52 victory in the region title game. After receiving a bye in the opening round of the state playoffs, they rolled past Phoenix Carl Hayden, setting up a meeting at heavily-favored Tucson Pueblo.

The Warriors twice led by as much as nine points, however Corona grabbed a five-point advantage with less than a minute left, only to see it flutter away. After being fouled with 5.9 seconds remaining, McClendon made one of two free throws to give the Aztecs a one-point lead, paving the way for a controversial ending that required a police escort back to Interstate 10.

Pueblo’s Hakim Rasul tipped in his own missed jumper as the buzzer sounded, but referees quickly waved off the basket at the scorer’s table. After the game, the official timekeeper admitted that he mistakenly let about two seconds tick off the clock when McClendon was fouled, preventing the Warriors from having enough time to win the game on their final possession.

“Everybody was rooting against us and we were getting buried early, but our kids just refused to lose,” Maisel said.

The Aztecs escaped with a 63-62 victory. They later lost in the semifinals to a Mesa Mountain View team that captured the state championship and produced six Division I products. It marked Maisel’s lone trip to America West Arena in six years as Corona’s head coach.

The Aztecs repeated as Central Region champions in 2000 thanks to the consistent play of blossoming stars like Anthony Hollins, Mike Phillips, Ryan Murdock and Aaron Irving. But they were upset at home in the second round of the state playoffs by a Phoenix Shadow Mountain team anchored by UCLA sophomore guard Ryan Walcott.

Corona had a longer stay in the state tournament the following season, however, the quarterfinals proved to be its final stop.

Led by the Fontenet brothers (James and Jason) and Arizona sophomore center Channing Frye, Phoenix St. Mary’s picked apart the Aztecs from the outside and the inside in a decisive victory en route to a state championship.

Maisel’s teams fell well short of their expectations the past two seasons. Corona went 16-10 in 2002 and 11-16 this past year, failing to make the state tournament both times.

Reach the reporter at brian.gomez@wranglernews.com.

(back)