Andy Litten drove 24 miles each spring day from Scottsdale Horizon, put on a red Mesa Mountain View shirt, and got to learn about his new football players.
This is another coaching change for the Toros with renewed hope.
Since now-deceased iconic coach Jesse Parker built it from scratch in the mid-1970s and won state titles in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, the program has seen six head coaches come in. Bernie Busken won three state titles in the second half of the ’90s.
Chad DeGrenier, now at Mesa, tried to get Mountain View back to elite status. So did Mike Fell, who is now leading Tempe McClintock’s program. Then, the Toros went back to roots, hiring former Toros championship quarterback Joe Germaine, who led them to their last state title under Parker in 1993.
Germaine did good things, but the Toros still weren’t able to break through with any kind of substantial playoff run. He’s now at the new American Leadership Academy school in Mesa, leading that football program.
Now comes Litten, who led Horizon to a 5A state title in 2021 and ended the school’s 27-year championship drought, in his first season there.
If he pulls that kind of magic this fall, it would be Mountain View’s first title in 22 years. It’s been a long time, and competing in the top conference (6A), it’s even harder — although it opens up a bit now each postseason due to the Open playoff taking the top eight teams from the big conferences.
Mountain View head coach Andy Litten talks with his players during a showcase at Saguaro High School in Scottsdale on May 16, 2024.
Litten sees great facilities, great families, an administration committed to winning, and feels anything is possible.
“It’s been kind of nice to see those kids (at Horizon) finish and make the transition here,” said Litten, whose last day teaching at Horizon was Thursday.
Right now he’s just…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/andy-litten-turn-around-another-182458659.html
Author : AZCentral | The Arizona Republic
Publish date : 2024-05-23 18:24:58
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