Marijon Ancich
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Marijon Ancich is the winningest high school football coach in California history with a record of 345-123-4.
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[edit] College Years
Ancich attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and was a four-year letterman in football and a two-year letterman in track. In football, he played fullback, linebacker, and defensive back, and was a two-time All-CCAA selection.
[edit] Football Coaching Career
Ancich, a 1955 San Pedro High graduate, started as an assistant at St. Paul in 1959, becoming the coach two years later.
In his long career, Ancich's teams won 345 games, three CIF titles in 1968, 1972, and 1981, two California State titles and 19 league championships.
More than 220 Ancich-coached players have played college football and several in the NFL, while nearly 100 of his players have coached high school, collegiate and the NFL, 35 becoming head coaches.
Many of Ancich's former players and assistants have coached in the Southland, including Dick Bruich of Fontana Kaiser, Pat Degnan of Quartz Hill, Tim Lins of Moorpark and former Cal State Northridge and Temescal Canyon coach Bob Burt. A "Family Tree" in the St. Paul program lists 116 coaches who either played or coached for Ancich.
In late 2000, Ancich summed up his objective for every player: "To give the young man the opportunity to develop his courage, his loyalty, his poise, the proper weighing of values and the proper control of his emotions in adversity, and in accomplishment."
[edit] The Glory Years
After St. Paul capped a perfect 1981 season with a 30-9 victory over Colton in the AAAAA final, he accepted a job as offensive coordinator at Northern Arizona. But he soon grew weary of the college game and returned to Southern California after one year, helping out at Cerritos College for a season before becoming the coach at Tustin High School in 1984.
[edit] Tustin High
Tustin was 3-17 in the two seasons before his arrival. Under Ancich, the Tillers won four league titles and reached the playoffs seven times. They reached the CIF championship game for two consecutive seasons (1990 and 1991). The two year combined record was 25-3. Tustin did not win in either year. In 1990, Aaron Gutridge had his jersey retired (#50) after being named the CIF defensive player of the year.
