A winning coach calls it quits
By Brian Gomez
Twenty-five years after building the Corona del Sol High School girls varsity basketball program from the ground up, head coach Larry Hughes has called it quits.
Hughes resigned April 24, exactly two months after his team suffered a 41-38 loss to Mountain Pointe in the state championship game at America West Arena.Hughes leaves behind a long line of successes that will not easily be surpassed, nor soon forgotten, say those familiar with his tenure.
"It’s been a great ride," said Corona athletic director Dan Nero, who posted the job opening last week after talking to principal Jim Denton and district athletic director Don Wilkinson.
"He’s had a lot of great young ladies come through the program and had a chance to work with some top-notch student athletes."
Hughes wanted to stick around until senior point guard Alexis Timpone and senior forward Bre Pursley had graduated. He said last month he was considering staying for guard Lindsay McClellan’s final season. But this seemed like the right time for him to step down, he said.
"We kind of anticipated it," said Nero. "We thought this would be the year. It’s kind of a natural thing with a majority of those (players) graduating after their second year in a run for a state championship.
"This is a good chance for him to sit back and enjoy time with his wife. His kids are growing and starting lives of their own."
Hughes tallied a 440-198 record, won four state titles (1981, 1993, 1994 and 2001) and made six state championship appearances in one of the greatest coaching careers in the history of Arizona high school girls basketball.He is the second most winning coach in the Valley behind Scottsdale Chaparral’s Joe English, who has 454 career victories.
Hughes took over the reins of Corona’s program when the school opened in 1977. After going 18-0 in their inaugural season at the junior varsity level, the Aztecs later made 10 trips to the state semifinals.
"Coach Hughes is a throwback from the old days. He’s one of those guys who could have stayed with the program for as long as he wanted," Nero said."He had some great kids and great assistants over the years, but you don’t do that overnight. Just like (baseball head coach) Ron Davini and (former boys basketball head coach) Sammy Duane have done, those things are built with a lot of effort, time and hard work."
The high point in Hughes’ coaching career undoubtedly came during the 2000-01 season when Corona (31-0) was crowned state champion and ranked 22nd nationally. The Aztecs became the first team to finish the season unbeaten since 1987 when Tucson Canyon del Oro amassed a 28-0 record.
Corona turned in a 25-6 mark this past year in a season that was not nearly as perfect. Led by Timpone, Pursley, McClellan and a host of others, the Aztecs fell just shy in their bid for a second consecutive state title.
Despite the loss of its head coach and four seniors, Corona still returns more than enough firepower to make another run at a state championship.The Aztecs welcome back five guards to a highly touted backcourt that includes McClellan, freshmen Sayuri Janousek and Amy Rosenkrantz, sophomore Emily Jacobson and junior Andrea Castillo.
"I wasn’t surprised by the fact that he’s going to do some other things now," said Denton, himself the school’s athletic director prior to becoming principal. "It’s not like the cupboard is bare. Whoever comes in is going to have some players."
Although girls basketball has always been listed at the forefront of his résumé, Hughes has also ventured down other avenues. He had a successful stint coaching varsity football in which his 1980 team went 12-1 and captured the Class 2A state championship. Since then, the Aztecs have made a pair of appearances in the semifinals under head coach Gary Venturo, but have never taken home the state crown.
Hughes also coaches boys golf at Corona and plans on continuing to do that this fall. He was a full-time teacher since 1977, but trimmed down to part-time two years ago and eventually retired altogether.
Applicants for the position will be screened after the posting period ends in the next few days. A new head coach is expected to be in place by June 1.
All candidates must be certified by the Tempe Union High School District. Denton will have the final say in hiring a new head coach.
"We’ll wait and see who applies," Nero said. "We’ll definitely take a look at all applicants. We have a few people in mind that could do a good job. If (Corona assistant coach) Pat Reed were to entertain the idea, she would be a very viable candidate."
Reach the reporter at brian.gomez@wranglernews.com.
