Etiwanda’s three-month search for a head football coach is over. Brandon Rohrer, La Puente’s football coach for the last four seasons, has been hired, pending board approval, according to an anonymous source. Roherer, who went 33-11 at La Puente, will replace Tommy Leach, who went 4-6 in his one season as Etiwanda’s head coach.
After finishing second his first three seasons, Rohrer led La Puente to a share of the Montview League championship last season. La Puente has exited the playoffs in the first round each of his four seasons.
After reaching the playoffs five consecutive seasons, Etiwanda missed the playoffs in 2012 for the second straight year. Leach departed after one season citing the long commute from Temecula Chaparral, where he is a teacher.
As of mid December, Etiwanda had narrowed its search for a head coach to three finalists, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, of which former Damien coach Gano was one along with Etiwanda assistant Jason Smith and former San Dimas coach Roland DeAnda. Gano withdrew his name from the list candidates on Jan. 7 in order to apply for the head coaching vacancy at Tustin, a job for which he was eventually hired.
Steve Bryce was the head football coach at Etiwanda from 2005 to 2011. In sevens seasons, Bryce led Etiwanda to two co-Baseline League championships and five playoff appearances. The only two seasons his teams missed the playoffs were his first in 2005 and 2011, when the Eagles finished fourth in a league that sent two teams to the CIF-SS Inland Division semifinals.
Rohrer’s record at La Puente:
2012: 8-3, 6-1
2011: 9-2, 6-1
2010: 8-3, 6-1
2009: 8-3, 5-1
