Football: ‘Just another game’ for Monrovia’s Schuster

Monrovia High School defensive backs coach Craig Schuster will see familiar faces on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. when the top-seeded Wildcats (13-0) take on No. 2 seed San Dimas (12-1) in the CIF-Southern Section Mid-Valley Division championship game at Citrus College.

Schuster was the Saints’ defensive coordinator last year before parting ways to spend more time with his three daughters at the new house he bought in Rancho Cucamonga. Schuster was head football coach at Azusa for three years before his San Dimas stint.

“My daughters were playing sports and I told (San Dimas head coach) Bill (Zernickow) I can’t put those hours in and that I’m going to have to step away,” he said.

This is Schuster’s first year at Monrovia, but he’s no stranger to Monrovia coach Ryan Maddox’s success. They’ve been friends 14 years, and Schuster was in the press box when Maddox was defensive coordinator during West Covina’s 2004 CIF championship run.

“I was there just watching and I couldn’t imagine what (Maddox) was going through and the kids getting all excited watching the clock running down and that much closer to a CIF championship. And now, to be a part of it is amazing.”
Schuster has no ill feelings toward San Dimas.

“It’s just another game,” he said. “If it wasn’t us in the game I’d be rooting for San Dimas. But we’re in it, and we’re going to work hard to get that ring.”

Facebook Twitter Plusone Reddit Tumblr Email