HS FOOT: Victimized Eagle Rock coach to return to practice

Eagle Rock High football coach Johnny Lopez, still feeling the
effects of being physically assaulted at practice last week, plans to
return to work Wednesday.

Lopez was hospitalized last Thursday after allegedly being speared in
the back by an unidentifed former player. Reportedly, the player
put on a helmet and hit Lopez when the coach was not looking, then
ran away and climbed the school fence -- while Eagle Rock's players
looked on and reportedly did nothing to help.

"I'm a little sore but I'm all right," said Lopez, 47. "What am I going to say? It happened, but there isn't anything I can do about it now. I've never experienced anything like this before, but I've just got to roll with the punches."

Lopez said he is cooperating with the police and expects the attacker to be charged with assault with a deadly weapon, though it is not clear if anyone has been arrested.

Attempts to obtain information about the incident from the Northeast Division of the Los Angeles Police Department have been unsuccessful.

"I had never seen the (attacker) in my life but the cops know who he is," said Lopez, who is in his first season at Eagle Rock. "The last I heard, the police are looking for him but I don't know if they've caught him. ... I will press charges."

The alleged suspect was a starting linebacker for Eagle Rock last season, according to sources.

In the aftermath, Eagle Rock forfeited its game this past Friday at Belmont. The Eagles (3-6) finish the regular season Friday at 7 p.m. at Franklin (7-2).

Lopez said he plans to return as coach next season.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said. "You can get mad, and I am mad, but I can't do anything about it. If I think too much about it, it'll just get you sick. I'll let the police and God handle it."

Eagle Rock offensive coordinator Ken Shaw, who also works security at the school, said he wished he could have arrived at practice three minutes earlier Thursday to prevent the attack.

"It was a very cowardly thing to do," Shaw said. "It puts a big shame on our school and a big shame on our football program. But Johnny Lopez is a tough guy."

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com