Rich McClure looks to continue winning football tradition at San Gorgonio

Rich McClure knows he has it pretty good compared to a lot of first year coaches. He isn’t taking over a losing program and he isn’t inheriting a program where the cupboard is bare.

San Gorgonio High School football head coach Rich McClure, August 11, 2017. (Photo by John Valenzuela/The Sun/SCNG)

McClure is the first-year head coach at San Gorgonio where he takes over for Ron Gueringer who headed the program for eight years before moving over to Corona. Gueringer’s teams were 64-33 over his eight years with seven playoff appearances, highlighted by a Division 7 championship in 2016.

McClure is not unfamiliar with the program. He spent the last two years as defensive coordinator at San Jacinto but also spent two years under Gueringer as defensive coordinator.

He was even in attendance at one of the team’s playoff games last year. So call it a homecoming,

“I just to need to keep the train moving from here,” he said. “The cupboard certainly isn’t bare and they have had a inning tradition. A lot will be expected but I am up for the challenge.”

The Spartans did graduate a large core of players including Kaleb Hayes, who is now at Oregon State.

Despite losing a coach and some key contributors, the Spartans still loom as the heavy favorite in the San Andreas League. They will take a 22-game league win streak into the new season, the last league loss coming to Carter in 2012.

Not only did the Spartans win, they won big. San G outscored its five league foes 240-16 and four of those ere shutouts. Arroyo Valley was the lone league foe to score against it.

Much of the reason for optimism center around the strong core of underclassmen who should have starring roles. San Gorgonio had a dominant freshman team and many of those players will fill key roles on varsity – among them quarterback Kenzel Lawler and wide receiver-corner Larenzo McMillan.

Among the other key players to watch this season will be senior running back R.J. Dynes, junior running back Elijah Hall, junior wide receiver Perrion Oforo, senior receiver-defensive back Clemonte Rogers, senior running back-defensive end Larry Slayton and senior linebacker Xavier Jones.

“We have some young players with a lot of potential,” McClure said. “Yes varsity play is a different level but I like what I have seen out of them so far.”

SAN GORGONIO SCHEDULE
Aug. 25 – Citrus Valley
Sept. 1 – At Fontana
Sept. 8 – Summit
Sept. 15 – At Yucaipa
Sept. 22 – Oak Hills
Oct. 5 – Jurupa Hills
Oct. 13 – At Indian Springs
Oct. 20 – Rialto
Oct. 27 – At Rim of the World
Nov. 3- At Arroyo Valley

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San Gorgonio’s Wesley Hill signing with UTEP

Uploaded 8-12-14 033 San Gorgonio’s Wesley Hill

It’s better late than never for San Gorgonio linebacker/running back Wesley Hill, who committed to UTEP and is expected to sign his National Letter of Intent this week after officially getting his scholarship offer to UTEP.
“I thought I was going to have to go the junior college route,” said Hill. “I didn’t think they had the (scholarship) money to give me.”
San Gorgonio coach Ron Gueringer said that Hill would’ve signed much earlier but did not get a qualifying test score until after National Signing Day in February.
“We had some different schools go back and forth, but it was about finding the (scholarship) money. A lot of people were already filled up,” Gueringer said.
Gueringer said that Fresno State, UNLV, Montana State, and Washington State were all talking to Hill, but that at this point, it’s frequently about who makes the first offer and UTEP won that battle.
Hill said that UTEP first started talking to him about a month ago, but it wasn’t until Tuesday that they gave him the official word they had scholarship money for him.
“I’m more diligent than most,” Gueringer said. “No is never an answer I readily accept. We are saying, ‘if you get it (academically) done, we’re going to do our due diligence.'”
Gueringer said while Hill played running back and linebacker at San Gorgonio, he promoted him as a safety for college.
“He wasn’t big enough to play inside linebacker,” Gueringer said. “(But) he’s agile, he’s fast and he has the ability to play in the box.”
Hill said there are several keys to staying positive while trying to be recruited late.
“Keep your head up high, and have a great connection with your coach. Every time talking to a (college) coach, do it,” Hill said.
Last year, Hill rushed for 760 yards and nine touchdowns, while also catching 12 passes and scoring three more touchdowns.
On defense, he had 52 total tackles, including 10 for loss and had three sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery.

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