Breaking News: Scherf takes over at Azusa

AZUSA - Azusa High School officials didn't have to look far to find
its replacement for Craig Schuster, who resigned as the head football
coach on April 13 after citing, "family reasons."
The Aztecs promoted offensive coordinator Joe Scherf, who led the
Aztecs girls basketball team back to prominence with five league
titles in 10 years during his run from 1997-2006.
Scherf graduated at Azusa in 1989 and played three years of football
at Azusa Pacific. He's been an assistant on the Aztecs football staff
for 12 years and finished his first season as their offensive
coordinator.
"He's going to do a great job," Aztecs athletic director Sandra
Gahring said. "He brought the girls basketball team back from nothing
into some of the best teams we've ever had. Hopefully he can do the
same with our football team."
With spring football practices set to begin in a couple weeks,
Scherf has a lot of work after the Aztecs finished 4-7 last season,
and were 18-24 the past five years under Schuster.
"I feel this is the right moment in my life to take this
responsibility," said the 37-year-old. "I have head coaching
experience and I've watched enough people come through here to know
what to expect. Now, it's about getting this program going and
putting in the work."
Scherf said he's already began to set the tone.
"We've got to change the attitudes and get guys in the weight room,"
Scherf said. "We're already told the guys if they're not in the
weight room working out they won't play football."
Scherf's excited about the opportunity because the Montview League
is winnable. League champion La Puente and second-place Duarte both
graduated the bulk of its starters, leaving Sierra Vista and Azusa as
the most veteran-savvy teams returning this fall.
"We've got a lot of seniors back and a lot of good seniors," Scherf
said. "We all believe if the guys put in the work, we have a good
shot at winning league."