Prep Blog: Southern California school fires state bowl champion coaches

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December 29, 2011

Southern California school fires state bowl champion coaches

Santa Margarita Catholic High School in Santa Margarita has fired two assistant football coaches involved in a marijuana possession case that had cast a shadow on the Orange County school's CIF state bowl championship season.

Santa Margarita school principal Raymond Dunne and president Paul Carey made the announcement in a letter posted on the school's web-site tonight.

Assistant coaches Sean Coen, a full-time employee, and Robert Hendricks, a walk-on coach, pleaded guilty Sept. 15 to misdemeanor marijuana possession.

Coen and Hendricks had felony charges from Dec. 14, 2010 for marijuana cultivation and marijuana possession with intent to sell dismissed as part of a plea agreement with the Orange County District Attorney's office.

"In our internal investigation we found that sound judgment was not exercised by either man in allowing marijuana to be grown in their garage," the school statement said. "When one is charged with the responsibility of working with teenagers who are constantly in a society where the temptation of marijuana is prevalent, these coaches had a responsibility to utilize sound judgment."

Santa Margarita defeated Bellarmine of San Jose 42-37 in the CIF State Division I bowl.

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