Oregon High School Fires Coach for Running Up Score
Marist Catholic High School removes coach after lopsided win against Cottage Grove.
2 min read
A Roman Catholic high school in Oregon has fired its head football coach after a controversial game against Cottage Grove, where the score was allegedly inflated. Marist Catholic High School announced the removal of Zach Loboy following a 63-0 victory, though the game was called at halftime. The lopsided score reflected only the first half, as the second half was not played.
Marist tried two onside kicks as it kept up the pressure and racked up more and more points.
Here is a clip of Marist Catholic onside kicking, up 57-0 late in the 2Q…
The first half included at least two onside kicks from the Spartans. As noted on X, one of the onside kicks came with Marist leading 57-0.
🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨
The school did not offer an official explanation, but Mid-Major Media posted on X that the game was a factor.
A report in The Athletic said Marist athletic director Rick Gardner, Cottage Grove athletic director Garrett Bridgens, and Lane County Football Association commissioner Mike Whitty all agreed to end the game. “It wasn’t a forfeit; it wasn’t that our coaches and players did not want to continue,” Bridgens said. “We were working in the best interest of our kids, our fans — the entire situation — to do what was best for everyone. This was the ADs and the commissioner of officials working together to make that decision.”
Gardner said Loboy’s conduct in the game “is really not reflective of the school’s mission and how we want to treat our opponents.” “Our athletic program tries to adhere to the mission and the values of Marist Catholic High School,” he said. “In this particular case, we definitely fell short.”
Marist Catholic Principal Bob Fraley wrote to parents and guardians to explain the decision. “I am writing to inform you that Marist has made the decision to remove Zach Loboy from his position as Head Varsity Football Coach, effective immediately. Following Friday’s game against Cottage Grove, we determined that a change in leadership was necessary to reflect our school’s mission and values,” the letter said.
“For the remainder of the season, Jake Lowther will serve as interim Head Football Coach. Jake joined our football staff this year after previously serving as a Varsity Assistant Coach at Cascade High School,” the letter said. “We are confident that Jake will provide the leadership and guidance our student-athletes need. Our priority is to support our players, maintain a positive team environment, and help the team finish the season strong,” the letter continued.
“We recognize that a coaching change in the middle of a season can be difficult for players and families.” Cottage Grove is 1-5 on the season, with a combined score of 206-36 in losing its last five games, according to the New York Post.
Source: The Gateway Pundit
