TURNER LEAVES MT.VIEW FOR HOMECOMING AT CASCADE

January 17th, 2012 by jay

(click below to hear ESPN Radio 940 interview with Steve Turner)

Steve Turner unexpectedly resigns as Mt.View Cougar Head Football Coach, and accepts Head Coaching job at Cascade High School (4A) outside of Salem.

44 days removed from reaching the pinnacle in Oregon Football History…being named ’2011 5A Coach of the Year,’ and winning the Class 5-A Championship for the first time in school history….

Turner, Steve…is heading to Turner.

Turner, Oregon that is.

Home of the Cascade High School Cougars of the Oregon West Conference.

It’s where it all started for the 1976 Willamette U Defensive standout, who spent the first 6 of his 35 years, and experienced his first of 3 State Titles as an Oregon Prep Coach while serving under Karl Elliott who won the 1980 Title, and was a semifinalist 5 straight years thereafter.

Turner, who has won 75% of his games (40-7) in 4-years as Head Coach in Bend at Mt. View High School.

Included, he led the Cougars (5A) to 4 straight Quarterfinals, back-to-back Semifinals, and the schools first Title beating Sherwood while snapping the Bowmen’s 26-game win streak, 14-13. And, he beat his inter-city arch rival, Bend 3 out of 4 battles.

Turner also won a Title as Defensive Coordinator at North Medford in 1994. He then spent 6-seasons at Crook County as HC before coming over to Mt. View as an assistant under John Nehl. His first HC stint was 1984-87 at Rainier.

He recently declined the offer to return to North Medford and lead the once mighty Tornado program.

And, it’s rumored he had talks with Churchill, and Sheldon. Some speculated he might fill Robin Hill’s shoes at Sprague, or perhaps be the new man at McNary, but in the end, the fact is that Turner is moving to Turner.

He won 8 of 11 playoff games while at Mt.View enroute to claiming the first Championship in City of Bend history in 71-years.

So, why would he leave as king of the gridiron in 5A football?

The Championship coach sites mainly family reasons, and a chance for full-time employment, plus returning to a program he has a long, and deep emotional tie with.

In my opinon, Steve Turner is among the State’s Top-20 of all time.

The bay area native met with the members of the 2011 State Title team today in closed quarters, and announced his decison to move on.

Smart money would say that Athletic Director Dave Hood probably doesn’t have to look to far for a replacement, as the staff has some very talented coaches, and in my opinion, I would say Mike Huff or Brian Crum would be two very viable replacements who served under Turner.

To hear Coach Turner’s thoughts on the decision, I invite you to click on the link below and enjoy ‘The Biggest little Sportstalk Show in Oregon’ on ESPN Radio 940-AM Bend, Oregon.

(click link below to hear Steve Turner interview)

JAN 17 STEVE TURNER

BEND GRADUATE MATT CRAVEN NAMED SUCCESSOR TO WALKER AT BSH

1993 Bend Senior High graduate Matt Craven has been named the new Head Football Coach at his alma mater, Bend High, and takes over the Lava Bear program after Craig Walker retired after 24-years.

Craven is a Linfield graduate and is also the Head Teacher of the Mathematics programs at Bend HS. Craven also is the Head Track & Field Coach at Bend High, too.

Hear an interview with Coach Craven at halftime of the Civil War basketball game between Mt. View and Bend Friday night.

(click on link below to hear Matt Craven interview)

JAN 13 MATT CRAVEN BEND FB

SUMMIT PICKS PADILLA TO TAKE OVER CAUSING A STORM ON WESTSIDE

Longtime football assistant Coach, and Track & Field Coach, Joe Padilla has been named the new Head Football Coach at Summit High School in Bend taking over for veteran Jerry Hackenbruck who recently stepped away.

Padilla is also a teacher at Summit and has been on campus as an assistant coach since 2004, and most recently he served as Defensive Coordinator for the Storm last season.

Prior to that, he has experience as Head Coach in Frosh and JV level for total of 13-years.

Padilla, is a Southern Oregon University graduate, and earned his Masters in teaching at Portland State. He played high school sports at McMinnville and graduated 1993.