News from prep gridiron: Kadena coach Mendoza steps aside
Published: June 4, 2012
There’ll be two new faces on the sideline when Kadena Panthers football takes the field come Aug. 25 when the 2012 season opens.
Sergio Mendoza, the team’s head coach the last six seasons, has stepped down from his post effective Monday. His offensive coordinator and right-hand man all those seasons, Steve Schrock, is also leaving but had made up his mind quite awhile ago to do so.
No replacements have been named at this point.
Each cited personal reasons, with neither elaborating on them. “It was time,” Schrock and Mendoza each said when contacted by phone on Monday.
Whoever takes over has two pairs of virtual size 22-EEE shoes to fill with regard to Mendoza’s and Schrock’s legacy at the Panthers’ helm:
The Panthers went 36-4 in those six seasons, winning five straight Okinawa Activities Council district football titles from 2006-10 and three Far East Division I titles, in 2007, 2009 and 2010. Their streak of five straight D-I title-game appearances ended last fall when Kadena lost in the semifinals at Yokota.
They will be missed.
