Coach Matt Logan of Centennial HS Named the 2007 ABC7 / NFLHS Coach of the Year

By Michael Francis, ABC7

ABC7 in Los Angeles, and the National Football League, have selected Coach Matt Logan of Corona's Centennial High School as the 2007 High School Coach of the Year for Southern California. He was honored on ABC7's Sports Zone, following the ABC College Football Game of the Week last Saturday between Oklahoma and Missouri.

This has been a season to remember for Matt Logan. His Centennial Huskies are 12-1 heading into Saturday's CIF Inland Division Championship game at the Home Depot Center in Carson, and are not only the top ranked team in the Southland, but also the #1 ranked team in California. The Huskies offense has scored an amazing 623 points (47.9 per game).

Matt's had a lot of wins in the last 8 seasons, with a record of 89-14. Logan, who grew up in Corona, won his 7th Mountain League title this year, and is in search of his 4th CIF Title this Saturday against cross-town rival Corona Santiago, a team the Huskies defeated 69-7 just a few weeks ago in league play.

L-R, ABC7's Curt Sandoval, Mayor Eugene Montanez, Lindsey Logan, Coach Matt Logan, Samantha Logan, Centennial Principal Sam Buenrostro, and Madison Logan.

Matt knows that coaching and football are both about wins and losses. But this season began with Coach Logan coming off the toughest loss of his life. For the first time in 11 seasons, he wasn't going be sharing those wins and losses with his wife Donna. In July she passed away after a four-year fight against breast cancer.

He was asked if coming into this season he had concerns about things other than football, like his family of three daughters. "Time," he replied. "I've always been kind of an organizer and try to be as efficient as I can, and that was my biggest concern, meeting their needs as well as the needs of my football team, and my responsibilities as a teacher and a coach. It's been tough, but so far things have worked out."

Part of the reason it worked out is that Logan mourned the loss of his wife, but with the help of the community, he and his three girls, Lindsey, Samantha and Madison, kept moving forward. "Obviously things have just been more work, but it's been great, they've helped out a lot around the house as well. I call it a house management, and they've done a good job with that, and have learned to take care of themselves a little bit too."

His Athletic Director, Dennis Pratt, called Logan the most outstanding coach he's ever worked with in 35 years. But everyone involved knew that this year would be different. "We always tell them from day 1, if you're not having fun, don't play. And that has become a little more important ... the meaning of that." The first game when they came out and had a moment of silence for his wife, with a banner of featuring her picture hanging by the end zone, that was tough. "But it worked out well, we won, that always helps, and we had fun."

The ABC7 / NFL High School Coach of the Year is selected from all the Coaches of the Week throughout the season, and is based not just on season records, but on the support of fans who write into the station. Coach Logan received nearly 5x's as many letters of support as any other nominee. Corona Mayor Eugene Montanez wrote one of those letters, and was on hand at the presentation to present the Coach with a proclamation from the City Council. "What you epitomize is not just football," the Mayor told Coach Logan, "but really the ability to get a team together ... and make an impact on them, and that really helps the community overall."

When asked what receiving the Coach of the Year award meant to him, Coach Logan answered, "It's a tremendous honor, and certainly shouldn't say just Coach of the Year, because there's a lot of people attached with it. It's a whole spectrum of people that went into this, including my coaches and my players, on down to the community and family, and everybody else that's helped us."

In recognition of his outstanding season, and his dedication to his team, the Corona community, and most importantly, his family, ABC7 and the National Football League are proud to name Matt Logan Southern California's 2007 High School Coach of the Year. For being so honored, Centennial High School will receive an additional $1,000 grant from the NFL Youth Football Fund.

In the presentation that was aired on ABC7's Sports Zone, ABC7 Sport's Curt Sandoval interviewed Matt and Centennial Principal Sam Buenrostro presented Coach Logan with a plaque signed by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL Director of Operations Gene Washington. Coach Logan's three daughters were also on hand to present him with the NFL's Coach of the Year cap, and Mayor Eugene Montanez of Corona presented Matt with a proclamation from the City Council.