Ferragamo: Banning is back

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Chris Ferragamo has waited five weeks to make his declaration.

Four of those were spent watching his team play lesser opponents that gave him no true reading as to how good his Banning Pilots are or might be. And this past week, he was getting them ready to play undefeated Venice, arguably the second best team in the City behind Birmingham and a team that had beaten the Pilots twice last year, including in the playoffs.

Shortly after the Pilots (5-0) upset the 12th-ranked Gondoliers at Venice, 21-19, Ferragamo uttered the words that had to send shivers not only through the Marine League, but the rest of the City Section as well.

‘Banning is resurging,’ Ferragamo said. ‘It’s a very proud program. There’s no way it can be down. These kids are showing us that there is a chance to do well again.’

A quick history lesson: From 1976 to 1985, Ferragamo led Banning to eight City championships. The title runs dried up in the 1990s -- the best the Pilots did was win the Invitational championship in 1999 -- but they did win the City title again in 2000.

Still, the program was relegated to insignifigant status until Ferragamo, who had left to coach at the junior-college level in 1987 and then retired from coaching, was convinced to return to Banning last year. The 2006 season served as a warmup as the Pilots finished 4-7.

But now, look out.

- Mike Terry