Three Glittered Brightest Above the Shining Stars : Good Things Came to One Who Waited : Coach of the Year: Dennis Pugh’s patience was rewarded when undermanned Mission Bay made its first postseason appearance in 15 years.

Dennis Pugh didn’t start scratching his head after Ramona defeated his Mission Bay football team, 20-6, in a 2-A quarterfinal on Nov. 25.

No. He had started scratching long before. At the start of his seventh year coaching the Buccaneers, Pugh said he expected good things. He just didn’t know how good.

“I’ve seen the good and the bad,” said Pugh, who on Sunday accepted the San Diego County Coach of the Year award at the Times’ All-County breakfast at the Hilton.

For the first time in 15 years, Mission Bay made the playoffs.

The last time the Bucs participated in anything postseason was in 1974 when Pugh was an assistant. That year, Mission Bay defeated a 9-0 El Cajon Valley team in the first round, with Mark Malone at quarterback.

This year, Mission Bay was second in the city Western League and posted a 9-3 record, the best in Pugh’s tenure.

“I knew I’d have some pretty good players,” he said, “But the fact that we had no major injuries was key.”

The Bucs played with a skeletal roster of 25, suited up only 20 for games, and often played as few as 15 players. The lack of bodies was a concern. As many as eight and sometimes nine players had to play both offense and defense.

“Some kids were never off the field,” Pugh said. “You just can’t do that and get far in the playoffs.”

A theory that was proved against physically intimidating Ramona. “They just wore us down,” he said.

Pugh, too, has been worn down. He has toiled as Mission Bay’s athletic director, football coach and baseball coach. He molded the school’s successful baseball program--the Bucs have won two section 2-A titles--from infancy and because of the time constraints, will continue only as baseball coach. He already has announced his intention to relinquish his football duties.

He leaves a winner.