Luczaj Steps Down as Buena Park Football Coach

Martin Luczaj, who coached the Buena Park High football team to its first league championship in 26 years last fall, has resigned for health reasons, the school announced Thursday. He will continue as the school’s athletic director.

Luczaj, 39, resurrected struggling programs at Fullerton and Buena Park high schools during the last decade. He became Fullerton’s head coach in 1981 and led the Indians to six consecutive playoff appearances before resigning in 1987.

Fullerton had a 52-19 record under Luczaj, winning three Freeway League titles and the 1984 Central Conference championship. He was named The Times coach of the year in Orange County in 1982 after Fullerton finished 13-1 and was runner-up to El Toro in the Central Conference.

Luczaj became Fullerton’s varsity baseball coach and was an assistant football coach at Fullerton College for two seasons before accepting the varsity football and athletic director positions at Buena Park in 1990.

He inherited a program that had lost 28 consecutive Freeway League games, but he led the Coyotes to a 5-6 record and a berth in the Southern Section Division VI playoffs in his first season.

When he arrived at Buena Park, Luczaj began making sweeping changes. He built a new weight room, designed a new logo for the team’s helmets and changed the color of the uniforms. The superficial changes seemed to carry over to the field, where the Coyotes qualified for the Southern Section playoffs for the first time in 12 seasons.

Last year, Buena Park was the surprise team of the county, upsetting Sunny Hills and Troy to win the Freeway League championship. The Coyotes finished 8-2-1, losing to Newport Harbor in the opening round of the Division VI playoffs.

“I’m most proud of turning around the two programs and winning a CIF (Central Conference) championship at Fullerton,” Luczaj said. “I love coaching, but my doctor recommended something less stressful.

“I’m leaving the program in good hands. The staff will remain intact and that’s the most important thing. I’ll still support the program and will have some input on the hiring of the new coach.”

Greg Haskell, who guided Savanna to a tri-championship of the Orange League with Western and Brea-Olinda this year, has resigned as the school’s basketball coach.

Haskell, 26, who lives in Laguna Niguel, said he made the decision to cut down on his commute time. Haskell was a walk-on coach at Savanna. He plans to stay involved in coaching and hopes to find a job closer to home.

“I’m a finalist for the Estancia job and I’ve talked to (Trabuco Hills Coach) Rainer Wulf about an assistant job there,” Haskell said.

“I’m leaving a very good situation. We won the league championship and some players are coming back, but unfortunately the drive is just too much. I’m spending 2 1/2 hours a day on the freeway.”

Haskell coached at Savanna for one season, leading the Rebels to a 16-9 record.

Capistrano Valley guard Tom Airey, who holds three county records for three-point shots, recently had a cast removed from his broken left foot and has begun rehabilitation in anticipation of his freshman year at Loyola Marymount.

Airey holds county records for three-point baskets in a game (10), season (129) and career (253). His senior season ended abruptly when he broke his foot in the semifinals of the Southern California Division I regional playoffs in March.

When Airey’s foot failed to heal properly, a two-inch pin was surgically inserted.

“I’m working on ankle and calf muscles three times a week and hope to start jogging in three or four weeks,” Airey said. “I’m taking one step at a time. It was very depressing not being able to shoot for a couple of months. I just recently picked up a basketball.”

Airey said it hasn’t been decided whether he will spend his first season as a redshirt at Loyola Marymount.

Buena Park tight end Bryan Baylor and Brea-Olinda wide receiver Jamie Barraglia have been added to the North team that will participate in the 33rd Orange County all-star football game July 10 at Orange Coast College.

Baylor replaces Buena Park teammate Angel Barrios, who suffered a hip pointer last week participating in a pickup basketball game. Barraglia replaces El Modena tight end/linebacker Gavin Brown, who declined to play after signing to play baseball at California.

North Coach Jeff Buenafe of Garden Grove announced the North team has scheduled an intrasquad scrimmage from 9 a.m.-10:45 a.m. July 4 at Garden Grove High. Workouts continue next week at 5 p.m. daily, with the players given a day off Friday.