Tustin’s Ancich Quits to Return to St. Paul

Marijon Ancich, who revived Tustin High School’s football team and built it into one of the top programs in the county over the last nine seasons, has resigned to return to Santa Fe Springs St. Paul High.

Ancich, 54, is the winningest active coach in the Southern Section with a record of 254-72-8. A majority of his victories were at St. Paul High, where he compiled a 188-31-5 record in 19 seasons before resigning in 1981 to become an assistant at Northern Arizona.

He inherited one of the county’s worst football programs when he was hired at Tustin in 1984. Tustin was 3-17 in the two seasons before Ancich arrived.

In nine seasons, Ancich led Tustin to four league championships and seven berths in the Southern Section playoffs. Tustin advanced to the Division VI championship game in 1990 and 1991, losing to Sunny Hills and Valencia.

“The two title game appearances were big, but the highlight for me was our first win over Foothill in 1986,” Ancich said. “The win showed we could play with the big boys. There was something magical about that victory.”

Ancich said administrators from St. Paul first approached him about coming back three weeks ago. Ancich said several of St. Paul’s players contacted him at home.

“I’ve always kept the lines of communication open to St. Paul through their alumni,” Ancich said. “I look at this move as going, ‘Back to the Future.’ I’m at a point in my life where I need a change although I have some mixed emotions.

“The last of my three sons (Dusan) is graduating in June at Tustin. I felt this was an opportune time to make a move.”

Ancich’s resignation marks the third high-profile coach to leave Tustin in the last year. Tom McCluskey resigned as basketball coach to become an assistant at Saddleback College and baseball Coach Vince Brown resigned to coach at Woodbridge.

Ancich is returning to a program in a state of disarray similar to the one he inherited at Tustin. St. Paul has had 5-5 and 3-8 records the last two seasons after advancing to the Division III championship game in 1990.

“The enrollment at the school has fallen and the team is no longer in the limelight,” Ancich said. “Hopefully, that will change.

“I can’t say enough good things about my nine years at Tustin. I’m certainly not leaving the cupboard bare. There’s nine starters, including seven offensive players, returning next year.

“The kids were heartbroken when I told them the news that I was leaving. I wanted them to understand that the move has nothing to do with Tustin High, the players or their parents. It’s just time for a change in my life. I’m going back home.”

Tustin Principal Duffy Clark said the football position would be open to all candidates with a teaching position “just as soon as Marijon hands the board his formal resignation.”

“I anticipate this position will attract a lot of attention, so we’re going to form a committee to screen candidates and hopefully get a coach hired by spring football,” Clark said.

Marijon Ancich’s Prep Record

Year School W-L-T 1961 St. Paul 9-0-0 1962 St. Paul 4-5-0 1963 St. Paul 6-2-1 1964 St. Paul 6-3-0 1965 St. Paul 7-1-0 1966 St. Paul 7-2-0 1967 St. Paul 7-4-0 1968 St. Paul 11-0-2 1969 St. Paul 8-2-0 1970 St. Paul 8-2-0 1971 St. Paul 7-2-1 1972 St. Paul 13-0-0 1973 St. Paul 11-1-0 1974 St. Paul 8-1-1 1975 St. Paul 13-1-0 1976 St. Paul 10-2-0 1977 St. Paul 11-2-0 1978 St. Paul 9-1-0 1979 St. Paul 8-3-0 1980 St. Paul 11-1-0 1981 St. Paul 14-0-0 1984 Tustin 6-4-0 1985 Tustin 4-6-0 1986 Tustin 9-3-0 1987 Tustin 8-4-1 1988 Tustin 3-6-1 1989 Tustin 7-5-0 1990 Tustin 13-1-0 1991 Tustin 12-2-0 1992 Tustin 4-6-0 Totals 30 seasons 254-72-8