Southern Section Acknowledges Settlement of Dispute With Welch : Canyon: Matter stemming from 1991 probe of Cowboy football program was resolved nearly a month ago, with coach receiving undisclosed sum.

Nearly a month after denying settlement of its tumultuous legal battle with Canyon High football Coach Harry Welch, the Southern Section on Wednesday, in a tersely worded news release, announced it had settled its dispute with Welch.

The release also stated that the section has withdrawn all recommendations by Commissioner Stan Thomas for action against Welch, coach at Canyon since 1982 and the area’s most successful football coach.

The Times learned June 18 that a settlement had been reached and that Welch received an undisclosed sum to drop his civil suit against the section.

The section dismissed charges of rules violations against Welch that stemmed from a 1991 investigation into the Cowboy football program.

However, Thomas denied any knowledge of a settlement at the time.

This is believed to be the first time the section has settled a legal dispute financially.

Welch’s problems with the Southern Section began in June, 1991, when he received a one-year suspension from the section’s executive committee--on Thomas’ recommendation--after an investigation into rules violations in the Canyon football program.

Welch, whose teams won three consecutive Southern Section championships from 1983-85, won a temporary restraining order a month later that allowed him to return to coaching. He then filed a civil suit against the section.

A superior court judge issued a preliminary injunction in August, 1991, allowing Welch to coach until the suit was settled.