NOTEBOOK / SEAN WATERS : All Noonan--but Not All New--on Sidelines at St. Bernard

When the Culver City High football team plays St. Bernard in a season-opener Sept. 10, it will be the debut of two coaches.

Rob Moore is taking over as Centaur coach, and Mike Noonan will coach his first game at St. Bernard.

Noonan, a two-year assistant at St. Bernard, replaced Tom Strickland, who resigned for personal reasons.

Noonan, 58, has been a football coach for 25 years, including 18 as a head coach. He has won one state championship and seven league titles and has coached in Southern California, Ohio, Florida and New Mexico.

Before coming to St. Bernard, Noonan was a head coach at Cantwell. His 1990 team finished 8-3.

During the past two seasons, Noonan has been a defensive coordinator under Strickland and worked specifically with linebackers.

“The quick turnover in coaches was not that dramatic,” Noonan said. “I’ve been with the program for the last two years and I know all the players.

“We’re not going to change uniforms or the nickname of the school. One or two plays might be different, but it will be practically the same offense.”

The Vikings return three outstanding offensive players: quarterback Larry Stanbach, running back Carlos Meeks and receiver Lawrence Cohen. Lineman Matt Higgins (6-foot-4, 260-pounds) is being recruited by several NCAA Division I schools.

“I think we have the runners to be a successful team,” Noonan said.

*

Add football: Wednesday was the first day of practice for City Section schools. Southern Section teams begin workouts Monday. Games begin Sept. 10.

*

Heading East: After working four years as an assistant at Santa Monica College, Angelo Gasca will become quarterback coach at C.W. Post in Long Island, N.Y.

“I had one of the best times of my life playing and coaching at Santa Monica,” said Gasca, 32. “But the opportunity came up and it was too attractive to pass up. Hopefully, I’ll be back some day.”

One of the quarterbacks at C.W. Post is former Palisades and Carson standout Perry Klein, who has one year of eligibility remaining after transferring from Cal. Former Culver City High and Santa Monica College standout Chris Johnston will be a receiver.

“I think it’s going to be a great experience living in a different part of the country,” he said. “I’m moving up the coaching ranks and I will have the opportunity to learn a new offense.”

C.W. Post is one of the few East Coast Division II schools that uses the run-and-shoot offense.

*

Baseball: Crossroads High athletic director and baseball coach Chuck Ice said he is not a candidate for the Santa Monica College baseball coaching position.

Ice, 46, would have scheduling conflicts with teaching and administrative duties at Crossroads.

Santa Monica is looking for a walk-on coach with no classroom assignments.

*

Lifeguard competition: Craig Hummer, 28, of Santa Monica won eight gold medals in the United States Surf Lifesaving National Lifeguard Championships Aug. 6-7 at Hermosa Beach.

“What he did was never done before in the history of the competition,” Los Angeles County Lifeguard Lt. Philip Topar said. “It was unheard of when he won seven gold medals in last year’s competition.”