Former Assistants to Kick Off Rivalry : High school football: They were together at Canyon a year ago. Now Mohr (Canyon) and Stiman (Valencia) will guide competing Santa Clarita Valley programs.

Brian Stiman and Larry Mohr, fellow assistants at Canyon High last year, likely will be rival head football coaches in the Santa Clarita Valley by the fall of 1995.

Principal Paul Priesz of Valencia High said Thursday he will recommend Stiman to the William S. Hart Union High School District board of trustees, who are expected to approve his hiring on April 6. Canyon announced the hiring of Mohr as expected after he was approved by school trustees Wednesday night.

Valencia, a new school, opens next fall but won’t field a varsity football team until 1995.

“It still needs to go to the board for approval on April 6, but I’m excited about bringing him aboard,” Priesz said about Stiman. “No. 1, Brian is an outstanding teacher. He’s a special education teacher (at Canyon) and has a great deal of care for those kids.

“He’s an excellent teacher in football, too. And we felt he was the strongest candidate.”

Mohr, 35, will succeed Harry Welch, who led Canyon to a 120-31-2 record and three Southern Section Championships in 12 seasons before retiring in January. Mohr coached defensive backs under Welch last fall after spending 12 seasons as an assistant at Thousand Oaks. Stiman was Welch’s long-time assistant.

“I feel excited and a little bit nervous,” Mohr said. “We’re a little bit behind right now as far as weightlifting and agility. There’s some kids who didn’t even sign up yet because of the fact there was no coach.”

Canyon Principal Mike Allmandinger said Mohr will have no trouble dealing with players.

“I like the way he got along with the kids last year,” said Allmandinger, who picked Mohr over Riverside Poly Coach Dan Armstrong, 40, and former El Segundo High Coach Dave Chauncey, 45, a Santa Clarita resident. “I’ve been satisfied with Larry all along.

“I like the enthusiasm he has. I like his knowledge of the game. I think he’s ready to take over.”

Mohr will retain varsity assistant Paul Gomes. Mohr and Gomes were co-captains on the 1976 Thousand Oaks team that won the Marmonte League championship. As coaches, Mohr and Gomes helped the Lancers win a section championship in 1987. Mohr said former Canyon junior-varsity assistants Guy Henderson and Mike Gomes, Paul’s brother, will join his staff.

“The players are excited,” said Mohr, who became a special education teacher at Canyon after working several years in construction. “They wanted me and they wanted Paul Gomes. They like our style and our rapport with them. And I think that had something to do with my hiring.”

Mohr said he will run the same offense at Canyon, but the defense will be a mixture of what he learned at Thousand Oaks and Canyon.

Stiman, 36, originally was considered a leading candidate to take the Cowboy reins. Not only did he coached under Welch for 12 seasons, the one-time running back played for Welch at Valley College. Allmandinger said he asked Stiman to apply.

But Stiman declined, saying Cowboy football belongs to Welch.

“In my heart, there’s something that says I always want to keep it that way,” Stiman said. “It was almost out of respect (that I didn’t apply). I look at that football office . . . that’s Harry’s office. That’s Harry’s desk. That’s Harry’s chair.

“It’s really exciting to start something of your own.”

Priesz chose Stiman, again leaving Armstrong and Chauncey as bridesmaids among the 10 applicants for the Valencia job.

Stiman expects a difficult debut season in the Foothill League in 1995, especially with no seniors in the program and a low enrollment. But by 1996, with a senior class and a student enrollment of 2,000, a rivalry between former Canyon assistants might be born.

“Someday down the road, playing (Mohr) is going to be a real pain,” Stiman said. “He’ll do a great job.”