Hagerty Resigns Coaching Posts With Paraclete

Steve Hagerty, who led Paraclete High to three consecutive Southern Section football titles, has resigned as football and baseball coach at the school.

Hagerty informed his team Monday that he has accepted a job as offensive coordinator at J.W. North High in Riverside, where he will teach special education.

At J.W. North, he will be reunited with Coach Mark Paredes, who coached Hagerty at Bishop Amat. Hagerty also served as an assistant to Paredes at Bishop Amat.

“This is obviously a huge loss for Paraclete,” said Athletic Director Margaret Neill, who has begun accepting applications for both coaching vacancies. “We don’t want to see him go, but we are very happy for him.”

Under Hagerty, Paraclete became a small schools football powerhouse. The Spirits were 37-5 from 1997-99, when they became the first area team since 1986 to win three consecutive section titles.

Hagerty, The Times’ Valley football coach of the year in 1997, was 68-39 and won four league championships in eight seasons.

During the three seasons he coached baseball, Paraclete won two Alpha League titles and reached the section semifinals in 1997.

“The kids are great and the school has been great,” he said. “It’s been a great place to be.”

Hagerty leaves a program that figures to challenge for another football championship next season.

Several key starters return, including running back Curtis Brown, who rushed for 2,632 yards last season as a sophomore, and all-purpose back Michael Washington, the Division XII offensive co-player of the year as a sophomore in 1998.