Fontana Coach Steps Down Over Controversial Incident

Fontana Coach Bob Stangel Jr., caught in the controversy surrounding a violent incident that occurred after his football team’s playoff loss in November, has resigned.

“In today’s society, when something happens that’s wrong, people want someone to blame,” Stangel said Wednesday. “I’m that guy.”

The Nov. 19 incident began when a Fontana player punched a Loyola assistant coach during the postgame handshake after Loyola’s 28-7 victory in the first round of the Southern Section Division I playoffs at Pierce College in Woodland Hills.

The punch, caught on videotape, set off a melee.

Thirteen Fontana players were suspended from school for five days, three face possible expulsion and five are facing possible criminal prosecution for their roles in the incident.

Four players--all juveniles--were arrested Dec. 8 on suspicion of misdemeanor battery and were released to their parents. Their cases are being reviewed by the Los Angeles County Probation Department, which can recommend that charges be filed or handle the matter internally.

Another player, senior Anthony Robinson, 18, was charged with one misdemeanor count of battery on school grounds, punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine. Robinson pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Tuesday. His trial was set for Jan. 28 in Van Nuys Municipal Court.

Stangel, an assistant coach at San Bernardino Valley College in 1997 and ‘98, had completed his first season as Fontana’s coach. He succeeded Dick Bruich, who resigned after the 1998 season to become coach at Fontana Kaiser.

“If there’s a fight on campus, is the principal’s program out of control?” Stangel said. “Of course not. Remorse for the fight, I have. Saying I’m responsible for the fight is ludicrous. I’ve said we’d learn from this and it’d never happen again.”

Fontana Principal Mike Demmer said he was not surprised by Stangel’s resignation, which he learned of Tuesday night and confirmed Wednesday.

“This was big time,” Demmer said. “There is no way around it. This was a disastrous event. We still have kids in court. I guess [Stangel] figured this was the best thing for the school, the program and himself at this time.

“I respect him for that.”

Kathy Binks, a board member for the Fontana Unified School District, said Stangel’s resignation was “the honorable thing to do.”

“I think [the resignation] is what needed to be done,” she said. “Somebody had to take responsibility, and he’s the coach.”

Bill Thomason, Loyola’s principal, said he hoped the schools could put the incident behind them.

“It’s really unfortunate when it comes to this point and causes someone to resign or lose his job,” Thomason said. “I can’t comment on whether it was fair or unfair. Every principal has to deal with something like this in the way they feel is best.”

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Jim Bonds, who guided Mission Hills Alemany to its only two playoff berths in the 1990s, resigned and will replace Bill Redell as coach at La Canada St. Francis.

Bonds, 31, spent four years as offensive coordinator at St. Francis under Redell, who resigned last month to become coach at the new Oaks Christian High in Westlake Village.

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Steve Hagerty, who led Lancaster Paraclete to the 1997 Southern Section Division XI championship and the last two Division XII titles, resigned to become offensive coordinator at Riverside J.W. North.

Hagerty will be reunited at J.W. North with Coach Mark Paredes, who coached Hagerty at La Puente Bishop Amat and hired him as an assistant at the school.

Staff writers Jeff Arnold and Lance Pugmire contributed to this story.