No Joke, Says Brea Coach: Take My Job, Please

Robb Perrance has a tough act to follow as he replaces Jon Looney, who is taking a one-year hiatus from his job as Brea Olinda’s football coach to spend more time with his family.

Looney is one of the most colorful coaches in Orange County, prone to pranks and rambling monologues that feel like stand-up routines.

After he announced he was taking a break after 12 years as head coach, Looney entered the school’s football office, took off a shoe and threw it at Perrance. “The shoe’s on the other foot now,” Looney told him.

The laugh track may be on pause under Perrance, though.

“I’m probably a little more subdued and the kind of guy who likes to stay in the background,” said Perrance, 44, formerly the Wildcat offensive line coach.

The 19-year assistant said he doesn’t plan to use this experience as a springboard to another head coaching job.

“I enjoy being an assistant and working with kids,” he said. “When you become a head coach, you take on a lot more responsibility.”

Still, there was no hesitation on Perrance’s part when Looney asked him to take over. The men have been friends for 16 years, Perrance said, and this favor wasn’t too much to ask.

Looney, 45, who last season led the Wildcats to their first Southern Section championship game in 36 years, wants some time to regroup.

“The bottom line is I got tired of having to juggle so much and not doing everything the way it needed to be done,” Looney said. “It just got where it wasn’t manageable to be a father, a teacher and a football coach. I need a break to rethink how I do things.”

Perrance said he doesn’t expect to change much.

“We’ll just keep things the way they are and the way they’ve been going, and hopefully we’ll turn out a good product,” he said.

Said Looney: “Unless Rob gets ‘Coach of the Year,’ I’ll get my job back.”

A TRUE ALL-STAR

Another all-star game, another most valuable player award for Fountain Valley shortstop John Clark.

Clark went two for two last week, collecting MVP honors in the Orange County North-South All-Star game Tuesday after hitting two doubles and scoring twice in the South’s 6-5 victory.

On Saturday, Clark was selected MVP of a game between all-stars from the Sunset and Moore leagues. He went two for three with two stolen bases and two runs as the Sunset League won, 6-2.

It was the second consecutive year that the MVP from the North-South game also won the MVP award in the game between the Sunset and Moore leagues. Tony Cappuccilli of Edison did it last year.

A CLASSIC IN THE MAKING

El Dorado and Esperanza have been selected as co-hosts of the 12th National Classic baseball tournament, April 16-20, 2001.

Other California teams scheduled to participate are Diamond Bar, La Puente Bishop Amat, West Torrance, Antioch Deer Valley, Union City James Logan and Sacramento Jesuit.

Eight teams from four other states also are slated to compete: Miami Columbus, Panama City (Fla.) Mosley, Orlando (Fla.) Colonial, Leesburg (Fla.), Orlando (Fla.) Lake Highland Prep, Tucson (Ariz.) Sabino, Memphis (Tenn.) Christian Brothers and Brooklyn (N.Y) Xaverian.

HOOPS, HERE IT IS

Orange County schools are scheduled to host five basketball tournaments before the end of July.

One of the more prestigious is the South Orange County Roundball Extravaganza, which will be held June 24 at Santa Margarita High.

Four boys’ games and two girls’ games are scheduled, including a featured girls’ game at 7:15 p.m. and a featured boys’ game at 8:30 p.m.

Brea Olinda’s Chelsea Trotter and El Toro’s Giuliana Mendiola are scheduled to play in the featured girls’ game. Mater Dei’s Cedric Bozeman and Jamal Sampson are scheduled to play in the featured boys’ game.

Mater Dei will host an eight-team tournament at its on-campus facility Friday and Saturday. The Monarchs, Villa Park, Capistrano Valley, Dana Hills, Los Alamitos, Costa Mesa, Long Beach Poly and Encino Crespi will participate.

Newport Harbor is scheduled to host a tournament July 7-9, and Dana Hills is slated to host two tournaments: an eight-team tournament June 23-25 and a 24-team tournament July 24-28.

Other tournaments include: the Los Angeles Fairfax tournament, June 20-23; the Slam-N-Jam National Invitation tournament, June 20-24 at Long Beach State; the Pump-N-Run Best of Summer tournament, June 20-24 at Cal State Dominguez Hills; the Pump-N-Run West Coast Camps, July 7-10 and 11-14 at Cal State Dominguez Hills; the Rim Rattler tournament, July 11-13 at Long Beach City College, and the Las Vegas Big-Time tournament, July 14-19.

If you have an item or idea for the high school/club report, you can fax us at (714) 966-5663 or e-mail us at ben.bolch@latimes.com or martin.henderson@latimes.com