Lacy Directs Santa Monica’s Turnaround

There were no expectations the Vikings would become a Southern Section football champion two seasons ago, when Coach Norm Lacy took over at Santa Monica High.

The team had finished 2-8 in 1999 and 1-4 in the Bay League--a far cry from the once-proud program that appeared in section championship games in the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘80s.

But Lacy molded a winner from the struggling team, guiding it to an 9-3 finish in his first season. This season, the Vikings went 11-2, winning the Ocean League and the Southern Section Division X championships. Lacy is The Times’ coach of the year.

His team’s titles this season were equally impressive. Three of the four semifinalists in Division X were from the Ocean League, indicating the depth of the league, and the fourth was three-time defending champion Paso Robles.

Santa Monica prevailed. A 23-20 victory over North Torrance was the deciding factor in Santa Monica’s first league championship since 1988.

The Vikings then made the tough trip to Paso Robles in the semifinals and ended the Bearcats’ championship streak with a 26-14 victory.

In the final, Santa Monica went on the road again, this time for a rematch with North Torrance. A 28-14 Santa Monica victory gave the Vikings their first section title since 1981. North Torrance finished 12-2, losing only to Santa Monica all season.

This isn’t the first time Lacy has rebuilt a team.

He guided St. Monica from a 1-8 team in 1995 to a Division XI champion in 1998.