Helix history starts with coaching elite

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: October 1, 2020

SAN DIEGO – The readers of East County Sports often

ask how we obtain our historical information. Much is

from our own records, including archives on our own

website, but there are other sources.

The main source of both sports data and interesting

stories from the past are courtesy of Rick Smith, a

former high school sports writer for the old Evening

Tribune newspaper. Smith currently operates the San

Diego Prep Sports History website, found at:

www.partletonsports.com.

Smith’s current lead story lists the top football coaches

in county history (since 1898; the CIF-San Diego Section

was not formed until 1960) by winning percentage.

Among the top 15 coaches, an unbelievable four have

spent most or all of their head coaching careers at

Helix High School.

Included is the all-time leader (by percentage) in

Gordon Wood, who captured 85.6percent of his ballgames

(46-6-0 record) over his four seasons guiding the

Highlanders.

Other Scotties mentors on the list include: current

coach Robbie Ownes at No. 5 (42-11-2, .782); No. 9 Troy

Starr(91-31-1, .744), who now leads the program at Mount

Miguel; and No. 14 Jim Arnaiz (213-77-11, .726 over 26

campaigns).

The other East County coach on the Top 20 list is Joel

Allen, who just resigned following 11 years at The

Bishop’s School. The former Christian high quarterback

posted a .739 win percentage (100-35-1) in 11 seasons

with the Knights.

Others close are No. 22 Matt Oliver, Christian (

172-73-3, .700); and No. 25 Paul Wargo, Granite Hills

(72-31-2, .692).

Please check out Smith’s website for further information,

featuring football, baseball and track (a section on

basketball is in development).

— San Diego County all-time football coach leaders by

winning percentage:

NAME            SCHOOL      YEARS    W- L-T   PCT

Gordon Wood     Helix           4   46- 6     884

Chet Devore     Chula Vista     5   44- 7-1  .856

Duane Maley     San Diego      12   97-19-3  .828

Hobbs Adams     San Diego       6   42-11-2  .782

Robbie Owens    Helix           4   42-12    .778

John Carroll    Oceanside      26  248-75-6  .763

Birt Slater     Kearny         18  134-41-9  .753

George Ohnosorgen Chula Vista  12  103-33-7  .7447

Troy Starr      Helix,MtMiguel 10   91-31-1  .7439

Dick Huddleston La Jolla        8   70-24-1  .742

Rick Jackson    Madison        16  141-49-1  .741

Joel Allen      The Bishop’s   11  100-35-1  .739

Jeff Hutzler    LJ Country Day 12  101-37    .732

Jim Arnaiz      Helix          26  213-77-11 .726

Glenn Forsythe  Ramona          8   50-19    .725

— San Diego County all-time football coach leaders by

total victories:

NAME            YEARS             W-  L-T  PCT

Rob Gilster     1989-2019 (31)  230-129-5 .639

Ron Hamamoto    1985-2019 (34)  228-159-4 .588

Sean Doyle      1996-2019 (24)  204-94    .685

*Matt Oliver    1999-2019 (20)  172-73-3  .700

Chris Hauser    2000-2019 (20)  168-74-2  .693

Mike Hastings   1998-2019 (22)  148-105   .584

Rick Jackson    2004-2019 (16)  141-49-1  .741

Tom Karlo       2 schools (15)  108-65-2  .623

Joel Allen      2009-2019 (11)  100-35-1  .739

Damon Baldwin   2005-2019 (15)  100-69-1  .591

*Coaches 20 seasons over a 21-year period.

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