Former Monarch coach Carberry retires

CHULA VISTA —- Following more than three decades as a head football coach, Ed Carberry has decided to retire as one of the few coaches to register 100 career victories as both a high school and community college coach.

Carberry, 65, announced he will step down as mentor at Southwestern College following 14 seasons with the Jaguars earlier this month.

He first gained head coaching success at Monte Vista, becoming one of only three coaches from the Grossmont Union High School District to amass 100 triumphs exclusively at a single school.

The others — Helix’ Jim Arnaiz (213-77-11 from 1973-99) and the legendary Jack Mashin from Grossmont (125-66-19; 1923-47) — already are members of the San Diego High School Coaching Legends hall.

Could Carberry be next?

Once a powerhouse, Carberry rebuilt Monte Vista and guided them to seven Grossmo0nt Conference league crowns and a pair of CIF-San Diego Section championships (2995 over Escondido, 13-12; and 2003 over Helix, 20-3) over three title game appearances.

He later accepted a position to lead Mt. San Jacinto community college located just outside of Hemet, serving a three-year stint before moving to the South Bay in 2007.

At Southwestern, the Jags were a four-time conference titlist and earned bids to six bowl games, including two runs of three straight (2012-14 and 2016-18) when the pandemic hit to end a stellar run of seven seasons.

Carberry is the winningest coach in Southwestern history at 87-53-0.

Overall, he was 100-59-1 in 14 seasons with Monte Vista (198-99, 01-03), three with MSJC (16-13, 2004-05), and 14 with SWC (87-53, 2007-21).

Carberry, who grew up in Whittier — at his birth, nearby Whittier College was the first head coaching assignment for legendary San Diego State and San Diego Chargers coach Don Coryell — plans to continue teaching throughout the current school year before placing the breaks on a fine career.