Football:

By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor

One of the biggest misconceptions in gauging the job a coach does is assuming that a team with the most talent or the best record must have had the best leader.

When in reality, it should be based more on the man or woman who led a program through adversity, got the most out of their inherent talent, and had their team peaking towards the end of the regular season, and ready to make a postseason run.

And nobody did more of that or had more success in the playoffs than Northview and its coach, Marcel Perez.

Perez, a 1998 Northview High School grad, led his program to their first CIF-SS (Division 10) championship since 1987.

NHS defeated St. Anthony, 27-20, back on November 26th, and the Vikings were the only SGV area program to win a CIF-SS championship this season.

But that’s only the half of it.

The following week, Northview went out to Ontario and trailed Colony by 17 points in the second half of the CIF State Division 4A Southern California Regional.

Not a problem.

The cool, calm and collected Vikings rallied for a 27-26 victory over the Titans, as Ronal Tebo Jr. scored his fourth TD of the game, and with just 22 seconds to spare.

It was Northview’s first-ever state playoff victory, and it earned them the title of Southern California Regional Champions for Division 4A.

While the Vikings season ended two weeks ago today in a 19-point defeat in San Francisco, Perez, his staff and their players leapt the highest hurdles and turned in one of the best and most historic seasons in school history.

And for those reasons and more, Marcel Perez has been named the 210 Prep Sports Football Coach of the Year.

Before going any further, it would be malpractice on this writer’s end if I didn’t mention the remarkable job that coaches Dean Herrington (St. Francis) and Dejuan Shamburger (Pasadena) turned in this year.

Herrington, who has won eight CIF-SS and two CIF State titles, was able to lead St. Francis in his first year at the helm to the D-4 championship game, which is only the second time the program had gotten that far in more than 50 years.

He also did a great job in replacing the late-great Jim Bonds, by retaining almost all of JB’s staff, and Herrington made a concerted effort to build meaningful and genuine relationships with each member of the SFHS roster.

Shamburger did a terrific job in leading PHS to a share of their first Pacific League championship in decades.

The Bulldogs finished 9-3 and had playoff victories over Thousand Oaks and La Mirada, before falling to the eventual champions from Aquinas in the semifinal round of the D-7 playoffs.

But let’s get back to the story of Coach Perez, his staff and their program.

Winning the D-10 and So Cal Regional titles were only part of what Perez and his staff accomplished.

The Vikings started the year 2-5, and they didn’t have their starting 11 on either side of the ball until a couple weeks into the playoffs.

NHS suffered more than their share of injuries, and COVID-19 wreaked havoc on both the program and its ability to build and maintain any kind of rhythm.

Northview, however, stayed the course, didn’t panic, and they were able to clinch a share of the Valle Vista League title with San Dimas.

The Vikings also had their share of disappointments, including the 29-28, regular-season finale loss to 1-8 Los Altos, and in that game, Northview held a 28-0 lead at the half.

It cost NHS a first-round home game and the chance of being the outright VVL champions.

Some may have thought that Northview had every reason to doubt itself heading into the playoffs after the disappointing loss to LAHS.

Perez, his staff and their senior leaders wouldn’t allow that to happen, though, and the Vikings went out to Garden Grove and picked up a convincing 16-point victory to open the 2021 postseason.

One week later, Northview crushed visiting Kaiser, 42-13, and up next was a semifinal-round, 28-14 triumph at Palmdale, and against a Falcons program that had just throttled Covina by 45 points the week before.

The Vikings scored first and never trailed at Palmdale.

And as mentioned, NHS would go on to earn their spot in the history books after a seven-point victory over St. Anthony in the D-10 title game.

How was Northview able to peak at the exact moment that all coaches hope for?

The answer to that question has a number of reasons, including getting their injured players back, the culture of each player understanding and accepting their roles, the steady leadership of Coach Perez and his staff, and the family-like atmosphere that was fostered and shared amongst the coaches and players.

You can’t fake chemistry.

It’s either there or it’s not.

The love and camaraderie throughout the program was undeniable.

It also didn’t hurt that the offense picked up their output by more than a TD per game in the playoffs, and the Vikings defense combined to hold their six postseason opponents to more than 100 points under their weekly scoring average.

Part of their success was also due to the focus on playing a more disciplined brand of football, and not giving away free first downs.

That was something that hurt the Vikings in years past, according to Perez.

This writer witnessed firsthand a number of occasions in both the CIF-SS and CIF State title games, where Northview players walked away from taunts, late hits and trash talking by St. Anthony and Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep players.

What made this historic season even more special for Perez?

A CIF-SS championship is something all coaches strive for and cherish.

But in this case, there was an even deeper appreciation and meaning for Perez, because of his connection to both his alma mater and his career on the gridiron for the Vikings’ football program back in the mid to late 1990’s.

Perez is considered to be one of the best football players in school history, according to athletic director, David Ochoa.

He played on the offensive line and at middle linebacker, and Perez played a major role in Northview defeating the No. 1 ranked team in the state, Rancho Alamitos, during the 1997 postseason.

Perez also earned conference player of the year after his freshman year at Citrus College.

Perez, 41, is married with three children.

Marcel and his wife Jeanette started dating during their sophomore year at Northview, and they’ve been together ever since.

Their three children are named Deanna (22), Nathan (19) and Donovan Perez (15).

Marcel and Jeanette are loving life, but it hasn’t always been easy.

They had to watch in horror as their middle child, Nathan Perez, persevered through two bone marrow transplants, which required treatments of both chemotherapy and radiation.

After the first transplant failed, Nathan received the greatest gift he’ll ever get, which was a bone marrow match that was sent his way from a donor in Europe.

And the Perez family is happy to report that Nathan is healthy and a freshman at the University of California, Berkeley.

Donovan actually plays in the defensive backfield for his father’s program.

Jeanette’s sacrifices for her kids, husband and his football program are nothing short of inspiring.

While working fulltime, she took on the task of driving their kids everywhere they needed to be, made sure they kept their grades up and Marcel’s better half serves as the family chef.

Perez called his wife “the rock that has held us all together. She allows me to keep doing this and I couldn’t appreciate or love her more than I do.”

Tanicha Torres is also someone Perez is immensely grateful to.

Torres hasn’t had a kid in the program for 10 years or so, but she’s still providing an invaluable service as the “team mom,” which takes a ton of time and sacrifice.

His coaching staff are like brothers to Perez.

The list includes Anthony Silva (offensive coordinator), Joey Mastrosimone (special teams/defensive line), Matthew Leyva (defensive line and many other roles), Mike Salinas (running backs/linebackers), Chris Webb (offensive line), Andres Hooper (defensive backs/wide receivers), Jeff Wiese (offense), Charlie Ramirez (receivers), Roberto Delgado (strength coach), as well as lower-level coaches Todd Allen, Chris Jimenez, Jason Langston and Mark Baldon.

Perez seemingly adopted a famous saying that has been used a number of times by Presidents Truman and Reagan that goes, “it’s amazing what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.”

Perez not only delegates well, he’s also a good listener, and is never opposed to considering new ideas from his coaching staff.

It would be quite the understatement to say that Perez and the Vikings program has been overlooked and underappreciated by the media and those outside of the Northview coaching staff, its players and their parents.

Instead of worrying about getting their just due, this program only concerns itself with sticking together, believing in one another, and taking care of business on the field.

To hammer home the point about the remarkable run this program has enjoyed of late, which has clearly flown under the radar, all one has to do is focus on the success of this 2022 graduating class.

Over the last four years, the Vikings have a 7-3 record in the playoffs, and keep in mind, there wasn’t a postseason during the 2021 spring season.

It’s the most playoff wins by any SGV area program.

To put that in its proper perspective, over that same stretch, Upland has six playoff wins.

Glendora has tallied five postseason victories, followed by Rancho Cucamonga (4), South Hills (4), San Dimas (4), Pasadena (4), Bonita (3), Rio Hondo Prep (3), Etiwanda (3), St. Francis (3), Muir (3), Arcadia (3), Claremont (2), Ayala (1), Covina (1), Bishop Amat (1), Monrovia (1), Damien (0), West Covina (0), La Salle (0), Charter Oak (0), Los Osos (0) and Maranatha (0).

Lastly, we asked Perez for his thoughts on the slow start to the season, why the program was so successful in the playoffs, how it felt to deliver a CIF title to his alma mater, and his appreciation for the Vikings coaching staff.

Said Marcel Perez: “We knew all along that we were going to have to be patient until we got our guys back healthy and in the lineup. While others may have thought we were struggling, we knew the kind of talent we had and we also played a pretty solid schedule. I think we played our best football in the playoffs, because we were disciplined, every kid did their job and accepted their role and we limited turnovers. As a teacher and a coach, we’re in the gym a lot, and I can’t tell you how many times a kid has asked, “why aren’t there many football banners up there?” And that’s something that I wanted to change. We want the kind of success that our wrestling program has. So, to not only win a CIF-SS and CIF State Southern California Regional Championship means so much to all of us. I can not thank my administrators, coaches, players and their families enough for all they did to support us. Our principal, Ryan Perry, was in my office at least twice a week to check in and show his support. He always asked if we needed anything and we’re grateful for all of his support as well.”

Quotable:

Northview wrestling coach & athletic director, David Ochoa: “Marcel Perez, Northview Class of 1998, was one of the greatest football players in Northview history. Coach Perez has done an outstanding job building our football program into one of the top teams in the area. He’s a great football coach and he works hard to support his players on and off the field. I am extremely grateful to Coach Perez for his never-ending dedication to Northview. He has done so much to instill pride and confidence in our students. There is a great partnership between the football and wrestling programs. Marcel has served for many years as our frosh/soph wrestling coach. We work hard to support each other, and Coach Perez’ success has been earned. Along with Coach Perez, I am so proud of our outstanding football staff and their players.”

Northview assistant coach, Anthony Silva: “Coach Perez is one of the few 0ld-school style coaches still going. Perez holds his players and coaches accountable on and off the field, but you won’t find anyone in the the program that won’t run through a wall for that man. I’ve called plays twice for coach (this past season and 2018) and he has never questioned a play call or a practice plan, and instead has been very supportive. My work away from football makes it tough to commit to being a coordinator, but I told Perez in the summer that if things didn’t work out, I’d have his back. And the reason for that is because he always has everyone’s back. I’m grateful to be part of the Northview program and it’s all because of Coach Perez and the culture he has built.”

Northview senior, Erik Saiz: “What Coach Perez and the Northview coaching staff did to put us in a position to be successful was honestly not panicking in the beginning of the season, really taking the time to figure out what our playing style was, and putting players in positions that they would be successful. Even though at the start of the season we were 2-5, Coach Perez and the staff never panicked. They knew what our team was capable of and ensured us that all the obstacles we were facing were just bumps in the road, and that we still had a chance to complete our mission of winning a championship. In previous years, old Northview teams had major success running a spread offense, so at the start of the season that’s what we tried to run, but unfortunately, we didn’t have much success. Because of that, Perez and the staff looked at our strengths and weaknesses, and in the end, reconfigured us to become more of a running team, where we had major success doing so. Although many players were successful at the positions they played, that never stopped Coach Perez and the staff from looking at other positions they could play better at, because they were always trying to find ways to help our team get even better. Some examples of these position changes were Steven Carlin from outside linebacker to cornerback and Leonardo Ramirez to defensive end from linebacker.”

Northview senior, Cheo Medina: “I honestly can’t thank Coach Perez , Coach Sliva and the rest coaching staff enough for what they’ve done for me these past four years. They’ve helped me mature in the game, but also in life. I will take these life lessons forward to help me become a better and more successful person. They treated me like family, and for that alone, it’s a big “thank you” to all of them. Even though I was a headache at times, the coaches always showed love and made sure I was doing my school work and that I was doing OK. made sure I was alright on bad days. They’ve had a big impact on my career and life, and I honestly enjoyed my four years here at Northview. They got us in this situation (to be CIF-SS & CIF State So Cal Regional champs) by treating us like family and giving us hope, because at first, we got off to a bumpy start, going into league with a 2-5 record. We were adversely affected by injuries and the COVID situation was a challenge all season. .You would have thought everyone would have given up after being doubted this whole season, but our coaches kept us motivated and kept pushing us forward. Once we got everyone back, we knew what we were destined to do this. It was on us as players to build our chemistry and stay a family, which is something that played a big role is us becoming CIF & Southern California Regional Champs. It was a blessing to be a part of this team and to make history at Northview. And to do something no one had done here is just amazing . The memories here will never be forgotten.”

Northview junior, James Arellanes: “Coach Perez is a great man. I’ve been around this team for a long time and for as long as I can remember, Perez has always been a father figure to every player on his team. He works hard day in and day out to not only prepare his team to win, but to also teach his players how to be good, respectable young men. He always pushes for us to set good examples for our team and school, and to always stay on top of our grades, so that we are set up the best we can be for our futures after high school. It was amazing to see him finally get a championship after the years that he has coached and all the great teams that have come through Northview, and came up just short of that goal. I’m glad I got to be a part of the team that finally got it done for coach Perez. He definitely deserves the recognition that he is getting for working as hard as he does.”

Northview senior, Lewis Madrigal: “I’d like to thank Coach Perez for preparing us for life outside of football. It’s always been a goal for Coach Perez’s and his coaching staff to turn us into the young adults that we are today, not just as athletes, but as responsible and respectable young men. As far as football goes though, I believe that Coach Perez along with his coaching staff did an outstanding job of keeping us all together as a family, and even through all the adversity we faced as a program. They did more than an outstanding job believing in us as a team, no matter the challenges that we faced. This coaching staff is second to none and I’m very lucky to have played for them.”

Northview’s Overall Record Under Marcel Perez: (89-47 overall, 45-15 in Valle Vista League Games)
2021 Fall Season: 9-7 overall, 2-1 in Valle Vista League
2021 Spring: 2-3, 1-2
2019: 8-3, 4-1
2018: 12-1, 5-0
2017: 7-4, 4-1
2016: 10-2, 5-0
2015: 10-2, 5-0
2014: 11-2, 5-0
2013: 8-3, 4-2
2012: 7-5, 5-1
2011: 2-8, 2-4
2010: 3-7, 3-3

Northview’s Playoff Record Under Perez: (12-9)
2021: 5-1
2019: 0-1
2018: 2-1
2017: 0-1
2016: 1-1
2015: 1-1
2014: 2-1
2013: 0-1
2012: 1-1
2011: 0-0
2010: 0-0