Despite an 0-5 start, he’s Coach of the Year

Sacred Heart Cathedral coach Barry McLaughlin didn’t want to get ahead of himself. Especially when so far behind.

He thought that he had a playoff football team, but an 0-5 start might have suggested otherwise. Yet, somehow, he helped the Irish rebound to win eight of their next 10 games to take section and regional titles before corralling the 4-A state championship with a 48-29 win over Northview-Covina at Kezar Stadium.

Besides all the excitement and fanfare the unexpected crown brought, we have named McLaughlin as The Chronicle’s Coach of the Year. Online: To read an expanded version of this story, go to sfchronicle.com/sports

Considering the Irish were one of eight Bay Area teams to bring home titles — out of 15 the CIF handed out — singling out one coach wasn’t easy.

The other title-winning coaches — Michael Peters (McClymonds-Oakland, 3-A), Mazi Moayed (Marin CatholicKentfield, 4-AA), Dominic DiMare (San Marin-Novato, 5-AA), Mark Grieb (Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton, 5-A), Chad Nightingale (SalesianRichmond, 6-A) and Fred Velasquez (Balboa, 7-A) — were all terrific pulling their teams through personal hardships and the pings of the pandemic.

But none faced the true lows of 0-5 — Grieb (1-4) and Velasquez (0-3) were close — or the gantlet of the West Catholic Athletic League schedule. McLaughlin stayed upbeat and searched for answers. One was switching a fearless, athletic receiver-cornerback in RayJohn Spears to quarterback, and all seemed to click from there.

Here are more observations and unofficial awards from a truly triumphant 2021 Metro season:

In-season adjustment: Campolindo-Moraga’s Kevin Macy, in his 42nd season, called it a “miracle season.” Many believe it was his greatest coaching job. Considering he has won 252 games, six North Coast Section, two regional and two state titles, that’s high praise.

With a squad that sustained

early losses of 49-0 and 35-0, Macy made all the right calls to win seven straight, finish 10-4 and win the NCS Division 2 crown.

Quarterback central: It was a heck of a year to pick AllMetro quarterbacks. Casa Grande-Petaluma’s Jacob Porteous threw for an NCS singlegame record 647 yards in his debut en route to 3,700 passing yards. Menlo School-Atherton’s Sergio Beltran broke the single-season CCS record with 52 touchdown passes. Neither even made first-team QB. Game of the Year: A special season was guaranteed when St. Francis pulled off a 31-28 home win over De La SalleConcord on Sept. 10, the first win over the Spartans by a team from north of Fresno in 30 seasons, a span of 318 games.

“It was a good day to be a Lancer,” St. Francis coach Greg Calcagno said.

Sophomore of the Year: Charles Williams (Marin Catholic). Tough call here between WCAL Sophomore of the Year, cornerback Jabari Mann (Serra) and King’s Academy-Sunnyvale running back Jeadan Underwood (231 carries, 1,353 yards, 13 touchdowns).

But Williams was the prime ballcarrier for the Wildcats, averaging nearly 9 yards a carry and scoring nine TDs. He added 18 catches for four TDs, played nickel cornerback and was “electric” as a return man, said Moayed. Freshman of the Year: Hayden Anderson (Windsor). He had 50 catches for 998 yards and nine scores, earning firstteam All-League honors. He also had 37 tackles and four interceptions at safety.