ATHERTON — Mark Grieb, who led the San Jose SaberCats to three championships during his 13 seasons as a quarterback in the Arena Football League, is the new football coach at Sacred Heart Prep, the school announced Wednesday.
The Oak Grove High alum and former head coach at Menlo College replaces Pete Lavorato, who left for The King’s Academy last month after leading SHP to five Central Coast Section championships, including two in Open divisions, and two Northern California regional titles.
Grieb has been an assistant coach at the school the past two seasons.
“I am excited and honored to be named the football program director and varsity head coach at Sacred Heart Prep,” Grieb said in the school’s news release. “I am proud to continue my involvement with the football program in a new role that offers me the opportunity to have an even greater impact both on and off the field.
“As an assistant coach for the past two years, I have observed the exceptional support that comes from the community. I look forward to continue building Gator pride, sharing my vision for the program and beginning preparation for the 2017 football season! Go Gators!”
SHP won four consecutive CCS championships from 2012-15, including a victory over Bellarmine College Prep in 2014 to cap a 13-0 season. But the Gators, who had replace four-year starting quarterback Mason Randall, took a dip last fall, finishing 3-9.
“Mark is perfectly suited to lead us forward into the next phase of Sacred Heart Prep football,” Frank Rodriguez, SHP’s assistant principal-athletics, said in the school’s announcement. “His exceptional coaching experience, alignment with both the core values and the academic expectations of our school and the extremely positive connection he already has with the team and returning coaching staff set him apart from the rest of the excellent applicants we had for the position.
“We are very excited to have Coach Grieb at the helm, for what we hope are many, many seasons of Gator football!”
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