Next fall, for the first time in 12 years, a new athletic director will walk the halls of Mt. Carmel High.

Dennis McClanahan, who helped open the school in 1973, said he's planning to retire as a teacher and athletic director.

“I won't deny it,” said McClanahan, 59.

There has been no official word from Mt. Carmel on McClanahan, who will become an assistant coach for cross country and track.

“When you look back, you always have to take the best and the worst,” McClanahan said. “The best is you always enjoy the neat things that happen to your teams and your coaches. You watch them succeed and the kids succeed. It doesn't really matter whether it's tennis or softball or swimming or gymnastics. It's Mt. Carmel kids and coaches being successful.

“That's what you are there for, to run a good and honest program, and one that has integrity, and you want to see your kids be successful. We're in a great year right now.”

McClanahan, a teacher for 36 years, has taught honors U.S. history, special education, physical education and geography at Mt. Carmel.

USC football

Torrey Pines High grad Cooper Stephenson has received a football scholarship from the University of Southern California after two years with the Trojans as a walk-on and practice-squad player.

The 6-foot-3-inch, 220-pound Stephenson, who was listed as the fourth tight end on the Trojans depth chart, impressed coach Pete Carroll during spring football and is expected to handle the long-snapping duties.

Stephenson, one of two walk-ons granted scholarships, was an All-San Diego Section defender for Torrey Pines in 2005.

Volleyball coaches

San Diego Mesa College has tabbed two local high school coaches to guide its men's volleyball program.

John Landicho, an assistant with the Francis Parker boys and girls teams, will take over the Olympians squad. He will be assisted by former San Pasqual head coach Matt Wilkinson.

Landicho, who has been at Francis Parker since 1998, will continue to assist with the Lancers girls program. He has helped the school in Linda Vista to multiple state championships and section titles. Wilkinson led the Eagles to three section championships.

Softball champion

Palomar College transfer Ginalee Davis helped lead Lubbock Christian University, in its first season fielding a softball team, to the NAIA national championship last week.

Davis, a graduate of Carlsbad High, slugged two home runs on the final day of the national tournament in Decatur, Ala. The Lady Chaps came out of the losers bracket to down the University of Mobile 4-3 and 2-1.

Davis, who plays second base and bats cleanup, went 11 for 36 in the national tournament as Lubbock won nine of 10 games.

Lacrosse

Three North County high school graduates were involved in this week's NCAA men's lacrosse national championship.

Rancho Bernardo's Matt Drenan is a defenseman for runner-up Johns Hopkins. La Costa Canyon's Sean McGonigle and Westview's Joe Coulter play for Syracuse, which earned the title with a 13-10 triumph.

Francis Parker's Max Wygod plays for Duke, which lost to Johns Hopkins 10-9 in the semifinals.

The next step

High school athletes continuing their careers in college:

BOYS TRACK: Monte Vista's David Spates, California State University Fullerton.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: Santa Fe Christian's Faith Steinwedell, Mississippi State; Santa Fe Christian's Chelsea Oemcke, Montana State.

BASEBALL: St. Augustine's Colin Hofmann, University of Southern California; Patrick Henry's Ryan Livingstone, Division III Chapman; Fallbrook's Sonny Hughey, NAIA Hastings.

BOYS SOCCER: West Hills' Andrew MacKenzie, Division III U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

FOOTBALL: Lincoln's Edlen Hernandez, Division II New Mexico Highlands.

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