By: Javon Harris, Sports Editor
Rangeview students and staff are in shock as veteran football coach Dave Gonzales is fired after 12 memorable seasons as head coach.
Winning 5 league championships in a row and title of 5A South Metro League Coach of the year, Gonzales built up a great resume as a Head Coach here at Rangeview and even better relationships with some of the players.
Junior star Receiver Elijah Reed is one player who has known Coach Gonzales for four years now and says it’s “shocking to hear such news like that,” said Reed. “I mean it’s going to be interesting next year, we have to build the team on our chemistry from recent years.”
“Coach Gonzales is a good coach,” said senior defensive captain Kane Vigil who transferred to Rangeview from Cherokee Trail in 2013. “He saw my talent and took advantage of it. I do believe that I was treated better here at Rangeview and part of that was because of Coach Gonzales.”
With the sudden firing, many Rangeview students turn their questions to Principal Ron Fay, who declined to comment on the recent news. Other students turn their questions to Athletic Director Vic Strouse who added that “we wanted to take the team in a different direction.”
Gonzales led the Raiders to undefeated league records for five years straight, which has been going since September 2009, but despite all of the regular season success for Gonzales, the 5A state playoffs record isn’t as overwhelming.
Since taking the head coaching position in 2004, Gonzales has led the Raider football team to the state playoffs 11 times but he only has two wins out of the 11 appearances, thus making his record in the playoffs 2-9.
Some Major traditions that Gonzales helped create is the annual Anvil game against Gateway High School, in which the Raiders have won for six straight years, and the annual “Hog Wars” strength competition.
Leaving such a huge legacy on the Rangeview football community will be sure to have a lasting effect, but his coaching years at Rangeview still remain present in another sport: track. Gonzales will still remain the varsity Track coach for the Rangeview Raiders this upcoming season, sources said.
