Buena Park head coach Anthony White stands with players from last year’s team who playing in college, including those at Cal, Utah and Univ. of New Mexico. Photo: hometeamsonline.com.
If you’re looking for a school that’s trying and succeeding at erasing a losing past, then look no further than Buena Park. The Coyotes had suffered through some abysmal decades, especially the 1980s and 2000s, and then head coach Anthony White arrived. They’ve already won more games in one decade than in any other and there’s still four seasons left to complete.
Up next in this series: Pacific Grove. We’ve already done arch-rival Carmel plus longtime rival King City. We’ll see which one has the best all-time winning percentage. For more on the Cal-Hi Sports football archives project and how we can help your school, CLICK HERE. Note: One doesn’t have to be the football coach or AD to order this work. It can be presented to any school as a gift.
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After going through all of the scores for Buena Park High football since the first season in 1957, it’s frankly a little surprising that anyone connected to the school would want very much attention drawn into it.
On the other hand, the way in which the program has performed since 2010 – when current head coach Anthony White arrived – can be even more celebrated.
Jaylinn Hawkins signs letter of intent during ceremony at Buena Park last February. There should be another large group signing this February. Photo: hometeamsonline.com.
It wasn’t just that the Coyotes had gone 2-8 in the season before White came on board. They were 1-9 in 2008 and earlier in the decade had separate losing streaks of 15 and 17 games. And once the 17-game slide was ended, Buena Park then lost nine more in row.
There had been a smattering of success in some of the earlier years. There was a 7-2-1 season in 1963 and in 1991 the Coyotes had their longest win streak in school history (eight games) before a first-round CIF Southern Section playoff loss.
It wasn’t until 2001 when Buena Park even won a CIFSS playoff game. In that season, the Coyotes then followed up that win with two more before losing to Brea Olinda 45-14 in the CIFSS Division IX championship.
That is still the team’s only section title game appearance, and making it this year in the new CIFSS Division III bracket is still going to be difficult despite this year’s team not having to worry about longtime Freeway League nemesis La Habra (which will be in a higher division). There are just a lot of other very good teams that will be D3, including Hart of Newhall, Cathedral of Los Angeles, Palos Verdes of PV Estates and Edison of Huntington Beach.
While White, who played under Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer when he was the head coach at Utah, has turned around the Coyotes in a short time in terms of wins and losses, perhaps of even greater significance is the number of players who have signed Division I college scholarship offers and the number of those who are on track to do so.
At last February’s signing day celebration, all-state receiver Jaylinn Hawkins of the Coyotes inked his name with Cal, lineman Kevin Dixon went with Utah while receiver/defensive back William Latham picked New Mexico.
This year’s team, which has started out 2-0, may do even better. Six were on the list of the Orange County Register’s Top 35 for the Class of 2017, which by comparison is two more than Mater Dei of Santa Ana. The group includes WR Victor Bates, LB Cedric Dashiell, DB Elijah Gates, WR Jeremiah Hawkins, WR Taariq Johnson and OL Ryan Nelson.
Here are some other Buena Park football records that the school has been sent courtesy of this archive initiative:
WIN-LOSS RECORDS FOR EACH DECADE
1950s: 10-15-1
1960s: 40-43-8
1970s: 35-53-4
1980s: 28-69-2
1990s: 44-66-1
2000s: 30-73-1
2010s: 49-20-0
REPORTED ALL-TIME RECORD HEADING INTO 2016 SEASON:
236 WINS, 339 LOSSES, 17 TIES*
41.0 ALL-TIME WINNING PERCENTAGE
(Based on half-win, half-loss for tie)
Best Records For Single Season
11-2 – 2014
8-2-1 – 1991
10-3 – 2015
8-3 – 2011
Worst Records For Single Season
0-10 – 1985
0-10 – 1986
0-10 – 1995
0-10 – 2004
0-9 – 1970
0-9 – 2007
Records Against Notable Opponents
16-19 VS. Sonora (La Habra)
21-33-1 VS. Sunny Hills (Fullerton)
17-30-0 VS. Fullerton
14-32-4 VS. Troy (Fullerton)
13-36-4 VS. La Habra
Most Points Scored (Single Game)
75 VS. Orange 2015
74 VS. Cerritos 2012
70 VS. Western (Anaheim) 2014
66 VS. Magnolia (Anaheim) 2013
65 VS. Orange 2014
62 VS. La Quinta (Westminster) 2011
56 VS. La Quinta (Westminster) 2003
56 VS. Sonora (La Habra) 2015
55 VS. Sonora (La Habra) 1991
55 VS. Western (Anaheim) 2015
Most Lopsided Wins
74-0 VS. Cerritos 2012
70-3 VS. Western (Anaheim) 2014
65-0 VS. Orange 2014
62-0 VS. La Quinta (Westminster) 2011
56-0 VS. La Quinta (Westminster) 2003
75-20 VS. Orange 2015
54-0 VS. La Habra 1990
66-13 VS. Magnolia (Anaheim) 2013
50-0 VS. Santa Fe (Santa Fe Springs) 1990
50-0 VS. Bolsa Grande (Garden Grove) 2010
Most Points Allowed (Single Game)
75 VS. Tustin 2010
66 VS. Villa Park 2013
63 VS. Troy (Fullerton) 1986
63 VS. San Clemente 2015
63 VS. Fountain Valley 2007
62 VS. La Habra 2009
56 VS. La Habra 2007
56 VS. Fullerton 2007
55 VS. Foothill (Tustin) 2007
55 VS. Fullerton 2009
52 VS. La Habra 2004
52 VS. JSerra (San Juan Capistrano) 2013
Most Lopsided Losses
63-0 VS. Fountain Valley 2007
62-0 VS. La Habra 2009
63-7 VS. Troy (Fullerton) 1986
56-0 VS. La Habra 2007
56-0 VS. Fullerton 2007
75-20 VS. Tustin 2010
51-0 VS. La Habra 2005
55-6 VS. Foothill (Tustin) 2007
55-6 VS. Fullerton 2009
Longest Winning Streaks
8 – 1991 (won eight in row after 0-1 start, then tie)
7 – 1972-1973 (won last four, then next three)
*Note: Teams in 2014 and 2015 won 21 games, but no win streak longer than six.
Longest Losing Streaks
0-17 – 2006-2007 (lost last eight, then 0-9 season before winning first game in 2008, which was followed by nine more losses in a row)
0-16 – 1969-1970 (lost last seven, then 0-9 season before winning first game in 1971)
0-16 – 1984-1985 (lost last six, then 0-10 season, then tie in first game of 1986)*
*Note: After tie in 1986, Buena Park lost nine more in row and once to start 1987 for 0-26-1 winless streak.
Remember, any school in the state or a fan/supporter of any school in the state can have this research completed in a customized fashion in return for a reasonable fee. For details, CLICK HERE.
Stockton office assistant editor Paul Muyskens also contributed to this post. Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle: @CalHiSports
