Cattolico Resigns at PG, Crabtree at Sheldon

Pleasant Grove High School football coach Joe Cattolico submitted his resignation Tuesday after his Eagle football team went 7-5 on the season and was knocked out of the Sac-Joaquin Section's Division I playoffs in the quarterfinals.

Cattolico has been the school's only football coach arriving when the school opened in 2005. In seven varsity seasons, his team's have compiled a 67-22 mark, won the Section championship in 2010 and was the runner-up in D-I twice, in 2008 and 2011.

Known for his pure football style - strong running game and excellent defense - Cattolico called plays from both sides of the ball, limited his coaching staff to just a handful, never sent coaches into the press box, seldom called gadget plays and yearly made it his team's goal to win the league championship. Playoffs were just "bonus" games, he used to say.

He was quite successful taking four Delta River League titles in his seven years. His teams developed a rivalry with Folsom, this season's D-II champion. Each of the last six seasons the PG/Folsom game determined which team won the DRL championship. Joe's squads won four of those games.

Joe Cattolico won's be strolling the PG sidelines.
His destination for next season is up in the air.

There was no reason given by Cattolico or athletic director Jeff Caton as to why Cattolico offered his resignation Tuesday. Given his success at Pleasant Grove, there's no doubt lots of job offers will come his direction.

Crabtree Resigns Officially at Sheldon

Last season Josh Crabtree took a one-year leave-of-absence from the head football coaches' job at Sheldon because he wanted to spend time with his ailing father. Today, Crabtree made it official - he won't return to the Huskies' sideline.



The former offensive coordinator under Ed Lombardi who took over the heading coaching reigns when Lombardi retired in 2009 had a 9-12 record in two years.

Like Cattolico, it's very likely Crabtree will be a hot commodity for a coaching job somewhere in the area. He's always known for having a bright sense of humor and being an encourager as a coach.

It's unknown whether Herbie Berry, who was the interim head coach this fall at Sheldon, will be named Crabtree's replacement or not.

Kopa Signs With Eagles

Former Elk Grove offensive tackle Matt Kopa has signed with his fourth NFL team, the Philadelphia Eagles. The Stanford grad had spent all of 2011 and the first 14 weeks of 2012 on the practice squad of the New England Patriots.

Kopa father, Ron, wrote in an email that Matt simply wanted the opportunity to play. He'll definitely get that chance with the 3-9 Eagles.

Claudy Named SJS "Model Coach"

One of the main forces behind making boys' volleyball a sanctioned high school sport in the Section, Kingsley Claudy at Monterey Trail, was one of six coaches named Tuesday as a Model Coach. 

Claudy has coached boys and girls volleyball over the last 23 years at three different schools in the Sacramento and Elk Grove area. He’s currently the Monterey Trail boys and girls volleyball coach. He coached boys volleyball over the last 23 years at Monterey Trail and Florin, and he coached girls volleyball over the last 19 years at Valley, Florin and Monterey Trail. 

His teams have had loads of success, winning 10 league titles in boys volleyball and his girls volleyball teams have advanced to the Sac-Joaquin Section postseason for eight straight seasons. He’s been named his league’s boys coach of the year eight times and the girls coach of the year five times. He’s been a physical education teacher for the Elk Grove Unified School District for 30 years, and has been a Big Brothers/Big Sisters mentor for the last four years.  


 Each of the six model coaches will receive a plaque and a lifetime Sac-Joaquin Section pass at an awards breakfast on April 16, 2013 at Hutchins Street Square in Lodi.