Berry Out At Sheldon

Another coaching casualty of the fall season has occurred. Sheldon's Herbie Berry is out as head football coach at Sheldon.

After four seasons at the helm, the former Elk Grove and Stanford quarterback was 10-30, 2-8 this season including a 0-7 record in the Delta League.

Herbie Berry (left)

Berry, one of the real gentlemen amongst the local coaching fraternity, has been at Sheldon for almost all the school's 19 years.

He joins Valley's Dave Filan and Laguna Creek's Dave Morton on the sidelines. Filan resigned at mid-season citing family issues. Morton announced his retirement last week.

With Berry now out at Sheldon, the question is who will be in? Here are three really good suggestions:

1. Joe Cattolico

The former Pleasant Grove coach who was the head guy for the "other" football team at the stadium on the Shelton campus, could easily slide right in and feel comfortable.

His success at Pleasant Grove that includes a Sac-Joaquin Section championship and two runner-up finishes would be enough, but he's the kind of coach that would bring real stability, discipline and leadership that the athletes at Sheldon need. Plus, he's a great social science teacher.

He would make Sheldon a threat once again on the gridiron.

2. Josh Crabtree

Because of wanting to be with his ailing father four years ago, Crabtree stepped down from coaching football at Sheldon and Berry stepped in. After a year away from the sidelines, he returned to coaching and since has been an assistant on the staff at American River College.

Bringing Crabtree out of his classroom in the back pasture at Sheldon and back to leading up the football program would be a good decision. But, he may be having too much fun on the JUCO level.

3. Ryan Gomes

His energy coaching football is contagious and his hard work with athletes, as shown at both Laguna Creek where he was an assistant, and at Cosumnes Oaks as its first head coach, is evident of what he could do at Sheldon.

He, like Crabtree, has been coaching the last couple seasons at American River, but has kept his teaching job at C.O. Don't know if "Scooter" would want the Sheldon job, but he definitely has the experience and would be a great motivator.