Blackburn Named Coach at Alemany

Alemany High hired Pat Blackburn as its new football coach Wednesday, and the school’s principal, Father Michael Nocita, gave the former Montclair Prep coach a clear mandate.

“I’d love to see a football dynasty at Alemany and I don’t see any reason why that can’t happen,” said Nocita, who came to Alemany from Paraclete High in Lancaster at the start of the school year. “Pat Blackburn is the guy who can make it happen.”

Blackburn, who also will teach at Alemany next fall, accepted that challenge but set more modest immediate goals.

“Absolutely, those are my goals, but you can’t turn a program around overnight. My first goal is to get to the playoffs and contend for the Del Rey League title,” he said.

Alemany was winless in league play last season, and the team’s 3-5-2 record prompted the firing of Enrique Lopez in January. Lopez was 17-22-2 in four seasons and the team had not made the playoffs since 1985.

Nocita chose Blackburn over three other finalists: Rick Herrington, the Hart sophomore coach; Mark Lovett, a Cal State Northridge assistant; and Mike Noonan, an Alemany assistant.

Blackburn compiled a 12-9 record in two seasons at Montclair Prep. He was Alemany’s defensive coordinator in 1985 when the team was 8-3.

“We liked his success and his contemporary approach to high school football, but there is an implicit commitment for Pat to stay at the school for a long term,” Nocita said. “He’s a Catholic coach who understands the Catholic school philosophy. Our school exists to develop the whole person.

“We look to develop a lifelong value system in keeping with our philosophy and Pat understands that.”