Vollnogle Ready to Face His Former Team : Football: Long-time Carson coach is now an assistant at Los Alamitos, which plays the Colts tonight.

Gene Vollnogle maneuvered through a throng of well-wishers as the clock wound down, stopping every few feet to accept handshakes, congratulatory slaps on the back and heartfelt hugs.

Vollnogle, Carson High’s venerable football coach, had just led the Colts to the 1990 City Section 4-A Division championship with a 37-16 victory over archrival Wilmington Banning at El Camino College in Torrance. The greatest reign in state high school football history closed fittingly as Vollnogle slowly walked off the field with the Colts.

Tonight he takes the field against them.

Now a Los Alamitos assistant, the retired Vollnogle--No. 1 on the state’s all-time victory list--will try to help the Griffins beat Carson in a 7 p.m. game at Long Beach Veterans Stadium. After three decades spent teaching Carson’s players to win, he’s hoping they won’t tonight.

“It’s a little bit more than just another game for me,” Vollnogle said. “I did spend 28 years there, and I still know the coaches, a lot of people in the community and a lot of the teachers over there.

“But we are out there to beat them. In that respect, when it comes down to the football part, it’s just another game.”

Vollnogle’s involvement with Los Alamitos started because of a gathering about X’s and O’s.

Griffin Coach John Barnes and Vollnogle attended a coaching clinic in San Diego in 1988. They spoke at the clinic’s conclusion and Vollnogle casually mentioned he might like to help coach lower-level football at Los Alamitos when he retired after the 1990 season. Vollnogle and his wife of 43 years, Lucile, are longtime Los Alamitos residents and their children are Griffin alumni.

“I called him one day after the football season (in 1990),” said Barnes, who asked, “ ‘Are you ready to put your money where your mouth is?’ ”

Indecisiveness is not a Vollnogle trait.

Vollnogle, 63, has coached the Griffin junior varsity since 1991. He has worked with receivers and offensive linemen as a varsity assistant.

Barnes said the scheduling of the game has nothing to do with Vollnogle. Both schools have powerful programs, which creates problems finding willing nonleague opponents. Barnes thought the game would be good for Los Alamitos. Vollnogle’s involvement, however, just makes it more special, Barnes said.

“This has really worked out great,” Barnes said. “He wanted to gear down and we needed a great guy. We have the perfect guy who can coach.”

In 38 years as a head coach (28 at Carson and 10 at Banning), Vollnogle’s record is 289-73-1. He won the major City Section title eight times at Carson and twice at Banning, a section record.

Along the way, scores of Vollnogle’s former players received Division I scholarships and professional football contracts.

“Whenever people ask me about Coach Vollnogle, I always say he’s the most important person in my football life,” said Atlanta Falcon rookie quarterback Perry Klein, who helped guide Carson to the 1988 4-A Division championship.

“He’s the best person I’ve ever been involved with in football. He’s the best guy and the best coach.”

Likewise, BYU All-American quarterback John Walsh can’t praise Vollnogle enough.

“Gene is the greatest coach I’ve ever played under,” said Walsh, who led Carson to the 1990 4-A Division title. “There’s no doubt in my mind he’s the greatest (high school) coach ever in California.”

Vollnogle is still revered at Carson, too.

“The feeling on campus is that we’re going against the master,” Carson Principal Dhyan Lal said. “People aren’t even thinking about the head coach over there; we’re playing Gene Vollnogle.

“He’s a legend.”

Although Vollnogle is an integral member of the Griffins’ staff, he does miss being the head coach--sometimes.

“There is a lot of difference in the time commitment,” he said. “I’m not so intense as far as watching film. I used to take film home during the week and study it, but I don’t anymore.

“I also don’t miss the eligibility problems and checking on kids to make sure they’re going to class. The only thing I miss a little is calling plays. I do get to do that during the (junior varsity) games, so it’s not so bad.”

The Carson football program became unstable after the departure of its all-time play-caller.

Carson has had three coaches since 1990. Like other successful programs, the supporters always want more. Pressure from the community created rough moments for each new coach.

“I’m disappointed in all the turmoil that’s happened over there,” Vollnogle said. “I know all the coaches and I know how hard they’ve all worked; how dedicated they are. I’m sorry things worked out the way they did.”

Things seem to have improved.

The Colts won the 4-A championship last season under first-year Coach David Williams. The Colts (0-2) have started slowly, but this follows a trend. They also opened last season with consecutive losses.

“I don’t know if anybody plays a tougher schedule,” Vollnogle said. “I think they’ll be fine.”

And Vollnogle is doing OK, too.

He’s in excellent shape, bursting with enthusiasm and plans to be a part of Los Alamitos football for a long time. Besides, that’s the way Lucile wants it.

“He doesn’t play golf and he doesn’t fish,” Lucile said, “so this is the only way I get him out of the house.”

CARSON VS. LOS ALAMITOS

Featured Game

When: 7 tonight

Where: Long Beach Veterans Stadium

Records: Carson (0-2); Los Alamitos (2-0)

Rankings: Los Alamitos No. 1

Noteworthy: Carson, the defending City Section Division 4-A champion, lost to La Puente Bishop Amat, 34-7, and San Diego Morse, 33-6.