Marina High Football Coach Asked to Resign

Mark Rehling said Tuesday he has been asked to resign as football coach at Marina High by the school’s administrators.

Rehling, 46, said he felt “utter heartbreak and disappointment” upon hearing the news. He said administrators told him the school made its decision “for the program’s continued success” and it had nothing to do with any on- or off-field actions by coaches or players.

“Mark’s done a good job in bringing our program along,” Marina Athletic Director Paul Renfrow said. “There was nothing out of line about Mark or inappropriate how he conducted himself.

“All I can say is that it was a desire by the administration to change the direction of the program.”

Marina finished 5-5-1 last season, losing in the first round of the Southern Section Division I playoffs to Rialto Eisenhower, 30-13. The Vikings had a shot at the Sunset League title until a 28-12 loss to Los Alamitos in the final league game.

“It was a total surprise,” said quarterback Beau Brown. “We had a really good season last year but I guess [the administration] felt the program needed a change and the only way to do it was with a coaching change. It’s hard because he’s such a great guy.”

M.J. Ansel, a senior all-county lineman who signed with Boise State, was also surprised by the news.

“He put his heart in it,” Ansel said. “Things didn’t work out, but it wasn’t because of lack of effort. He tried his hardest and he is a good man.”

* Ray Ohrel, a running back and receiver on the Orange Coast College football team last season, is one of four Pirates to commit to four-year schools, Coach Mike Taylor said.

Ohrel, from Newport Harbor High, plans to join former OCC quarterback Jared Flint (Irvine High) at Hawaii.

Ohrel split time between running back and receiver for the Pirates. He caught a school single-season record of 63 passes for 733 yards and five touchdowns as a sophomore. He also rushed for 336 yards and threw a touchdown pass.

Bobby Johnson, a first-team All-Orange Empire Conference selection at free safety, has committed to Buffalo, which played its first Division I-A season last year. Johnson, a graduate of Trabuco Hills High, led OCC in tackles (98) last season and was a first-team academic All-American.