by Garth Meyer
The 61st year of the South Bay Athletic Club luncheon speaker series began Sept. 5, featuring head football coaches Gifford Lindheim of El Camino College and Don Morrow of Mira Costa High School.
Gathered at H.T. Grill in Redondo Beach, organizer Mike Waldner, a former sports editor for the Daily Breeze, introduced Morrow as a three-sport Aviation High School graduate.
“What year?” someone called out.
“Go Falcons,” said another.
Morrow, Aviation class of 1979 (the school closed in 1982) is in the El Camino College Hall of Fame, and played at Cal State-Northridge. He has been head football coach at MCHS for 33 years, a chemistry teacher. Ray Lee, his defensive coordinator, has also served in his role for 33 years.
Their 2025 Mira Costa team, Morrow signaled, has strong potential.
“MCHS has had three epic teams. ‘93, ‘97 and ‘09. These guys have a chance to be another one,” he said.
The team has eight starters back on defense.
“We couldn’t be more excited about this group,” Morrow said. “Our two inside (line)backers may be the best pair that we’ve had: Joaquin Wagner-Bagues and Jackson Reach.”
“This team will probably have more guys play in college than any team we’ve had,” the coach said.
He described quarterback Liam Meeker as “flying under the radar,” and then gave a qualification for this year’s squad.
“Nobody’s ever played the schedule we are about to.”
He talked of A.J. McBean, a junior running back, with offers already from Sacramento State and San Diego State, Morrow predicting further interest to come.
“A concern, I should have mentioned, our offensive line; we have a very young offensive line,” he said.
Mira Costa opened the 2025 season with a 45-19 win over St. Francis, before a 31-0 shutout of Redondo Union at the Sea Hawk Bowl last Friday.
“The kids are always fit, they try so hard. I still love coaching. If you have this (situation), you can’t help but love doing it,” Morrow said. “We’ve been very consistent in our approach, the approach by staff and the kids.”
After the luncheon, Easy Reader asked Morrow what he thought of the situation at Bishop Montgomery High School, which announced the cancellation of its football season Sept. 4 and the firing of Head Coach Ed Hodgkiss, after an outside booster said he has paid parents of players to send their kids to the Torrance private school.
“I literally know nothing about it,” Morrow said.
Is there any broader significance to this, regarding South Bay high school football?
“As far as our league, we’ll keep going on as normal,” he said.
Has he heard of this in public schools, or just private?
“I’m not aware of it at public schools, I honestly have not heard of it before,” Morrow said. “I wish I had information. I don’t know anything about the situation.”
Gifford Lindheim, El Camino College head coach
“Can you name Whittier’s most famous football alum?” South Bay Athletic club organizer and M.C. Waldner called out first to the group of diners before introducing the El Camino coach.
“Richard Nixon,” someone said.
Correct, the former president was a backup tackle for Whittier High.
Gifford Lindheim is in his 10th year at El Camino College, ninth season. He said the junior college team is made up of 80 percent local players, noting he has a long list of former players on active four-year college and pro rosters.
“Seventy percent of my roster turns every year,” he said, of the junior college game. “We have a saying; it’s hard to change a kid in 18 months after 18 years.”
El Camino’s starting quarterback this year is a “bounceback” from Cal.
The team is ranked no. 3 in Southern California and No. 6 in the state for junior colleges.
The South Bay Athletic Club weekly speaker series runs from September to June, Fridays at 12 p.m. at H.T. Grill. ER
