Tony Franks from St. Mary’s of Stockton has been a head coach at the high school he graduated from for 27 years. Photos: YouTube.com & Mark Tennis.
St. Mary’s of Stockton program leader for 27 years had a team in 2025 that knew how to come from behind to win playoff games and capped it off with its first CIF state title. He’s the first State Coach of the Year from Stockton since 1943 and he’s the sixth from the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section since 1980. St. Mary’s also won its 18th straight league title to move into a tie for second on an all-time state list.
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A few minutes after the St. Mary’s of Stockton football team had won a hard-fought contest over Serra of San Mateo for the CIF NorCal D2-AA title, the school’s girls basketball coach, Alle Moreno, was celebrating with others and called out very clearly, “Tony Franks, State Coach of the Year.”
It was met with smile and a comment of, “We’ll see.”
Well, it’s several weeks since that game and “we’ll see” has become “we’ll do.” The longtime leader of the St. Mary’s program has now been selected as the 2025 winner as State Coach of the Year.
Since the honor began to be given out in the late 1970s through media releases, at one time a newsletter, magazine and now on the internet, it’s always been just one coach covering all schools in the state. In the past 30 years, an additional small schools and medium schools coach of the year also has been spotlighted. Research conducted by late Cal-Hi Sports founder Nelson Tennis during the 1980s then enabled the State Coach of the Year honor to be extended with winners back to 1896. It’s also been a rule that a coach can only be State Coach of the Year once. And even with that rule, it’s still impossible to be able to provide the State Coach of the Year honor to all deserving candidates.
Tony Franks shares a hug with St. Mary’s athletic director Adam Lichter after team won the school’s first CIF state title in football. Photo: Mark Tennis.
“This is really, really meaningful,” Franks said on Wednesday afternoon when informed of the selection. “Thanks very much.”
“He represents everything that is right about high school football,” said St. Mary’s Director of Athletics Adam Lichter. “For 27 years, he has been relentlessly committed to the process of developing young men on and off the field by building character, teaching accountablity, and doing things the right way. This recognition as California State Coach of the Year is incredibly well deserved.”
Franks has become the sixth coach from the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section since 1980 to garner this statewide honor. The last was Kris Richardson of Folsom for 2017. The list includes Wayne Schneider of Tracy for 1982, who Franks worked with last summer as the head coach of the North team in the annual Lions All-Star Classic. In his 80s, Schneider still serves as one of the driving forces for that long-running all-star game.
Winning a CIF state title is not a prerequisite to be State Coach of the Year, but it sure helps and Franks did that at St. Mary’s after its 24-21 win over previously unbeaten Bakersfield Christian on December 12 at Saddleback College in the CIF D2-AA state championship. The state title coupled with the long history of success that the Rams have had with Tony on top is what became the difference.
“For a week after that game, our coaches would talk about a player who made a play that if he hadn’t made that play that we wouldn’t have done what we did,” Franks said. “It kept growing as name after name was added. It was one guy after another. Even the unsung heroes had a major part of it.”
The Rams have had their chances to win a CIF state title or to reach a CIF state final several times over the years. They lost in the D2 final in 2009 (before competitive equity divisions and before every section champion was guaranteed a regional game) to Cathedral Catholic of San Diego and lost to the Dons in overtime in 2016 in a D1AA final. This was the first state title for the Rams and Franks, who was greeted not long after the win vs Bakersfield Christian by Cathedral Catholic head coach Sean Doyle despite Doyle getting his team ready for the next game that night vs Folsom. As documented during the 2009 game, Franks and Doyle were once on the same coaching staff at UC Davis and have remained very good friends.
Head coach Sean Doyle from Cathedral Catholic of San Diego (left) and Tony Franks have been friends for many years and greeted each other after the St. Mary’s CIF state title win and before Doyle’s team played Folsom (and before the fog came in). Photo: Mark Tennis.
After roaring the Tri-City Athletic League schedule with a 5-0 record, St. Mary’s began the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section D2 playoffs as the No. 4 seed. Since the only two losses in the regular season were to higher ranked Oak Ridge (SJS D1) and De La Salle of Concord (went to the Open Division state final), the Rams probably should have been higher seeded, but they also almost lost in the very first playoff game to Jesuit of Carmichael.
Jesuit had a 31-15 lead at halftime of that first playoff game and still led going to the fourth quarter, but the Rams made the big plays they needed in the final minutes for a 64-55 win. That set up a semifinal matchup vs Manteca, which came in as the top seed and was 11-0. It led 14-7 going to the fourth quarter. St. Mary’s scored on a 1-yard run by QB Jaden Galvan, but missed on a two-point conversion. Trailing by one, the defense got the back for the offense and then with three minutes left Galvan hit on a 55-yard TD pass to Jeremy Krause for the go-ahead score in a 19-14 win. Then came the section final vs second seed Granite Bay. It wasn’t as dramatic at the end, but the Grizzlies were ahead 24-7 in the second quarter only to see Franks’ team dominate the rest of the way for a 38-24 triumph.
“We just couldn’t stop Jesuit in that first game,” Franks recalled. “But we got it closer and at one point I thought, ‘We can win this.’ That game defined our playoff run. We knew that if we could do that, we can beat anybody.”
In the CIF NorCal D2-AA final vs Serra, the Padres had a 17-14 lead going to the fourth quarter and took a 24-23 lead with 2:41 left in the game before St. Mary’s scored on a 2-yard run by Diego Hernandez in the final minute and the defense held on for a 31-24 win.
It was even more dramatic in the state final. It appeared the Rams were going to win in the final minutes on a converted first down pass but the receiver didn’t fall down and instead was hit and fumbled giving Bakersfield Christian a chance to win or tie in the closing seconds. After three plays inside the 10-yard line didn’t get a touchdown, the Eagles were forced to go for the game-tying field goal from the 5-yard line. Perhaps because an earlier field goal attempt had been blocked, the kick was no good. St. Mary’s had won its first CIF state title, 24-21. The team’s final record stood at 13-2 and its final overall state ranking (in our own system) was No. 21 (still behind Oak Ridge).
Franks said on Wednesday that the missed field goal coming from 22 yards out held special meaning.
St. Mary’s of Stockton head coach Tony Franks (right) poses with former Ram and NFL rushing champion Doug Martin. RIP to Doug. Photo: @SMRamsFB / Twitter.com.
“Do you know who wore 22 for us?” he asked. “That was Doug Martin’s number (the former St. Mary’s player and two-time all-pro NFL running back who died at just 36 years of age in October). He still holds an incredible place in all of our hearts. With this team this season, the football gods seemed to be lining up in our favor.”
That kind of persistance and toughness rubbed off on Franks himself from his grandfather, the late Fred Feary, who was a bronze medalist in boxing in the 1932 Olympics and then survived in World War II after being shot in the neck and presumed dead. As Franks has said, he may not be here if an orderly walking inside the hold of a ship had not seen a body bag twitch in which his grandfather was in. Feary had to learn how to walk again after the war and became a photographer with the Stockton Record until he retired.
Franks completed his 27th season at St. Mary’s, which began in 1984 for three seasons and then continued from 2002 until the current season after he spent time on college jobs. He won his 200th game in 2021 and with the win over Bakersfield Christian pushed his career record to 248-77-2, which is one of the top win totals in SJS history. He’s only had two losing seasons. Tony also has eight section title game appearances, four section titles plus a current league winning streak of 61 games since 2013, which is ninth longest in state history and third longest currently. The Rams also won their 18th straight league title this season, which is now tied for second in state history with Palma of Salinas (18 in a row from 1984 to 2001) and only trails De La Salle’s current streak of 28 in a row.
While St. Mary’s became the first team from the city of Stockton to win a CIF state football title, Franks is not the first State Coach of the Year from the city. He joins 1943 winner Larry Siemering of Stockton High (now closed). The Tarzans were 10-0 that season (no state playoffs then obviously) and Siemering is regarded as a coaching legend not just for what he did at Stockton High, but also at the University of Pacific. In fact, after serving as an assistant at UOP under the even more legendary Amos Alonzo Stagg, Siemering was the next coach of the Tigers after Stagg retired in 1947. He had a 35-5-3 record at UOP until 1951 when he became head coach at Arizona State.
Franks also credits his own head coach, Duane Isetti, when he played at St. Mary’s himself.
“Not just for my life but for many others he was just a great example of doing it with humility and a respect for others,” said the Class of 1976 grad. “He was also a great coach of Xs and Os.”
Like many state coaches of the year, Franks has had a number of longtime assistant coaches. Offensive coordinator Doug Carruesco has been calling the plays for a number of years. Tony’s longtime defensive coordinator, Dave Tipton, retired a few years ago, but Blake Eagal has stepped up into that role and this year he had that added pleasure of coaching his son, Mason, as a starting safety. Mason also went 56-of-60 on PATs and was 3-for-3 on field goals.
Since the CIF state title game win, the spoils have included a recognition of the team at a Stockton City Council meeting and last Sunday the team was recognized by the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium prior to the 49ers playing and eventually beating the Chicago Bears with an end zone stop by the defense on the last play of the game.
“I was getting a lot of texts after that game that it was like one of our games at St. Mary’s,” Franks said.
And if the 49ers go on to win more games in similar fashion, perhaps Kyle Shanahan should be a Coach of the Year as well.
Cal-Hi Sports State Coach of the Year
All-Time Honor Roll
(All selections by CalHiSports.com)
(*2020 season delayed until spring 2021 due to worldwide pandemic)
(Based on research by the late Nelson Tennis, our founder, prior to 1979)
Raul Lara was the 2024 State Coach of the Year for Mater Dei, but had a lot of success at other schools before that. Photo: @MDFootball / Twitter.com.
2025 — Tony Franks (St. Mary’s, Stockton) 13-2
2024 — Raul Lara (Mater Dei, Santa Ana) 13-0
2023 — Floyd Burnsed (Lafayette Acalanes) 11-4
2022 — Bryan Nixon (Bakersfield Liberty) 13-2
2021 — Marlon Gardinera
(Scripps Ranch, San Diego) 12-1
2020 — Patrick Walsh (Serra, San Mateo) 5-0*
2019 — Jason Negro
(St. John Bosco, Bellflower) 13-1
2018 — Michael Peters
(McClymonds, Oakland) 12-2
2017 — Kris Richardson (Folsom) 16-0
2016 — Dave White
(Edison, Huntington Beach) 13-2
2015 — Mike Janda (Bellarmine, San Jose) 13-2
2014 — Kurt Bruich (Redlands East Valley) 15-1
2013 — Ed Croson (Chaminade, West Hills) 14-2
2012 — Ernie Cooper (Granite Bay) 13-3
2011 — Mike Papadopoulos (Vacaville) 13-1
2010 — Earl Hansen (Palo Alto) 14-0
2009 — Jim Benkert (Westlake, Westl. Vill.) 14-0
2008 — Mike Alberghini (Grant, Sac.) 14-0
2007 — Ed Buller (Oak Grove, San Jose) 12-1
2006 — Bob McAllister (Carlsbad) 10-0-2
2005 — Harry Welch (Canyon, Canyon Country) 13-1
2004 — Matt Logan (Centennial, Corona) 13-1
2003 — Steve Grady (Loyola, Los Angeles) 11-3
2002 — Kevin Rooney (Notre Dame, Sherman Oaks) 14-0
2001 — Bob Johnson (Mission Viejo) 14-0
2000 — Jerry Jaso (Poly, Long Beach) 14-0
1999 — Mike Herrington (Hart, Newhall) 14-0
1998 — Randy Blankenship (Clovis West, Fresno) 12-1
1997 — John Beam (Skyline, Oakland) 12-0
1996 — Dave Silveira (Alhambra, Martinez) 13-0
1995 — Larry Welsh (Atascadero) 14-0
1994 — Bruce Rollinson (Mater Dei, Santa Ana) 14-0
1993 — John Barnes (Los Alamitos) 14-0
1992 — Mark Paredes (Bishop Amat, La Puente) 15-0
1991 — Herb Meyer (El Camino, Oceanside) 13-1
1990 — Pat Preston (Bakersfield) 13-0
1989 — Dick Bruich (Fontana) 14-0
1988 — Norm Dow (Live Oak, Morgan Hill) 11-0-1
1987 — Bennie Edens (Point Loma, San Diego) 13-0
1986 — Bob Ladouceur (De La Salle, Concord) 12-0
1985 — Charlie Wedemeyer (Los Gatos) 13-1
1984 — Tim Simons (Clovis) 12-0-1
1983 — Ron Calcagno (St. Francis, Mountain View) 13-0
1982 — Wayne Schneider (Tracy) 12-1
1981 — Marijon Ancich (St. Paul, Santa Fe Springs) 14-0
1980 — Bill Workman (Edison, Huntington Beach) 14-0
1979 — Ron Lancaster (Cordova, Rancho Cordova) 13-0
1978 — Jerry Deuker (Pinole Valley, Pinole) 11-1
1977 — Chris Ferragamo (Banning, Wilmington) 11-1-1
1976 — Benny Pierce (Saratoga) 13-0
1975 — Ed Lloyd (Cardinal Newman, Santa Rosa) 12-0
1974 — Dick Haines (Vista) 13-0
1973 — Dwayne DeSpain (Los Altos, Hacienda Heights) 12-0-1
1972 — Bob Hitchcock (Temple City) 13-0
1971 — Gene Vollnogle (Carson) 12-0
1970 — Jack Neumeier (Granada Hills) 11-1
1969 — Forrest Klein (Alameda) 9-0
1968 — Tom Burt (Los Altos) 9-0
1967 — Clare Van Hoorebeke (Anaheim) 12-1
1966 — Ernie Johnson (El Rancho, Pico Rivera) 13-0
1965 — Dick Coury (Mater Dei, Santa Ana) 12-0-1
1964 — John Hanna (Bellarmine, San Jose) 10-0
1963 — Paul Briggs (Bakersfield) 9-0
1962 — Bob Berry (Willow Glen, San Jose) 9-0
1961 — Joe Marvin (Sequoia, Redwood City) 9-0
1960 — Sam Cathcart (Santa Barbara) 11-1
1959 — Dave Levy (Long Beach Poly) 11-0
1958 — Paul Huebner (Banning, Wilmington) 11-0
1957 — Johnny Johnson (Oroville) 9-0
1956 — Dick Hill (Downey) 12-0-1
1955 — Duane Maley (San Diego) 11-0-1
1954 — Aaron Wade (Centennial, Compton) 10-1-1
1953 — Milt Axt (Poly, San Francisco) 10-0
1952 — Fred Moffett (Berkeley) 9-0
1951 — Hod Ray (Palo Alto) 8-0
1950 — Ernie Busch (Merced) 11-0
1949 — Bob Patterson (Vallejo) 10-0
1948 — Harry Edelson (Fremont, Los Angeles) 9-0-1
1947 — Jim Sutherland (Santa Monica) 12-0
1946 — George Hobbs (Alhambra) 12-0
1945 — Colon Kilby (Vallejo) 10-0
1944 — Bert LaBrucherie (Los Angeles) 7-0
1943 — Larry Siemering (Stockton) 10-0
1942 — Brick Johnson (Piedmont) 7-0
1941 — Roy Richert (Castlemont, Oakland) 5-0-1
1940 — Clarence Schutte (Santa Barbara) 9-1
1939 — Palmer Muhl (Woodland) 8-0
1938 — Ras Johnson (Galileo, San Francisco) 8-0-1
1937 — Jim Blewett (Manual Arts, Los Angeles) 8-0
1936 — Harlan Lee (Red Bluff) 7-0-1
1935 — Paul Hungerford (Poly, San Francisco) 9-0
1934 — Orian Landreth (Long Beach Poly, Long Beach) 12-1
1933 — Dick Arnett (Inglewood) 8-2-1
1932 — Harry Shipkey (Salinas) 11-0
1931 — Tex Oliver (Santa Ana) 13-0
1930 — John Price (Bonita, La Verne) 10-0
1929 — Lourence Janssen (Sacramento) 9-0
1928 — Paul Perrin (Lodi) 9-0
1927 — Mike Voyne (San Francisco Lowell) 13-0
1926 — Brick Mitchell (San Mateo) 9-1-1
1925 — Wallace Newman (Covina) 12-1
1924 — Jimmy Hole (Berkeley) 11-0
1923 — Dave Cox (San Francisco Polytechnic) 11-0
1922 — Dwight “Goldie” Griffith (Bakersfield) 10-0-1
1921 — Thomas Kennedy (Santa Clara Prep) 7-0
1920 — Freddie Rodgers (Salinas) 5-0
List continues back to 1896 in CalHiSports.com State Record Book & Almanac.
Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle: @CalHiSports
