(Tim Visser/timvisserphotography.com)
Highlands Ranch football went through an unexpected coaching change just prior to the season last week.
The Falcons’ Mark Robinson accepted a new job on Friday, according to Highlands Ranch athletic director Preston Davis. Passing game coordinator and receivers coach David May has been named interim coach for the rest of the season.
May led the team to a 53-7 win over Smoky Hill on Saturday afternoon.
“It was a career opportunity with a life-long friend that (Robinson) just couldn’t pass up,” Davis said on Monday afternoon.
Davis said it wasn’t a coaching job, and that “there’s no hard feelings either way.”
“We appreciate what Mark’s done, obviously, and we do respect what he wants to do,” Davis said. “It’s not great timing, but that’s life. Sometimes life gives you a curve, and you’ve got to adjust to it.”
May is a physical education teacher at the school, and has been on staff for four years.
“Everybody seemed to rally around that decision,” Davis said. “We’re going to do our best not to miss a beat and move forward.
The Falcon players rallied around their new coach.
“When we said coach May was going to be the interim, right away, they were excited: ‘Alright, coach! You’ve got your shot!'” Davis said. “They went up to him and gave him some hugs, which was great to see.”
Robinson joined Highlands Ranch before the 2013 season. He had been at Lakewood before that, and led the Tigers to the 2011 Class 5A championship game.
Highlands Ranch is ranked No. 9 in Class 5A. The Eagles face Cherokee Trail on Friday.