Doug Euper not returning as Northwood’s varsity baseball coach, school officials announce

Doug Euper talks to his Northwood baseball team after a win over Beckman in March. (Photo: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).

Doug Euper will not be returning as head coach of the Northwood High School baseball team, co-athletic director Brandon Emery announced Monday in a statement.

Emery did not provide specific details for the change. Euper was acting coach for one year before guiding the team the last two seasons.

“We did decide to move in a different direction for our baseball coach,” Emery said in the statement. “We have hired a new coach, Josh Keithly, as our new coach.”

Northwood was 18-12 overall and finished in second place to Woodbridge with a 13-8 record in the Pacific Coast League this past season. The Timberwolves won nine games in a row at one point. Northwood defeated St. Bonaventure 7-0 before losing to eventual CIF Division 4 champion Canyon 3-0 in the second round of the CIF playoffs.

“I was planning on coming back and coaching Northwood for one more season but they informed me they wanted to go in another direction,” Euper told OC Sports Zone Monday.

“I loved those kids and was treated very well by them and their parents. I’ve never been around a better group of kids and families, I appreciate all they did for me in my time there. I’ll miss not getting to coach this group but wish the new coach the best of luck moving forward. I’ll coach again in the right situation but have no plans right now, other than being dad to my boys.”

Euper, who was a walk-on at Northwood, is a full-time teacher at Bolsa Grande High School.

Euper was named the TImberwolves’ coach in June 2021, taking over for Rob Stuart, who resigned after 21 seasons. Euper was the acting coach for most of the 2021 season.

In 2022, Northwood was 14-16 overall and 10-8 in league play and advanced to the CIF playoffs. Northwood defeated Brea Olinda 6-3 in the opening round before losing to Nogales 7-6 in eight innings in the second round.

Euper had the opportunity to coach both of his sons at Northwood.

Euper’s oldest son, Cal, was a pitcher and outfielder on the 2022 team and is now playing for College of Idaho. His youngest son, Casey, a pitcher and an outfielder, was a junior this past season and plans to return to Northwood for his senior year, Doug Euper said.

Keithly. the new coach, has been the assistant varsity coach for Saddleback Valley Christian High School and currently is the head personal instructor and coach for the Saddleback Vigilantes, according to Emery.

“We would like to congratulate and welcome Coach Josh Keithly to our coaching staff,” Northwood officials said in a letter to the baseball parents. “Coach Keithly has an extensive career as he played collegiate baseball at Pacific University Oregon where he played in and won the 2014 NBC Summer Collegiate World Series with the Arvada Colts.”

—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com