Veteran assistant JC Clarke finds a home as Northwood’s head football coach

Northwood football head coach JC Clarke (left) with offensive line coach Zaverio Brenner after Saturday’s win. (Photo: OC Sports Zone, Tim Burt)

Northwood High School football coach JC Clarke wasn’t exactly sure what he was getting in when he took over as the Timberwolves head coach for the 2021 season.

The long-time assistant had never been a head coach at Northwood. But school officials needed Clarke, who had been a head coach at Long Beach Wilson 30 years ago, to bring some stability to a program that had numerous coaching changes.

Clarke, who a few years ago retired as a teacher at Northwood, appears to have done that with two CIF titles under his belt. The latest came Saturday night when Northwood defeated Lakewood 35-14 to win the Division 8 title.

Northwood won the Division 11 title last season, the first for the program.

It’s a pretty unique situation at Northwood.

Clarke is enjoying coaching with veteran coaches 80-year-old Zaverio Brenner, who coaches the offensive linemen, along with offensive coordinator Phil Roh. Roh, Mike Stewart and Dean Toohey, who are also assistants, all were head coaches at Northwood.

Clarke often credits his staff for the team’s success.

The veteran coaches get along well and seemed to have connected with their players.

Now, it’s on to the CIF Regional Bowl Game Friday near Bakersfield. Clarke noted that a 16-game season, which it would be if Northwood gets to the finals, is a long season and his wife had some trips planned. He had some reservations because of the length of the season.

“Sixteen games, I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” he said.

But he indicated the team, 13-1 overall, would accept the bid.

As for next year:

“We got a lot of linemen coming back, Ill be back,” Clarke said.

Clarke, who likes to joke around, added with a laugh.

“Unless the principal gets rid of me.”

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PHOTOS: Northwood captures CIF Division 8 title

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