Western’s Dan Davidson and Mission Viejo’s Chad Johnson named all-star football coaches

Dan Davidson will be the coach of the South all-star team. (File photo Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone).

The coaches for the 61st annual Orange County North-South All-Star Classic on Saturday, Jan. 25 were announced on Tuesday by Costa Mesa United officials, sponsors of the game.

Western Coach Dan Davidson will coach the North team while Mission Viejo Coach Chad Johnson will coach the South squad.

Costa Mesa United has managed the game since 2017.

Davidson led Western to a 9-2 record this year, following a historic 2018 campaign, in which he was named Orange County Coach of the Year by the Orange County Register. 

Davidson has turned the Pioneers’ program around as the team ended 1-9 in 2014, his first year at the helm, then improved to 2-8 in 2015, 2-7-1 in 2016 and 4-6 in 2017. In 2018, the Anaheim school finished 12-3, earned a share of the Pac 4 League championship and captured the school’s first CIF title in the Division 11 playoffs. The Pioneers defeated Peninsula of Rolling Hills Estates in the CIF championship game 49-21. 

Johnson guided Mission Viejo to its 24^th South Coast League championship this year as the school finished 11-1 and ranked No. 2 in the final Orange County Register poll behind Mater Dei, which handed the Diablos their only loss in the CIF Division 1 semifinals.

It was Johnson’s second year as head coach at Mission Viejo, but 19^th year of coaching football. Prior to taking over the Diablos’ program in 2018, Johnson served as offensive coordinator at St. John Bosco and Trabuco Hills. In his 12 years calling the offense, Johnson’s teams reached the CIF quarterfinals 11 times, the semifinals nine times, a CIF championship game seven times, won two state championships and one national championship.

Rosters for the game will be announced in a few weeks.