Bradshaw Mountain fumbles away game in loss to O'Connor

<b>JOHN ROD RETURNS<b> - O’Connor head coach John Rodriguez returned to the sideline at Bob Pavlich Field at Bradshaw Mountain High School Friday night. Rodriguez’ tenure as Bears head coach from 1998-2000 may best be remembered as him being the head coach to take over after longtime boss Steve Moran left the program. Moran was the BMHS coach for 14 years (1984-97) and posted a school-record 84 wins.<br /><br /><!-- 1upcrlf2 -->The Bears struggled to an 0-10 finish in Rodriguez’ first year in 1998, but bounced back for a 4-5-1 record in 1999, when John Rod was The Daily Courier Area Coach of the Year.<br /><br /><!-- 1upcrlf2 -->In 2000, his last season in Prescott Valley, Rodriguez guided the Bears to a 2-8 hard-luck finish, which included three losses by three points or less.<br /><br /><!-- 1upcrlf2 -->In 2001, he left to become the head coach at his alma mater, Phoenix St. Mary’s, where he was an All-State quarterback for the Knights in 1981. Rodriguez’ three brothers were also St. Mary’s QBs, and his father was a lineman at the school in 1945.