TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona is just three weeks away from the start of the high school football season for big schools (4A, 5A and 6A) and there is now trouble brewing for one East Valley school.
According to a letter to parents from school officials tweeted out by the East Valley Tribune's Zach Alvira, Corna del Sol High School football head coach Jake Barro has been placed on paid administrative leave.
The school did not give a reason for the move but said they did conduct an investigation.
Junior Varsity head coach Sean Thornton will take over the team for the foreseeable future.
The letter said in full:
"Dear Aztec Football Families, Earlier this afternoon, Coach Barro was placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation. Assistant Coach (Sean) Thornton will step in and assume coaching responsibilities until further notice. We appreciate your patience at this time and in the event that further information becomes available, we will update players and families accordingly."
Barro became Corona del Sol's head coach in January after spending 7 years as the head coach at Casa Grande.
Last year, he led the Cougars to an undefeated season and a 4A state title, the school's first championship since the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) started holding playoffs to determine a champion in 1959.
According to MaxPreps, Barro was 45-22 as the head coach of the Cougars.
Barro took over for former Aztec head coach Jon Becktold, who retired last year. Becktold led Corona to the Open Division playoffs in 2020.
Last year, the Aztecs were 5-4 (5-0 in region play) and did not make the 6A playoffs.
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