By TOM WILLIAMS

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

NORTH LIMA — There’s a good reason why the South Range High football team is playing in its fourth-straight regional final tonight — consistency.

Year after year, Dan Yeagley’s program produces talented, hungry ballplayers. But the 13-year head coach is quick to credit a loyal staff who helps mold them into winners.

At the helm of his alma mater, Yeagley has won 123 games and lost just 28. Tonight, his unbeaten Raiders (12-0) will take on Ursuline (10-2) for the Division V Region 17 title at Fitch Falcon Stadium in Austintown.

The high school math teacher is quick to credit the men who have been supporting him, some of whom were there when he took over at South Range for the 1995 season.

Head coaches are a rare breed at South Range. There’s only been five and two of them are on Yeagley’s staff — Rich McClellan and Mike Owen.

Yeagley played for Bob McNea, South Range’s first coach who went on to become Earle Bruce’s recruiting coordinator at Ohio State University. Bob Ferranti followed McNea.

Owen was head coach for five seasons before McClellan’s seven years.

The Yeagley tradition at South Range began in 1992. After teaching in Columbus at Watkins Memorial High, Yeagley moved back to his hometown and joined McClellan’s staff.

“I remember it clearly,” said Yeagley of McClellan’s plan to step aside in 1994. “After his last game, he told me I was going to be the next head coach. I told him that I wasn’t ready yet. But he said he would help me out.”

McClellan, who teaches at South Range Middle School, ran the offense for Yeagley’s first team then took a few years off.

Wayne Allegretto (high school science) took over as the Raiders’ offensive coordinator. Today, McClellan coaches the offensive line and watches the games with Allegretto in the press box.

“His experience has helped me tremendously,” Allegretto said. “I’ve learned so much from those guys.”

McClellan’s staying on was not unprecedented. Allegretto said that when McClellan became head coach, Owen remained on his staff.

“This is definitely a different situation,” Allegretto said. “Dan played when [Owen and McClellan] were [assistants]. He feeds off of their knowledge. He’s still in charge but he uses everybody.”

Yeagley said Owen, who has retired from teaching, joined his coaching staff a few seasons back. He coaches the junior high teams as well as the varsity secondary.

Rounding out the staff are Dan Szolek (also the athletic director), Paul Lindstrom (freshman), Jason Swiger (junior varsity), Don Allen and Brian Less (freshman).

“We work very well together — it’s actually a nice little family,” Yeagley said of his staff. “It’s very much a team just like our team. They’re a very good group of people who work very hard.”

Yeagley serves as defensive coordinator.

“He lets me concentrate on offense,” Allegretto said. “He keeps everybody involved. It’s really a team effort — we’ve got guys who have been coaching for 35 years. The experience they have is unbelievable.”

Allegretto said his play calls go through Yeagley on the sideline.

“ I don’t think there’s ever been a problem. The great thing about Dan is when he says you’re going to take the offense, he meant it. He doesn’t question what we do,” Allegretto said. “He makes the big decisions — going for it on fourth down or punting or field goals.

Allegretto grew up in Ridgeway, Pa., and came to the Mahoning Valley when he was working on his education degree at Youngstown State.

“My wife’s family is from this area,” Allegretto said.

Most of the other assistants have South Range roots.

“It’s nice having the [athletic director] on staff because it helps out a lot with the paperwork,” Yeagley said who appreciates that he has eyes and ears in the building.

“There’s not a day that goes by when a player doesn’t see a coach at sometime during the day,” Yeagley said. “We have them in classes or see them in the hallway. It helps a lot in discipline. We have good attendance in practice.

“And it helps because we can keep track of their grades. We know what they are doing [in the classroom]. We expect the kids to be student athletes, to work hard in the classroom also. That’s very, very important in our school, to get good grades.

“We have almost every subject covered expect English, and our English teachers are great,” Yeagley said. “This is a great community, it’s a great place to coach football.”

williams@vindy.com