Architect of San Pedro softball program that won its ninth L.A. City Section title in the last 10 years is "surprised” by top overall coaching honor. Also chosen for statewide recognition is Howard Miller from North of Torrance and Alan Borges from St. Bernard's of Eureka.

By Ronnie Flores, Managing Editor
Contributing: Paul Muyskens, Mark Tennis

When you've been the dominant program in your respective CIF section for over two decades, adding another title to the mantle might not be so unexpected.

At every level of sport, however, a championship season carries special meaning, even for a program that has won nine of the last 10 L.A. City Section softball championships, 10 of the last 12 and 13 of 18.

Such is the case for the San Pedro softball program and its head coach for the last 23 seasons, Tony Dobra. Going into the 2009 season, Dobra had to replace all-state pitcher Taylor Petty (Long Beach State), talented leadoff hitter Korin Cuico (UNLV) and all-state catcher Perelini Koria (Arizona) and her 45 career home runs off a team that finished 29-3 and ranked No. 11 in the state.

Dobra's new crop of girls responded in a big way, using timely hitting and superb defense to claim yet another L.A. City Section title with a 28-4 record and a No. 15 final rating.

For his program's sustained excellence and because of his penchant for continuously molding new talent into a championship-quality club, today Dobra has been named as the 2009 CalHiSports.com State Coach of the Year.

"This is my 13th title and it was a very unique one," remarked Dobra, who has won more reported section tiles than any other coach in state history. "While there are always a couple of kids on the team from the year before, I was thinking 'we're not going to be able to replace them (Petty, Koria, etc.).' I didn't know what to expect this season to tell you the truth."

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