Bucher Expected to Be Next Capo Valley Football Coach

The dominoes that began falling with the firing of Brian Barnes at Tesoro High finally reached Capistrano Valley High, where Ernst Bucher is expected to be named the Cougars' next football coach.

Bucher's position will become official on Wednesday night with the approval of the Capistrano Unified School District during its board meeting.

Bucher is a teacher at Aliso Niguel High, but has been on the coaching staff at Capistrano Valley. He replaces Matt Poston, who left the position after three seasons to take over the attractive vacancy at Tesoro created with Barnes' dismissal with a week left in the regular season.

Bucher coached the offensive line and special teams at Capo Valley, which finished 8-3 in 2012 and was a tri-champion of the five-team Sea View League. He previously coached at La Quinta, Estancia and Aliso Niguel, according to OC Varsity.

The Cougars were 3-8 in 2011 and 3-7 in 2010. Prior to that, Capo Valley was in the tougher South Coast League, where it was 4-6 in its final season under Chi Chi Biehn, who was dismissed by the district for his role in alleged kickbacks through Lapes Athletic Team Sales. The Orange County District Attorney refused to file charges against the coaches.