Irvine’s Henigan Is Coach of Year

The 1991 season was filled with several “first-time” victories for the Irvine football team:

* 16-13 over Mission Viejo, Irvine’s first victory over that perennial power in 14 years of football.

* 17-13 over Capistrano Valley in the South Coast League finale, for the Vaqueros’ first league title.

* 24-7 over Simi Valley in the Southern Section Division II playoffs, Irvine’s first postseason victory.

* Finally, 22-11 over Dana Hills Saturday at Orange Coast College, enabling Irvine (12-2) to claim its first division football title.

“I can’t remember any team accomplishing so much for the first time in their school’s history,” Coach Terry Henigan said.

Another first: Henigan is The Times’ county coach of the year.

Henigan has coached for 23 years in the county, as an assistant at Western (seven seasons) and head coach at Cypress (1976-1980) and Irvine (beginning in 1981). Irvine previously took a back seat to South County powers El Toro, Mission Viejo and Capistrano Valley but defeated all three in 1991.

“It’s nice to get some recognition for our coaching staff after all their hard work this season,” Henigan said. “Really, our staff did the same coaching job that we’ve done for 11 years. The end results were just different.”