Devin Dourisseau said he has stepped down as head football coach at La Joya Community (Avondale, Arizona) High School after meeting with administration Monday, following Friday’s 60-0 win over Glendale Copper Canyon.
“I was threatened to be removed from the sideline for our game against Valley Vista if we scored another point,” Dourisseau said in a text message late Monday afternoon. “The AD and principal had a meeting with me this morning and basically told me I was in the wrong.
“We had 1 special teams score and two defensive scores in the second half. My first team only scored once and we ran the ball with my 2nd and 3rd team running back and scored.
“Per the conversation, I stepped down because I was accused of wrongdoing and running up the score.”
Messages from The Republic were sent to La Joya Principal Stacie Almaraz and Athletic Director Joe Williams, as well as Tolleson Union High School District AD Derek Fahleson, seeking comment.
An operator at La Joya directed messages to be sent to the Tolleson district. A message was sent to district spokesman Joseph Ortiz.
Copper Canyon coach Sean Freeman said he didn’t feel that Dourisseau was running up the score on his team.
“We shook hands and that was that,” Freeman said. “When I got a phone call today (that Dourisseau was out as coach), I was surprised. To me, it was not that big a deal. We just got beat fair and square.
“It’s football. And if you’re not showing up with your A game that’s what happens.”
La Joya (3-2) won its past two games by scores of 63-7 over Phoenix Alhambra and 60-0. This came after losing to Scottsdale Chaparral 75-35 and to Chandler Basha 47-7.
This was Dourisseau’s first year as head coach at La Joya, after serving as an assistant at the school the past seven years.
