Esperanza football coach Wes Choate, who guided the Aztecs to a CIF-SS title in 2019, has resigned for personal reasons, he confirmed Monday night.

Choate led the Aztecs for the past three years, highlighted by the Division 13 championship in his first season.

A  42-40 victory over Ramona in the final capped the Aztecs’ turnaround after posting 1-9 records each of the previous four seasons. Esperanza finished the season 10-5, including victories against El Modena and Canyon and a 42-41 triumph against Inglewood in the semifinals.

Esperanza football coach Wes Choate, who led the Aztecs to a CIF-SS title in 2019, has resigned for personal reasons. (File photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)

The title was Esperanza’s first since 1992 and fourth overall.

Esperanza went 1-4 in the coronavirus-shortened spring season, again beating Canyon, and finished 3-7 this past fall. The Aztecs lost close games this season to Western and Sonora. Choate finished with an overall record of 14-16.

Choate arrived at Esperanza after one season at San Bernardino but rose to prominence as the defensive coordinator at Pacifica from 2002-2008. Pacifica captured six league crowns and reached two CIF-Southern Section finals.

Choate, an alumnus of Pacifica, remains a teacher at Esperanza.

Aztecs athletic director Matt Slevcove didn’t immediately return a message Monday about the football position.

Esperanza’s coaching opening is the third in the North Hills League. Canyon and Brea Olinda also haven’t announced their next coaches.

Please send football news to Dan Albano at [email protected] or @ocvarsityguy on Twitter

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