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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Former prep football coach Jerry Connors passes away

Football coach Jerry Conners, center, with LC assistants Pat Pfeifer, left, and Rick Giampietri in 1976. (FILE)

Central Valley High School football coach Rick Giampietri remembers his mentor, Jerry Connors, as an innovator.

“He changed his offense based on the kids he had,” Giampietri said. “One year we didn’t have a quarterback. So he took the best linebacker we had from the year before and made him the quarterback. And we went to the wishbone, the triple-read option. He ended up all-league.”

Connors, who had head coaching stints at Medical Lake, Lewis and Clark and CV, passed away Tuesday. He was 79.

Giampietri was an assistant for 22 years at LC and CV under Connors. Giampietri succeeded Connors at CV in 1993.

“He was a friend as well as a great competitor,” Giampietri said. “He taught me most how to compete with the guys you have. He’d look outside the box to find players. He just wanted kids who wanted to play. He meant the world to me.”

And that linebacker turned quarterback was Ross White, an attorney in Spokane.

Connors is survived by his second wife, Shirley; son Mike Connors, Spokane; daughters Susan Bird, Seaside, Oregon, and Kelli Dexter, Liberty Lake; and stepson Connor Smith, Spokane. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Donna, and daughter Christy Lee Connors.

Connor Smith never got the chance to play under his stepfather.

“He just coached me in the back yard,” Smith said. “He had a huge part in raising me. He taught me everything I know about football. I got where I was in sports because of him. And I’m sure anybody who played for him would say the same thing.”

In 12 years at LC, Connors’ teams were 62-50-2. In 10 years at CV, his teams were 30-57-2.

Giampietri remembers advancing to the semifinals in 1978.

“We lost in overtime to the eventual state champ, Snohomish,” Giampietri said. “They won 3-0. In those days you started at the 10-yard line. We went for it on fourth down and missed.”

Connors was a Gonzaga Prep graduate who went on to play football at the University of Montana.

“He was a running back and he had great quicks,” Giampietri said.

Much of Giampietri’s coaching style is drawn from Connors.

“He could get kids to play and play hard,” Giampietri said. “He could get the most out of anybody. He’d teach them how to raise hell.”