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La Habra coach Vince Peralta before a game against El Dorado on April 10, 2025, at El Dorado High in Placentia. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Playoff-bound softball teams La Habra and Foothill have announced coaching changes.
Second-year La Habra coach Vince Peralta on Monday submitted his resignation for medical reasons, he confirmed.
On Tuesday, Foothill coach Jeff Wright announced that this season will be his last.
La Habra (20-7), ranked No. 4 in Orange County, plays host to Los Altos in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs on Thursday.
Highlanders athletic director Paul Caffrey said he will serve as interim coach and work with the team’s assistant coaches.
Caffrey said assistant coaches Robert Morales, Maleena Esparza, Savannah Tourville, Rilee Villacana and Steve Padilla will oversee the “day-to-day” coaching responsibilities and support the players in the coaching transition.
“We appreciate coach Peralta’s dedication and contributions to our softball program and wish him the very best,” Caffrey said of Peralta, who guided the Highlanders to a share of the Crestview League title this season.
Caffrey’s daughter Makenna is a sophomore hitting .395 for the team.
Wright, who is in his 11th season, said he will coach Foothill throughout the playoffs. He plans to move with his wife to Arkansas to be closer to his sons.
Foothill (18-9), ranked No. 19 in the county, plays No. 2 seed Mater Dei (15-11) in the first round of the Division 2 playoffs on Thursday at Fountain Valley Sports Park.
“I have been open with (the players) all year about the fact that there would come a time that my wife and I would relocate,” Wright said. “However, my move was dependent on getting the right teaching and coaching opportunity in Arkansas, which came about late last week.”
“(I) felt (the players) deserved to hear the truth from me,” the coach added.
Wright led Foothill to the CIF-SS Division 4 title in 2023. The Knights have captured four league titles under Wright.
This season, Foothill won the North Hills League crown with a young roster.
Please send softball news to Dan Albano at dalbano@scng.com