WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. June 13, 2005: White Plains High School Athletic Director Nick Panero announced Monday night at the Board of Education meeting that Mike Stevens, longtime Assistant White Plains Football Coach would be taking over as Head Coach of Tiger football for the 2005 season.
Mike Stevens, left, was named new Head Coach of the White Plains Football Tigers Monday Evening, replacing Head Coach, Mark Santa-Donato, right. The two are shown with Penn State's legendary Coach Joe Paterno in 2003, celebrating Spencer Ridenhour's joining the Penn State Program. WPCNR Photo Capture from White Plains Football Website.
Mr. Panero told WPCNR that Mark Santa-Donato, Tiger mentor since 1992 would continue to coach the football team in an assistant's role. Mr. Panero said Coach Santa-Donato was stepping down to a supporting role because with his daughter Marlee in college he felt he could not devote a full seven days to football during the season.
Coach Santa-Donato, a fixture in White Plains was named Head Football Coach in 1992. He was Section I Football Coach-Of-The-Year in 1995 and League AA-South Coach-Of-The-Year in 1993 & 1995. Coach Santa-Donato gained his 75th victory as Head Coach at White Plains High School on Thanksgiving Day 2003. He led his 2003 team to their 3rd straight Secton I Bowl appearance (School Record) and 2nd straight Section I Bowl victory (School Record). The 2003 team's 10-1 record was only the 2nd time in White Plains Varsity Football History that a team won 10 games.
What has impressed this reporter most about Coach Santa-Donato's teams is their discipline, poise, and sportsmanship. They respond with maturity and respond to adversity well. They are never really out of a football game and are always a threat to rally and pull one out at the last moment. Santa-Donato has developed some great players, most recently: Ike Nduka, Spencer Ridenhour, Marcus Walton, Tommy Lee, John Corretti, Evan McGuire, Ryan Smalls, Gary Morello, just two name a handful of the greats this reporter has seen play and in the process turned them into great young men.
