Ray Groth is a head football coach once again.

The former Highland High coach, who was fired in the summer of 2006 for violating the UHSAA's undue influence policy, was hired as Tooele's new football coach last Friday.

"Everything is kind of coming back to me," said Groth. "I didn't want to go out the way I did."

Groth replaces former Tooele coach Sam Elliott, who is leaving the Buffaloes for Union High School after just two years. Groth is Tooele's fourth coach in five years.

Since his dismissal from Highland, Groth served as an assistant coach with Park City in 2006 and then an assistant with Judge Memorial in 2007.

Groth has been coaching football for 36 years, in addition to head coaching stints at both Skyline and Granger.

COACH HANGING IT UP: After five years as an assistant and 10 years as Mountain View High's head baseball coach, Chris Cooper is taking some time away from coaching. Cooper is stepping down on a positive note, with the Bruins winning the Region 7 title this season

"I don't know what's ahead, but I know that right now I need some time off," Cooper said. "I've enjoyed coaching at Mountain View, but it's time to do some other things and spend more time with my family."

Cooper will remain as a teacher at Mountain View. For that reason, a teaching position at the school is not available and school officials plan to hire a replacement who will only coach baseball. Interested applicants should phone assistant principal Jeanie Wilson at 227-8759 or e-mail her at jwilson@alpine.k12.ut.us.

THE NEXT LEVEL: Mountain Crest senior pitchers Kyle Andersen and Robert Garrett have signed letters of intent to play college baseball next year. Andersen will be pitching for Mesa Community College while Garrett is heading to Southern Virginia.

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E-mail: jedward@desnews.com, jimr@desnews.com