Rob Phillips has the knowledge, talent and temperament to become one of the region's all-time-winningest high school baseball coaches.

Adding to his win total will have to wait, though.

Phillips, 48, stepped down after guiding Grossmont High to a San Diego Section-record fourth-straight Division II championship. It was the sixth section title in a 12-year reign for Phillips, who made his intentions official during the team's banquet.

“As much as I love coaching kids and the people I've met doing it, I'm at a time in my life where I need to open a new chapter,” said Phillips, who compiled a 328-153-3 record during 15 seasons, beginning with three years at Monte Vista (1988-90). “I can sense it's time to make a move in another direction.”

Phillips, a former high school biology teacher, makes his living as a painting contractor. He and his wife of 25 years, Norma, both Valhalla High graduates, recently purchased a home in Point Loma that they are remodeling.

That project, on top of working and coaching, left Phillips with little time to attend the baseball games of his son Tristan, who completed his junior season as the leading hitter (.394) and starting third baseman at Chapman University.

“I saw only nine of Tristan's games this season,” Phillips said. “Now, with this 'extra time,' I'd like to see all of his games next year. I'd also like to visit my younger son, Torin, at Humboldt State, and do a heck of a lot more fishing.”

Phillips and his wife also have a daughter, Taylor. Norma Phillips said her husband was growing weary.

“Rob is so passionate about everything he does,” said his wife, a former high school gymnastics champion. “But his coaching connection with kids has never been about records or applause. Nobody knows him better than I do, and I can tell you he is a humble man. I know he'll get back into coaching in some capacity, but right now he just needs a little down time.”

Although assistant coach Jim Earley has been a fixture in the Grossmont baseball program for two decades, he knows he'll be tested in taking over for Phillips.

“Rob and I were on the same page 99 percent of the time,” said Earley, a 1990 Grossmont graduate and standout first baseman for the Foothillers. “We've been coaching together the last 12 seasons. So I don't see a lot of changes forthcoming with me taking over as head coach.”

Earley, 36, earned a scholarship to Nevada-Reno. A broken leg in his sophomore season ended his playing career.

“I've run the daily practices the last couple of years, and Rob called the shots during the games,” Earley said. “The biggest challenge for me, I think, will be extraneous stuff. Things like summer ball, winter ball, fundraising, scheduling. The responsibility of handling that will be all new to me.”

Baseball rankings

Poway High is ranked No. 2 in the state overall and No. 1 in Division I, according to the final Top 50 compiled by CalHiSports.com.

The Titans (31-6), who overcame a first-round loss, won five straight playoff games to claim the section Division I championship.

Grossmont (29-7) is ranked 15th overall and No. 4 in Division II.

Other section teams cracking the Top 50 are No. 32 Cathedral Catholic (27-8), No. 45 Oceanside (25-8) and No. 48 Montgomery (24-8).

In the state Division III rankings, Cathedral is No. 4 and El Capitan (23-10-1) is No. 15. Coronado (26-8) is No. 4 in the state Division IV rankings.

Sherman Oaks' Notre Dame (27-4) is ranked No. 1 overall in the state.

Budding star

Former Grossmont Conference batting champion Nick Longmire of Grossmont High has carried his batting prowess into the college ranks.

The 6-foot-2, 185-pound University of the Pacific outfielder was named to the Louisville Slugger Freshmen All-America Team. Longmire, who tied for the Tigers' batting lead at .323, earned All-Big West Conference honorable mention, as well.

Turning pro

Former Valhalla High and Georgia Tech softball standout Savannah Brown was selected fifth overall in the National Pro Fastpitch draft by the Rockford (Ill.) Thunder. In her professional debut, Brown, a catcher, singled home the winning run as the Thunder defeated the Chicago Bandits 2-1.

Brown has been selected along with another Valhalla graduate – Carri Leto Martin of the New England Riptide – to the NPF All-Star team that will face the U.S. Olympic softball team twice this summer as part of the national squad's Bound-4-Beijing Tour. Leto Martin is in her fifth year of professional softball.

Softball coach

George Gentry, who was an assistant at Christian High this spring, has been named head softball coach. He succeeds Roma Dawson, who guided the Patriots girls for the previous 22 seasons.

The next step

Local high school athletes continuing their careers in college:

BASEBALL: El Capitan's Marco Mariscal and Ramona's Cole Susler, Dartmouth; Mission Bay's Brian Sagun, Westview's Kyle Collins, La Jolla's Wyatt Hoff, Poway's Brent Clinkscales, Serra's Korey Spearin and Mission Bay's Robbie Santos, NAIA Cal State San Marcos.

BASKETBALL: Grossmont's Tina Rios, Division III Redlands.

SOFTBALL: Granite Hills' Jessie Schatz, Division II Hawaii-Hilo.

FOOTBALL: Carlsbad's Joey Searson and Stephen Simpson, NAIA Southern Oregon; El Capitan's Ben Wilkins and West Hills' Dominic LaRussa, Division II Minnesota-Crookston.

BOYS SOCCER: Castle Park's Arturo Gomez, Division II Notre Dame de Namur.

BOYS LACROSSE: Eastlake's Brandon Ballow, Division II Notre Dame de Namur.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: Poway's Emily Capozzoli, Division III Redlands.

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