New football coaches introduced at Gig Harbor, Peninsula high schools
There will be new head football coaches at Gig Harbor and Peninsula high schools in the fall.
In an email sent to parents on Tuesday, Gig Harbor announced former Stanwood High School coach Jeff Scoma as the new head football coach of the Tides. He replaces Darrin Reeves, who stepped down after the 2024 season.
Across town, Peninsula hired from within, tapping assistant coach Clay Mauro to replace longtime coach Ross Filkins. The hiring was confirmed by Peninsula School District spokesperson Danielle Chastaine.
Scoma breathed new life into Stanwood’s program, guiding the Spartans to back-to-back state tournament berths in 2021 and 22, including a 10-2 overall record and a Class 3A state quarterfinal appearance in 2022.
“Under (Scoma’s) leadership the program saw a remarkable 83% increase in student participation,” the email sent to parents states.
Scoma coached Stanwood for a little over three seasons. In his fourth season last fall, he stepped down a month into the season before resurfacing as an assistant offensive coach at Bellevue High School, which advanced to the 3A state championship game.
Expect a run-first schematic approach from Scoma, who helped turn running back Ryder Bumgarner into a TNT all-state selection in 2022. Bumgarner rushed for 2,486 yards and 27 TDs that season, good for 10.1 yards per carry and 207.2 yards per game on the ground.
Mauro was formerly the head coach at Green Valley in Henderson, Nevada, before joining Filkins’ Peninsula staff, where he served as a defensive coach. He’ll have big shoes to fill; Filkins was the South Sound’s longest-serving head coach, coaching at Peninsula for 30 years and making the Seahawks a postseason and state tournament regular over the past three decades. He still serves as the school’s athletic director.
This story was originally published February 12, 2025 at 2:12 PM.
