Justin Flores out as EHS football coach after two years on the job

School dept. source tells Everett Advocate that ‘it was not working on many levels’

By Joe McConnell

Just over one year after the Everett School Committee voted on naming Justin Flores the new Everett High School football coach on July 1, news of his dismissal as head coach reverberated throughout the city and the high school football community statewide Monday afternoon.

Flores has had some success during his brief tenure as the Tide’s football boss. In a late September 2023 game, the Tide defeated non-league BC High, 35-34, and a few days later he was chosen the High School Football Coach of the Week by the New England Patriots. His team was 3-1 at the time, and, according to the Patriots press release, “Coach Flores is proving to be a remarkable addition to the Everett High School community, bringing with him a winning mentality and dedication that has earned him the recognition of the New England Patriots.”

The Tide won the Greater Boston League (GBL) title in his first year with a 6-0 record, and were 7-1 overall before the start of the Division 1 playoffs. But, because of the new power rankings system, they failed to make the playoffs. They finished up with a 9-2 record after beating non-league St. Mary’s of Lynn in last year’s Thanksgiving Day game, 56-28.

Flores decided to go with a mostly non-league schedule against formidable opponents this fall in an attempt to comply with the new system. As a result, they played just three GBL games, and were 2-1 in them. However, they were only 1-4 in those non-league games before the playoffs, and still ended up on the outside looking in as the 19^th seed in Division 1. The Top 16 in each division make the postseason. They just finished this season with a 4-6 record.

On Monday, when the news broke on Flores’ dismissal, a school department source told the Everett Advocate that “it was not working on many levels,” while adding, “(Flores) was told that we are going in a different direction next season before the Homecoming game (against non-league Taunton on Oct. 4. The Tide won that game, 35-15), and we’d be reposting the football coaching position. He was gracious about the decision.”

But the school official did say that Flores will continue on as a Success Coach at the high school. Flores did not return texts when requested for comment.