By Dave Caldwell, SCVNews.com

The Santa Clarita high school football community is abuzz with the news that West Ranch head football coach Sean O’Brien has stepped down.

O’Brien told his players Tuesday he will no longer be their head coach.

O’Brien, West Ranch’s Teacher of the Year for 2007, took over the team in 2009 and compiled a 18-23 record in his four years as head coach.

A year later he gave the Wildcats their first-ever appearance in the post-season after going 3-2 in the Foothill League. A 37-21 win over Hart in the final game that year gave West Ranch third place in the league and the automatic playoff bid. The Wildcats lost in the first round to Palos Verdes.

In 2011 the Wildcats opened the season 4-0, but then lost five of their last six games and finished 1-4 in league.

The slide continued this year as the Wildcats went 2-8 and another 1-4 league season.