Head coach Dennis Bene, left, talks routes with a receiver during Salpointe Catholic High School football practice in 2018.

 Mike Christy / Arizona Daily Star

Salpointe Catholic football coach Dennis Bene, who coached the Lancers to the 2013 state championship, will retire from coaching at the end of this season, his 19th at the school. Bene told the Star of his retirement Friday morning, hours before Salpointe was set to kick off its season against Mesa Dobson at home. 

Bene's Lancers have gone 174-43 since he became the head coach at his alma mater in 2001. He played quarterback for Salpointe from 1981-84.

Bene's final team might be his best yet. Three of Bene's seniors have committed to play for high-profile college football teams: running back Bijan Robinson to Texas, safety Lathan Ransom to Ohio State and offensive tackle Bruno Fina to UCLA. A fourth, offensive lineman Jonah Miller, has been offered scholarships by Arizona, ASU and a handful of Power 5 conference schools.

The Lancers are generally predicted to challenge for one of the eight berths in the inaugural Open Division created by the Arizona Interscholastic Association. The top eight teams from any bracket, statewide, will play for the state title in November and December.

Bene's teams have gone 13-1 and 12-2 the last two seasons, reaching the Class 4A state championship game twice. 

Bene played at Scottsdale Community College, earned a bachelor's degree from Northwest Missouri State and a doctor of veterinary medicine degree from the University of Missouri. Before coaching Salpointe, Bene spent time as an assistant coach at Pima College for one season before returning to his alma mater to spend two seasons under former head coach Pat Welchert.

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Contact sports content producer Justin Spears at 573-4312 or jspears@tucson.com. On Twitter @justinesports