Apr 20, 2015 3 min read

In an unprecedented move, the Monessen School Board opened the varsity football coaching job at last week’s meeting. The decision ended Andy Pacak’s 11-year tenure as the Greyhounds head coach and leaves a WPIAL Class A power without a coach.

While its rivals are well into off-season conditioning programs, Monessen is without a true leader. There have been plenty of rumors and speculation surrounding Pacak’s dismissal, but nothing I can confirm.

What I can say is whoever gets the job will have the opportunity to win right away. Outside of Clairton, the Eastern Conference will be weaker in 2015 and the Greyhounds have plenty of talent returning with a highly-regarded freshmen class joining the program.

I’ve been asked in recent days who would be interested in the Monessen job. There is not an easy answer to that question, but the first applicants will surely be Pacak’s assistant coaches, including Mike Blainfield and Brian Sutherland. I also expect former Monessen assistant and California head coach Bo Teets to be a candidate for the opening.

Another potential candidate to look out for is former Belle Vernon head coach Aaron Krepps, who worked as an assistant at Alderson Broaddus season, but is no longer listed as a member of the coaching staff on the athletic department’s website.

You will ultimately hear Guy Montecalvo’s name connected to the position. I had a source contact me when Pacak’s job was opened, saying that the Montecalvo to Monessen rumor is already swirling. I do not see that as being anything more than wishful thinking by folks in the Mon Valley.

He will be connected to every opening for the foreseeable future and while I saw Trinity as a possibility, Monessen is not. I will say this one more time: I do believe Montecalvo does have serious interest in returning to the sidelines, but the situation has to be perfect.

That being said, Monessen athletic director Gina Naccarato will have a long list of candidates. Look for assistant coaches from Westmoreland County to be at the top of the list with anyone having connections to Monessen at the top of the list (Teets).

Last season was a transition for the Greyhounds. They lost Clintell Gillaspie, Justice Rawlins and Javon Brown, but the struggles the program had will pay dividends with the right coaching staff in place.

Lavalle Rush is an incredible athlete, Jaden Altomore is a threat at wide receiver and the offensive line had just two seniors in 2014. I don’t see the program being down for long. My prediction is that you will see Blainfield or Teets hired to replace Pacak.

Both have strong connections to Monessen and know the challenges the job presents. If the situation is handled correctly, the Greyhounds will be back in the WPIAL playoffs in 2015.