TOP FIVE: Maine high school football coaches I’d be honored to play for if I could go back and be 15, athletic and a free agent …
5. Mike Hathaway — The man in charge at Leavitt has a mad scientist quality that I admire. He has surrounded himself with a coaching staff that shares his passion for the game and his knack for making it fun. Oh, and the Hornets haven’t lost a game to a conference opponent since 2008. It would be pretty cool to kick the tar out of everybody like that.
4. John Hersom — Who wouldn’t want to play for a guy that consistently squeezes the absolute most out of his program? Lawrence fools everybody by going 8-1 or 9-0 every year in the PTC. With the notable exception of his 2006 state championship team, Hersom has never had the most athletic, explosive team in the league. He’s a quiet storm who simply wins, year after year.
3. Jim Aylward — I challenge you to watch “The Rivals” and not want to go out and fight the Charlestown Chiefs after any clip of a Mountain Valley practice, halftime pep talk, post-game huddle, spaghetti dinner, etc. He balances good humor with tough love. And if none of that gets you fired up, how do 16 trips to the regional championship game in 22 years grab you?
2. Dick Mynahan — A true gentleman who has won championships with 150-pound guards and 135-pound middle linebackers. As a parent, I couldn’t imagine anyone I’d be more honored to have coach my son. His respect for players, parents, reporters, fellow coaches and the game itself is unmatched in our region.
1. John Wolfgram — Nine state titles and counting. A coaching tree of former assistant coaches and players that is merely beginning to blossom. And this guy doesn’t cherry-pick. He’s the high school version of Bill Parcells, only not as bombastic and disagreeable. He takes over downtrodden programs and leads them to the top of the mountain. If that’s your goal, he’s your guy.
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