Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Jefferson-Morgan opens football coaching position

There have been a few consistents in WPIAL football the past two decades.

Aliquippa contends for the Class AA championship.

The Class AAAA team believed to have the most talent rarely wins the title.

Teams feel slighted after the playoffs pairings meeting.

Chuck Wagner coached at Springdale.

And, until Monday evening, Jan Haiden coached at Jefferson-Morgan High School.

In news less publicized than Wagner's retiring after 50 years of coaching football at Spirngdale, but a surprising move nonetheless, the Jefferson-Morgan School Board voted to open the varsity football coaching position during Monday's meeting. For the past 20 years, Haiden held that job. Haiden guided J-M to a 4-5 record in 2011, and a 4-4 mark in the Tri-County South Conference.
A Beth-Center graduate, Haiden's career record is 96-99-1.

Well-respected in the local coaching community, Haiden rarely had the most talent to work with in the Tri-County South, but his teams were always tough and competitive. In 2006, Jefferson-Morgan reached the WPIAL Class A semifinals, where it nearly upended Rochester. The Rockets beat Fort Cherry during that postseason run, and raised eyebrows when they defeated Duquesne in the quarterfinals. It was the final football game in Duquesne High School's history.

With the opening, Jefferson-Morgan is the second school in Greene County without a football coach. At Waynesburg, Joe Kuhns resigned last month.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

You said it all........1 Tri County South Championship in 20 years......more losses than wins, where is the results. This change was overdue.

Anonymous said...

Several children would not go out for football at JM because he was the coach, mine included so to the individuals who voted for this change.....Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Ridiculous comments above....i have known Jan Haiden since I played in high school and now as I am a coach in the WPIAL....Jan is a great coach, tough as nails and gets the most out of the players he has....when there was talent coming up he and the Rockets were in the semi's....let's see who is going to take over and win a WPIAL in the next five years....Jan will be missed there I am sure by those who were committed to the program

Anonymous said...

You people that want to come on here and trash Coach Haiden now should be ashamed of yourselves. Who in the world are you going to get to coach there now? Who wants to come to Greene county and start a football program.
You had a dedicated, disciplined football coach and you ran him out. Best of luck to you, you'll need it.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like we have finally found a school board that is worth than Beth Centers. Coach Haiden ran I fine program with the talent he was given at a small school. Come to Beth Center Coach Haiden we still need a varsity wrestling coach .

Anonymous said...

Anonymous cowards attacking a man who gave more than 20 years to a program.
Got news for you Anonymous 9:34 AM, your kids were probably too soft to play football if they were worried about who the coach was.

Anonymous said...

Andy Pacak NEEDS FIRED. Why is he still coaching?

Anonymous said...

I'd have to agree with that statement.Nothing would keep a MAN from playing football.I think those children made the right choice but blamed the wrong person.