Bellbrook graduation 2012
Fairfield Senior 2012 graduation
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Carroll still searching after Cogan opts to stay put
Fairmont's girls basketball coach was chosen to replace ousted Herman Burger as the Patriots' boys coach.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
All Tim Cogan needed was a reflective weekend.
All Carroll High School still needs is a boys varsity basketball coach.
Extras
"I just want to put it to rest," said Cogan, the ultra-successful Fairmont girls hoops coach who briefly accepted — then reneged on — the open Carroll job last week.
"It's flattering to be wanted."
Herman Burger is out after 14 seasons as the Patriots boys coach. And Carroll thought it had its new man in Cogan. After all, he's a 1987 Carroll graduate, spent several seasons as an assistant with Fairmont's boys team and launched the Firebirds' girls program among the area's elite.
But after saying yes, Cogan just said no.
"I have no ill feelings for Tim," Carroll Athletic Director Jim Kuntz said.
"We'll just continue the search. I've got some very interesting candidates."
Cogan at Carroll appeared to be a good fit. The Beavercreek resident has four children at St. Helen's, a feeder to Carroll. And he was a big-time winner at Fairmont: 124-62 in eight seasons, five district appearances and three regional berths.
That's just the kind of success Kuntz had hoped Cogan could duplicate at Carroll. The Patriots have maintained that level of play with Catholic rivals Alter and Chaminade-Julienne in football, boys and girls soccer, and girls basketball. But they haven't ever been close in boys basketball.
And once the Patriots joined the Greater Catholic League, their boys hoops fortunes dramatically dropped. The Patriots were just 5-16 last season, including 2-12 in the GCL North. It didn't help that Carroll also has enjoyed unprecedented football success the last five years.
"That's made it real tough, but other schools have the same problem," Kuntz said.
"The last three years, it's been pretty rough," said Burger, who hopes to land another coaching position.
"I've had great kids, but the circumstances didn't lend themselves to winning many games. It's not a place that gets a lot of basketball talent."
Kuntz has dealt with that for more than 35 years as Carroll's AD. It's no secret that basketball families who want their sons in a Catholic school don't call on Carroll first.
"Herman did a fantastic job for Carroll, and I hate to see him leave," Kuntz said.
"But we're just not competing right now with the boys."
Contact this writer at (937) 225-2381 or
mpendleton@DaytonDailyNews.com.
