After leading Southern Aroostook of Dyer Brook to two tournament appearances in his only two seasons there, longtime boys varsity basketball coach Phil Faulkner will not be back in front of the Warriors bench this winter.

Southern Aroostook’s school board voted not to rehire Faulkner last Monday and instead voted to hire local businessman Dave Gordon, owner and president of Katahdin Forest Products.

“We decided here to go in a little bit different direction,” said Southern Aroostook athletic director and varsity baseball coach Murray Putnam. “Like most places, our hoop program is part of our bigger programs and school programs and we hope our athletic as well as our other co-curricular programs are contributing to the overall educational programs we have for our students.

“I think it best not to comment any further.”

The 62-year-old Faulkner, who has 438 wins to his credit, has coached varsity basketball at three schools: Island Falls (boys, six years), Katahdin of Sherman Station (boys, 21 years), Hodgdon (girls, two years), and Southern Aroostook.

Faulkner was reluctant to get into specifics concerning his departure from Southern Aroostook.

“I can’t really comment on it right now. It’s just a conflict in philosophy with the athletic director,” he explained. “I’ll miss the players and the parents there. They’re good people and I enjoyed my time there very much.”

Faulkner may not be away from the hardwood this winter as he’s already applied for a JV boys coaching position with an Aroostook County high school.

Although he is retired from teaching, Faulkner keeps busy working part time at Island Falls One-Stop and as a substitute teacher at Katahdin and Hodgdon. He is also a color commentator for Houlton radio station WHOU during the basketball season and serves as a high school varsity softball umpire.

This is the first varsity coaching job for Gordon, who has coached JV and junior high basketball as well as Little League baseball and other youth sports.