Rams’ Mark Hackett stays on as coach Head of Bangor football decides against resignation

BANGOR – Mark Hackett will remain the head football coach at Bangor High School after all.

Hackett, who had submitted his resignation from the post to school officials after four years of guiding the Rams, had a change of heart Thursday after meeting with Bangor Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert “Sandy” Ervin.

“The bottom line is he will be coaching Bangor High School football next year,” said Ervin. “I met with Mark this morning. We had a great chat and I pointed out to him how important he was, not just to Bangor football but to the mission of Bangor High School.

“He said, ‘I think I really do want to coach and I’d like to retract my resignation.'”

Hackett, who also serves as the school’s work-study coordinator and freshman boys basketball coach, declined comment Thursday evening.

Hackett has coached the Rams to a 37-7 record over the last four years, including a 12-0 season in 2001 culminating in the Class A state championship. Bangor qualified for the Eastern A quarterfinals in 2002, then advanced to the Eastern A title game in 2003 before dropping a 14-12 decision to Brunswick.

Last fall, Bangor finished 10-2, winning the Eastern Maine Class A championship before falling to Bonny Eagle of Standish 29-19 in the state final.

Hackett said Wednesday that he had placed a four-year limit on his own tenure when he was hired to replace longtime coach Jonathan “Gabby” Price as Bangor’s head coach on June 26, 2001, and that it was time to pass the program on to someone else.

Ervin was supportive of Hackett when he first ascended to the head coaching post after serving as a Bangor football assistant since 1987 and remains so today.

“Mark is a blue-chip guy and his first interest is the academic performance of the students in his classroom and on his football field,” Ervin said. “And that’s what we want. Athletics take care of themselves.

“I’m ecstatic [to have him back]. The thought of losing him wasn’t palatable to me. He’s way beyond a successful coach.”

Ervin explained there are lofty expectations for performance in the classroom and on the athletic field at Bangor High and “Mark is a critical player in that. He understands what we are trying to do. He carries it onto the football field, as many of our other coaches do in their sports.

“It’s about how they move and act and inspire the students and the athletes. He’s great at it. He’s a great role model and an essential piece in why we’re successful at Bangor High School and I don’t want to lose that.”

Tunney to attend UC-Davis

Clayton Tunney, a senior quarterback at La Costa Canyon High School in Carlsbad, Calif., who spent his first two years of high school at Hampden Academy, has signed a National Letter of Intent to play football at the University of California at Davis.

UC-Davis, in the second year of a four-year reclassification from NCAA Division II to Division I-AA status, finished 6-4 overall in 2004 and placed second in the first-year Great West Football Conference. The Aggies opened the season unbeaten through their first five games, peaking at No. 21 in the Div. I-AA national polls.

The 6-foot-3, 194-pound Tunney passed for more than 2,400 yards this season in leading La Costa Canyon to the California Interscholastic Federation-San Diego section semifinals for first time in school history.

He was voted the team’s offensive player of the year, and was a Prep Pigskin Player of the Year finalist for San Diego. Tunney also was named to the All-Palomar Conference first team, the All-North County Times first team and the All-San Diego Union-Tribune first team after setting school records for pass completions and yards. He also was named to the Union-Tribune all-academic team.

Tunney also participated in the inaugural Max Emfinger High School All-American Bowl at the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La., last month In that game he threw for two touchdowns and ran for another to lead the West team to a 44-21 victory.