Vaughn Farrar, who coached the Greater Houlton Christian Academy girls basketball coach to its first Eastern Maine Class D semifinal appearance last season after knocking off defending state champion Lee in the quarterfinals, will not be back with the Eagles this winter.

GHCA declined to comment on the reason Farrar will not return, a move which was announced in a release Tuesday. Monday was the first day of high school basketball practice.

Headmaster Mark Jago declined to comment on the reason Farrar isn’t returning. The release stated, “Privacy laws prevent the school from commenting on personnel matters.”

Farrar could not be reached for comment.

The school has not yet hired a replacement. Terry Cummings, who serves as the school athletic director and boys basketball coach, is working with the girls. There are also volunteers helping to coach.

“The kids had a great first practice yesterday,” Jago said. “They have great spirit.”

The school board met Monday to discuss the situation, Jago added, and the school will likely have a meeting for parents and students.

Farrar coached the team for three years. The program has been in existence since 2001.

The Eagles had a 16-2 record last season and earned the No. 6 seed for the Eastern Maine Class D playoffs. At the tournament GHCA shocked No. 3 Lee in the quarterfinals with a 64-61 victory. The Eagles then fell to No. 2 Southern Aroostook of Dyer Brook 56-41 in the semifinals.

GHCA graduated just one player, Farrar’s daughter Lacey, who was a forward. Returning starters are guards Amanda Livezey, Jessica Jago, Megan Korhonen and forward Emma Boutilier.

Also Monday, Farrar’s son Drew transferred from Greater Houlton Christian to Houlton High School.

Farrar, a 5-foot-11 guard, enrolled at Houlton and attended basketball tryouts Monday, Houlton High principal Marty Bouchard said.

The move required both Bouchard and Hodgdon High School principal Clark Rafford to sign a transfer form because the Farrars live in Hodgdon. Bouchard and Rafford met to discuss the transfer, which they stressed did not involve recruiting.

“Through discussion, we felt that socially and emotionally this was the place Drew needs to be,” Bouchard and Rafford said in a statement.

Drew Farrar was named a Wendy’s High School Heisman state finalist. He was named All-Aroostook for Class D basketball and helped the No. 8 Eagles to a 13-6 record, including a 68-51 loss to No. 9 Jonesport-Beals in the Eastern Maine Class D preliminary round.

He also played baseball and ran cross country for GHCA last year.

Porter, Zugelder in at East Grand

East Grand of Danforth will also have two new basketball coaches this year.

Former Vikings standout Jim Zugelder will take over the boys program for Troy Cilley, who is now in Woodland, while Jessica Porter – who is not the Jessica Porter currently coaching the Southern Aroostook girls – has gained the East Grand girls post.

Zugelder is working for a forest products company, which leaves him with a flexible schedule for basketball practices and games, East Grand athletic director Chris Young said.

Zugelder, a 6-foot-4 center, graduated in 2002. He played on the 2001 Eastern Maine Class D championship team that lost to Valley of Bingham 90-81 in the state final.

“There’s a fair amount of excitement,” Young said. “He’s a new coach, he’s young, and he was a great player when he was here.”

In fact, numbers are up – there were 18 at the first day of tryouts Monday – enough for a junior varsity team, something the boys didn’t have last year.

Porter coached the girls JV team last year. She replaces Stephanie Thurlow, who coached the Vikes for one year and is now coaching the Lee girls soccer team, which won the Class D state title earlier this month.

The girls’ numbers are at a healthy level again this year.

“Stephanie had a lot to do with that,” Young said. “She got a lot of girls to come out and play.”

Porter teaches art in SAD 14 and has also helped out with the soccer and softball teams. She is a former player at Gardiner High and played field hockey and softball at the University of Maine-Farmington.

Southern Aroostook’s Jessica Porter is in her second season with the Warriors.

Last year Cilley guided the East Grand boys to a No. 15 tournament seed and a 9-10 record, including a 90-48 loss to No. 2 Schenck of East Millinocket in an Eastern Maine Class D prelim. The East Grand girls finished 1-17.