WALDOBORO – Nick DePatsy was already home, having moved back to his native Waldoboro some 16 years ago.

But now the 1982 graduate of Medomak Valley High School has arrived home in an athletic sense as his alma mater’s new boys varsity basketball coach.

“The last two times the job opened up, I never even looked at it,” said DePatsy, a veteran head coach who spent the last three seasons at Lincoln Academy in Newcastle. “I just think now the time is right.”

DePatsy replaces Troy Smith, who stepped down after five seasons at Medomak Valley. The Panthers finished 11-8 last winter, placing 10th in the final Eastern B Heal Point ratings before falling to No. 7 Hermon 52-50 in a preliminary-round contest.

“Troy did an excellent job,” said DePatsy, whose Lincoln Academy teams faced Medomak Valley twice each season. “He did a great job of keeping the program alive and adding things to it.”

DePatsy, who teaches physical education and health at Lincolnville Central School, is a 1982 Medomak Valley graduate who played guard on the basketball team and helped the Panthers reach the Eastern Maine Class B tournament.

He joined the varsity coaching ranks at Madison during the 1988-89 season, and coached the Bulldogs for three years before moving to southern Maine to pursue his master’s degree and teaching certificate.

He coached junior varsity basketball for two years at Westbrook, then began a 10-year stint as boys varsity coach at Georges Valley of Thomaston during the 1994-95 season.

DePatsy stayed at Georges Valley for 10 years before moving to Lincoln Academy, where he guided the Eagles to a 28-28 record over three seasons. Last winter Lincoln Academy finished 12-7 after a trip to the Western B quarterfinals.

DePatsy was named both Western Maine Class B and Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class B coach of the year after last season.

“Obviously Nick has been recognized as one of the top coaches in the state by his peers,” said Medomak Valley athletic administrator Matt Lash. “He’s a strategist, he understands the game well, he builds programs and he develops players.

“He gets the most out of every kid, and they play hard for him.”

DePatsy still will be coaching in the KVAC Class B next winter, but now will be seeking a trip to the Eastern B tournament at the Bangor Auditorium rather than the Western B tourney at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland.

“I’ve always liked the atmosphere up there,” said DePatsy. “I’m looking forward to it, but we’ve got to get there first.”

Medomak Valley last won a state championship in 1980 – DePatsy’s sophomore year – when the Panthers finished undefeated under coach Art Dyer.

“There’s always been a lot of tradition here,” said DePatsy. “The crowds are great, the gym looks great and it seems like the tradition is coming back and the kids’ interest has come full circle.”