LINCOLN – Mattanawcook Academy has filled its varsity football and boys basketball coaching vacancies from within.

Dave Hainer, SAD 67’s health coordinator and MA’s varsity baseball coach, has been named to replace the retired Art Greenlaw in the football post, while Ryan Libby has been promoted from the junior varsity ranks to replace Rick Sinclair as the Lynx’s boys varsity basketball coach.

Those hirings were approved by the SAD board of directors Wednesday night.

Hainer, a 1993 MA graduate, has been an assistant football coach at MA football for five years, the last three years as defensive coordinator.

“Football is the ultimate team sport and ultimate character builder,” said Hainer, a wide receiver and cornerback during his playing days with the Lynx. “Baseball has been a passion with me, but I love both baseball and football for different reasons.”

Hainer says he has drawn some of his coaching philosophy from his two predecessors, Greenlaw and Mike Bisson.

“Mike is very innovative, more the modern coach who likes to spread the field,” said Hainer. “He’s a very creative play caller, and I hope to bring some of that into what we do.

“Art Greenlaw has won a lot of games for a reason. He has an unbelievable knowledge of where everyone is supposed to be on every play. He has a tremendous attention to detail.”

Greenlaw, who led Stearns of Millinocket to four state titles and five LTC crowns in 18 seasons, guided Mattanawcook to a 23-9 record and three postseason appearances during his three years as varsity coach.

Mattanawcook advanced to the Eastern Maine Class C final under Greenlaw in 2005 and 2006 and qualified for the regional semifinals last fall.

MA graduates all five starting linemen and its tight end from last fall’s team, as well as quarterback Derek Libbey.

But the Lynx will return some quality players including tailback Brady Vose, fullback Josh Murchison, wideout Derek Gardner and linebacker Greg Hand.

“Skill position-wise we’ve got talent,” said Hainer, who plans to introduce a spread offense to the program this fall. “Developing a line and finding a quarterback will be priorities.”

Libby, a 1995 MA graduate, coached basketball under Sinclair for the past five seasons and last winter led the MA JVs to an 18-3 record and the Big East Conference junior varsity championship.

“Rick has been a great friend, and a great coach to work under,” said Libby, a physical education and health teacher at the school for the past seven years. “As far as Xs and Os, he taught me a lot about the game, and I’m sure I’ll use some of those things along with my own touches.”

Libby, who played tennis and basketball for Mattanawcook, began his coaching career while a student at the University of Maine at Presque Isle.

He has coached the Lynx’s varsity golf team for the last two years and also has considerable coaching experience at the middle-school level.

Sinclair, who still serves as the school’s athletic administrator, went 67-33 in five years with the Lynx.

He guided the Lynx to a 17-5 record in 2007, including a one-point loss to Camden Hills of Rockport in the 2007 Eastern Maine Class B final. MA finished 16-5 this season, reaching the regional semifinals before being ousted by state champion Maranacook of Readfield.

MA will graduate four starters, including Libbey, a second-team Bangor Daily News All-Maine choice.

But Vose, the second-leading scorer in the Big East last winter, will return for his senior year, and Libby said his familiarity with the players in the program was one reason he sought the varsity opening.

“It was kind of easy to decide to put in for the job,” he said, “because all of the kids coming back, with the exception of last year’s freshmen, I’ve coached them before so they know me and some of the things I’ll expect from them. It should be a good transition.”

eclark@bangordailynews.net

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