NEW CASTLE — One of eight men will be introduced as the football coach at New Castle High tomorrow night.

The battle for the job to replace Frank Bongivengo Jr. as coach appears to have come down to two candidates — Joe Cowart and Bruce Clark.

Both are former New Castle High football standouts. Cowart, 31, is a 1999 graduate who was a star quarterback for the Red Hurricane before going on to play at Allegheny College in Meadville. Clark, 54, starred for the ’Canes in the mid-1970s, before taking his talents to Penn State University, where he won the Lombardi Award in his junior year of 1978 as the nation’s best college football lineman.

Cowart apparently has emerged from a battle with two of his former teammates and fellow New Castle assistant coaches — Pat Cain and Nick Marmo.

All three said yesterday that they will support whoever gets the job.

“I feel I had an excellent interview and left there with a positive feeling,” Cowart said. “I know that I gave it my best shot, so I feel good about that part no matter the outcome.

“I’ve told Pat and Joe all along that if one of us gets the job, we will be a three-headed monster,” he added. “We started out playing together (Cowart and Cain were a year ahead of Marmo in high school), we’ve remained close friends and most recently we’ve coached together. We’re very comfortable with each other.”

Cowart was a varsity assistant at New Castle last season. He is the only one of the candidates to teach in the junior-senior high building — he is a junior high math teacher and high school video teacher. A great-nephew to late New Castle coaching legend Lindy Lauro, Cowart also coaches track at New Castle.



CAIN, MARMO HOPEFUL

Cain and Marmo, meanwhile, both are elementary teachers in the district and coached New Castle’s ninth-grade football team this past season.

“I’m extremely happy with how my interview went,” Cain said. “New Castle football means a lot to me and what is most important is that I continue to coach here. I would love to have the (head coaching) job, but I will be just as happy if Nick or Joe get it.

“We get along so well,” he added, “I just think we would all complement each other on a varsity coaching staff together.”

Marmo agreed.

“I thought my interview went pretty well,” he said. “I’m excited to get the opportunity. I think we’re all hoping to get the job, but if not, the new head coach will have two great assistants working with him.”

If Cowart does get the nod, this will be perhaps the most memorable week of his life.

His wife, Meghan, was in labor last night with their first child, a boy.

“I’m pretty much on top of the world right now,” Cowart said via cellphone from Meghan’s bedside. “This is a really exciting time for me.”

There were a total of 16 applicants. Eight of the original applicants were granted interviews. New Castle Superintendent George Gabriel said the district would not confirm the names of those interviewed.



THE CLARK FACTOR

Perhaps the most interesting candidate is Clark. While he does not have an abundance of coaching experience, Clark has major name recognition after following up his illustrious Penn State playing career with 14 years in the professional ranks, most notably eight years with the New Orleans Saints, with whom he reached the Pro Bowl. He finished his career with a three-year stint as a player/coach in the Arena Football League.

Clark and his wife, Mary Ann, who live in State College, have been looking for homes in the New Castle area after they attended Lauro’s funeral in January. Clark and Cowart both served as pallbearers at the funeral.

“My feeling is that there are just too many good athletes in New Castle who aren’t playing football and I feel I am the person to do something about that,” Clark said. “I came out of the projects because Lindy Lauro chose to go in there after me and that is my plan as coach here. I have so many things that I want to do, I just can’t wait to get started. I just hope that I am given a fair chance. There are some good, young guys who are being considered, but I think what this team needs is a veteran guy who can turn things around quickly.

“I have met so many amazing people here in recent months,” Clark added. “I think the vast majority of fans would embrace me. Mary Ann and I went to a local restaurant (Pagley’s) while we were here and all of a sudden, a waitress came and told us that a guy sitting at the bar wants to know if I’m Bruce Clark because he would like to buy my wife and me a drink. That made me feel good that people haven’t forgotten about me. I still think the world of New Castle and I really want to come back here and make a difference.”

Clark said he toured the high school while he was in New Castle and already has commitments from several local coaching stalwarts to join his staff. He said he plans on attending tomorrow’s 6 p.m. special board meeting at New Castle High School whether or not he is notified ahead of time that he has the job.

“I’m ready to get started,” he said. “All I need is the word.”



ALSO IN THE RUNNING

The other finalists are Pat Cuba, Sam Holmes, John Protopapa and Stacy Robinson.

Cuba is a former New Castle player who recently resigned following five years as Neshannock’s head coach, after serving as an assistant at Westminster.

Cuba, a teacher in the Laurel district, is said to have some support on the board, but does not appear to have enough to get the job.

“I felt that my interview went well,” Cuba said. “I was comfortable with the people in there and had a good feeling when I walked out.

“I think every coach has aspirations to go back to his alma mater and I’m no different.”

Holmes, another former New Castle player, previously served as head coach of the New Castle Thunder semi-pro team. He currently is not in the coaching ranks.

“I haven’t heard anything,” he said. “I’m hoping for the best.”

Protopapa is the only nonlocal resident to receive an interview.

He coached at Youngstown East last year, after serving as head coach at Rayen, Lowellville, East Palestine, Campbell and Chaney.

“All I know is that I was told the board would have a decision sometime this week,” he said. “I was really impressed with the questions they asked me and everything they spoke about.”

Robinson just completed his 15th year as head coach at his Union High alma mater. He is regarded as a good coaching mind who usually fights a losing battle with the numbers game at one of the smallest schools in the WPIAL.

“There are not many places I would leave Union High School for, but if a job like New Castle opens up, you have to take a shot at it,” he said.

(Email: kcubbal@ncnewsonline.com).