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June 13, 2008

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Ellwood hires Don Phillips as new coach

By John D'Abruzzo

Don Phillips has a wealth of experience.

And the Ellwood City Area School Board is banking on its new head football coach’s past to help rebuild the Lincoln High program.

Phillips has 25 years of coaching experience, including 20 as a head coach throughout Beaver County.

Last night, he was hired by an 8-0 vote, with member Anthony Buzzelli absent. The board awarded Phillips a five-year contract that will pay him $6,500 for the upcoming season.

“I am very pleased,” Superintendent Frank Aloi said. “We feel he’s a quality coach and we feel he’s a winner. He has excellent credentials.”

Phillips, who was among 11 interviewed for the position, last served as a head coach in 2000.

“I’m very excited to take this position,” the 58-year-old Phillips said. “I’ve been a head coach in the past and I’ve been looking to get back to it for the past couple of years. When the opportunity came and Ellwood City opened the position, I knew it was a very good opportunity.”

His first head coaching stint was at Monaca (1979-80) before he moved on to crosstown rival Rochester (1982-84). He won 10 games in 1984 and took the Rams to the WPIAL finals.

Phillips spent the following two seasons at West Allegheny before spending the next 14 years at Center (1987-2000).

During his time at Center, Phillips won four section titles, made the playoffs eight times and was the Section 3-AA coach of the year on four occasions (1988, ’92, ’97 and ’98).

Phillips, who took the Trojans to the playoffs each of his last four seasons and went 35-10 during that span, went on to work as a quarterbacks coach at Geneva College (2001-03) and then served as an assistant coach at South Side Beaver (2004-05).

A guidance counselor at Center, Phillips spent last year as the school’s athletic director. He will retain his counseling job, but resign as AD.

He replaces Frank Colao, who resigned May 4 after one season. Colao took over the program in December, 2006 and guided the Wolverines to an 0-9 record last season.

“I saw them play Center last year,” said Phillips, who is a graduate of Beaver High and played collegiately at Geneva. “The one thing that struck me was how young a team they had. You take your toll and especially with a first-year coach. It’s going to be a similar situation for me being in my first year and it’s going to be a tough transition.

“We’re going to work to get the confidence level up and build up our success. I don’t know the kids, but what I’ve been told is I have a good group of kids who are willing to work. That excites me.”

Last year, Ellwood City was shut out in six games and outscored 429-27. The Wolverines went 0-8 in the WPIAL Class AA Midwestern Athletic Conference.

“I’ve been in this type of situation before,” Phillips said. “Each time I went to a new school, the programs were down.

“We don’t have a time frame for certain things, but we’re looking to get better, learn and grown.”

Ellwood’s last winning season came in 2000, when the Wolverines went 7-3 and won the Parkway Conference.

“The one thing I’ve known about Ellwood City is that the area traditionally has tough kids and aggressive kids who play hard,” Phillips said. “But when you have tough kids who are willing to work hard it makes your job a lot easier. I think these kids want to work and turn this thing around.”

Considering the WPIAL’s recent realignment in football, Phillips will have quite the challenge this season. Playing in Section 3-AA, the Midwestern Athletic Conference, Ellwood City will face Aliquippa, Beaver, Beaver Falls, Center, Freedom, Mohawk, New Brighton and Riverside.

“Every game is a section game but one,” Phillips said. “What they did was cross (the Midwestern) with the Parkway and that’s always a meat grinder. Each week is going to get a little more (tough).

“When you’re playing really good teams each week, you get a chance to see how you match up and how you compete. That part excites me.”

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