One boys lacrosse coach staying put (for now), another stepping down
With the 2018 high school lacrosse season in the books, it's no surprise to hear of changes - or lack thereof - among the coaching ranks.
The water hadn't even dried after Brian O'Reilly had it dumped on him following the Pinkerton Academy boys lacrosse team's win in the Division I championship when the longtime Astros football and boys lacrosse coach informed reporters that he wasn't done yet.
"I’ve been doing it a long time and I’m proud of the record that I have, but it’s not like now that I’ve won, I’m stepping out of here," O'Reilly said. "It’s just about there. We’re coming to the end, but not (Saturday). When I decide to do it, you probably won’t even find out about it. It will be some dark Thursday morning in January where I just slip it through."
O'Reilly, who has also been the Athletic Director at Pinkerton since the start of the 2016-17 school year, did say that he likely wouldn't step down from both positions at the same time.
"I will tell you lacrosse will probably come just before football," he said. "I’d doubt I’d do both at the same time. My plan right now is to be back here next year."
O'Reilly added that any pressure he might feel in terms of ending his coaching career and focusing on the AD position only came from himself.
"It’s a busy job to be the AD and have to be at all kinds of games through the spring, and then get on a bus," he said. "I’ve got great people working for me, but it’s not fair to them. I’m not getting any pressure from the school to do that. It’s internal pressure. It’s coming, but it’s not (Saturday) and it’s not in the next week or two or three or four."
Saturday's championship win was the second in four years in boys lacrosse, while the football team reached the Division I championship game last season before falling to Winnacunnet. It was the Astros' first title-game appearance since winning it all in 2014.
Guerard steps down at Bedford
After 11 season as the varsity coach for the Bedford boys lacrosse team, Matt Guerard announced on Facebook that he would be stepping down.
"I have poured my heart and soul into building a program full of young men that the school, community, and parents can be proud of," Guerard wrote in the post. "For those that do not know, I have decided to step down as head coach thus ending an incredible journey filled with some of the greatest memories and friendships a coach could ever have. Having children is the greatest reward in life and it’s time to be a dad."
Guerard had been the boys lacrosse since Bedford High School opened in the fall of 2007, and after two years as a junior varsity team, the Bulldogs played their first varsity season in 2009. Bedford was 4-9 that year and missed the playoffs for the only time in their history.
In nine varsity seasons under Guerard, Bedford had a record of 147-38, including a 14-6 record in the postseason. The Bulldogs won the Division II championship three years in a row (2012-2014) and finished undefeated each season.
Bedford won a state-record 72 consecutive games from 2012-2015, which was tied for the third longest win streak ever among high school programs, and it is currently tied for the fourth longest nationally.
