WADSWORTH — For the first time in 21 years, Wadsworth is on the hunt for a man to lead its tradition-rich football program after coach Greg Dennison, who won a school-record 148 games, resigned Nov. 12.
High school principal Steve Moore knew from the start Wadsworth was going to be thorough and patient during the process.
Momentum will begin next week, when interviews with the final nine will take place. Approximately 50 coaches applied.
“Our goal is to have it completed by the March (7) board meeting,” Moore said. “It’s not a steadfast goal, but that’s our goal.”
Internal candidates are defensive coordinator Rob Karovic, freshman coach Chris Beery and former assistant Jason Knapp.
Interviewing from outside the district are head coaches Justin Todd (Mount Vernon), Mike Passerrello (Firelands), Pete Thompson (Crestwood), Thomas “T.J.” Buckley (Fremont St. Joseph Catholic) and Mike Bohley (Chippewa). Former St. Vincent-St. Mary assistant Jeff Dallas also is in the running.
Here are closer looks at the candidates:
- Beery: The Wadsworth High language arts teacher has been in the football program since 1997 and owns an 85-15-1 combined record as junior varsity (1997-2011) and freshman coach (2011-present). Beery, who was an assistant at small-school power Mogadore before coming to Wadsworth, also is the boys track and field coach.
- Karovic: Karovic took over the program on an interim basis when Dennison had kidney removal surgery in 2014 and was the architect of Wadsworth’s hard-hitting defenses in 2013 and ’14. Karovic is a science teacher in the district.
- Knapp: A social studies teacher at Wadsworth High, Knapp began coaching at the school in 1999. He moved to Kenmore in 2010, where he was defensive coordinator under Wadsworth resident Ed Peltz before going 3-7 as head coach in 2013. A three-time national champion player at Mount Union and Wadsworth graduate, Knapp also has coached various levels of boys and girls basketball.
- Todd: Another former Mount Union player, Todd posted a 6-4 record at Mount Vernon last fall. He’s best known for a quick rebuild at Loudonville, where he went 30-6 over three seasons. The 2014 Redbirds went 12-1 and averaged 46.9 points per game behind dual-threat quarterback Kolton Edmondson, who was playing the position for the first time. Todd was named Ohio Division VI co-Coach of the Year.
- Passerrello: A middle school health teacher at Amherst, Passerrello has put long-time Lorain County doormat Firelands on the map, and his 27-25 record is a little deceiving. Passerrello took over a 2-8 program and in 2011 recorded the school’s first 10-0 season since 1973. He then went with a youth movement while going 0-10 in 2013, but Firelands has gone 6-4 and 8-3 since.
- Thompson: Thompson has led Crestwood to back-to-back D-IV playoff appearances, highlighted by the school’s first trip to the regional finals last fall. The 2014 team posted the program’s best record in 25 years (9-1), and the Red Devils have averaged north of 40 points in each of the last two seasons. Thompson was a coach in the Ohio North/South Game in 2013 and ’15.
- Buckley: Buckley is the only non-Northeast Ohio coach in the running, as he has led D-VII Fremont St. Joseph Central Catholic for the last three seasons, compiling a 9-22 record but making the playoffs in 2013. He previously was an assistant at Genoa, Fremont Ross and Perrysburg and also has coached track and field and wrestling. Buckley has teaching certification in heath and physical education.
- Bohley: Wayne County fans are well aware of Chippewa’s rags-to-riches story under Bohley. The Chipps had 16 wins from 2003-12 but are 28-8 in three seasons under Bohley. Chippewa reached the D-V regional finals last fall and won the Wayne County Athletic League championship in 2014. Bohley, the two-time defending Northeast Inland District D-V Coach of the Year, also was head coach at Waterloo (16-34 record, 2008-12) when Andrew Hill, now at Wadsworth, was superintendent.
- Dallas: Dallas served as co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach when St. Vincent-St. Mary won D-III state championships in 2012 and ’13 under former Copley head coach Dan Boarman. Dallas previously was an assistant at Revere from 1995-2009. He also was the baseball coach at St. Vincent-St. Mary (1990-94) and Revere (1998-2004), winning 160 games between the schools and reaching the state semifinals with the Fighting Irish in 1992.