ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, June 25, 1996 TAG: 9606250053
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
PATRICK HENRY tabs Jack Esworthy of Harrisburg, Pa., as its boys' basketball coach.
In picking boys' basketball coaches, it appears that William Fleming High School has given archrival Patrick Henry a big hand in finding a successor to Woody Deans.
It has been learned that Jack Esworthy of Harrisburg, Pa., will be the new coach at Patrick Henry, filling a vacancy that has existed since Deans announced in January he would step down from his basketball coaching post after the 1995-96 season.
Esworthy was not an applicant at PH, but did apply and receive an interview for the boys' basketball job at William Fleming. That position opened in March when interim coach Marshall Ashford decided he did not want to take the head position. Ashford was named interim coach when Burrall Paye suddenly retired in January. Under Ashford, the Colonels made the Group AAA state semifinals.
Esworthy did not get the job at Fleming, which named long-time girls' basketball coach Roland Lovelace to the boys' position. However, he so impressed the committee in charge of picking Fleming's new coach that his name was passed on to the PH search committee.
Esworthy returned to Roanoke for an interview with PH. According to two sources, Esworthy is the pick and has been offered a contract.
PH principal Betty Lee was out of town at a convention and unavailable for comment Monday.
Esworthy, who is running a basketball camp that will end this week, was also unavailable for comment.
Esworthy has been coach at Central Dauphin East High School in Harrisburg the past four years. His teams have won an average of18 games a season the past three years after a 5-19 mark his first season when four sophomores started on the varsity.
Esworthy beat out a large field of candidates that included former Roanoke College coach Ed Green and Luray athletic director Rich Lyons.
LENGTH: Short : 47 linesby CNB