By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
NEW FACES
The last changes of head football coaches at each public high school in Catawba County:
School New head coach First year
Bunker Hill TBD 2018
Hickory Russell Stone 2017
Fred T. Foard Derrick Minor 2016
Maiden Will Byrne 2016
Bandys Trent Lowman 2013
Newton-Conover Matt Beam 2013
St. Stephens Wayne Hicks 2013
SOURCE: HobbsDailyReport.com research/files.
CLAREMONT – David Haynie — after nearly 40 years as a football coach and teacher that includes the last four at Bunker Hill High and the last two as the Bears’ head coach – is retiring.
Haynie’s decision was announced Monday in a press release by the school’s athletic department, which said he will retire as a coach and teacher in June.
A search for a new head football coach, the fifth since Randy Faucette left the position in 2000 after 1986 after 15 seasons, will begin after the Christmas break, the release said.
HAYNIE
Haynie has also been Bunker Hill’s junior varsity basketball head coach and a varsity assistant coach during his tenure there.
“We have the utmost respect and admiration for Coach Haynie,” Bunker Hill principal Jeff Isenhour said in the press release. “He has given a great deal to Bunker Hill.
“Through his leadership and commitment he has worked to position our program … to be in the right place to bring in a new coach and new vision.
“His commitment to the weight room has paid dividends, particularly with our JV program. In addition, Coach Haynie has been an excellent teacher in the classroom.
“We wish him the best in his retirement and honor him for his nearly four decades as a servant in the classroom and on the field.”
Bunker Hill posted its football head-coaching job as open late last week and interviews will start in January, the press release said.
“Our hopes are to have a new coach selected to start as early as possible in the spring semester,” Isenhour said in the press release.
Isenhour said a new hire would allow a new head coach to make plans for spring workouts and conditioning and “establishing a vision for the 2018 season”.
“With the success we have seen in our Optimist program, middle school, the JV squad, our rising seniors and the support of our community, this is a great time to be looking to coming to Bunker Hill High School.”
Bunker Hill’s junior varsity team went 7-2 overall last season and, at 5-1, finished second to Hibriten in the Northwestern Foothills 2A.
The Bears’ varsity team last season snapped a 10-game losing streak by beating East Burke 44-26 on the road in a conference game. They went 1-5 in their new conference and 1-10 overall, bringing their record under Haynie to 2-20 overall and 2-11 in league games (they played the year before in the Southern District 7 Athletic 2A).
The Bears are 4-40 overall and 2-25 in league games over the past four seasons.
Haynie came to Bunker Hill in 2014, coaching the offensive line for Travis Conner, and was defensive coordinator in 2015.
When Conner resigned after the 2015 season (with a record of 28-42 with two winning seasons, a.500 season and three state playoff teams in six seasons), Haynie was promoted to head coach in February 2016. Conner’s last two teams were a combined 2-20 overall and 0-14 in league games.
Haynie’s coaching background includes stints at Carroll County in Hillsville, Va., for seven years, four seasons at Manchaster in Midlothia, Va, and three seasons at Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy.
He spent five seasons as head coach at McDowell (9-35) and three seasons as North Wilkes’ head coach (4-29) before coming to Bunker Hill. His last 10 teams were a combined 15-84.
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