HobbsDailyReport.com
ICARD – East Burke High will start its 47th varsity football season with its 10th head coach after the resignation of Mark Buffamoyer on Tuesday.
Buffamoyer’s decision to step down after three seasons was announced in a press release by the Burke County Public Schools.
BUFFAMOYER
He coached the Cavs to records of 2-9, 1-10 and 2-9 in three years after taking over as head coach when Tom Brown retired after the 2016 season.
School officials said a search for the next head coach for East Burke, which opened in 1974, will soon begin.
Buffamoyer was a football assistant at East Burke for eight seasons before becoming head coach. He was also head coach at West Caldwell from 2004 through 2007 (10-35 record).
“I would like to thank Coach Buffamoyer for his hard work and dedication to high school students and athletes over the past decades and specifically his commitment to East Burke High School and our football program here,” East Burke Principal Katie Moore said in a press release that said she has accepted Buffamoyer’s resignation. “He is a sincere and virtupous man and is well respected by our students, parents and staff.
“I was disappointed to learn of Coach Buff’s decision but appreciate his honesty and willingness to make sacrifices to do what he feels is best for the program.”
At 2-9 this season, the Cavs finished with a losing record for the fourth straight season and a losing record for the ninth time in 10 years. Their winning record in that stretch was 8-6 in 2015 under Brown.
“It was with a heavy heart that I informed Mrs. Moore of my decision to step down as the Cavaliers head football coach,” Buffamoyer said in the press release. “But after much self-reflection on where our football program is going, I feel it is time for me to step aside.
“I believe the program needs new energy with someone who has an energy about them that will reach out to young people and bring them into the program, weight room and offseason.
“I see areas that need to be improved and new energy may
help our players.”
The Cavs’ athletic director, Jim Childers, has worked with Buffamoyer since 2008, and said in the press release: “I, too, was disappointed to hear of Coach Buff’s decision. There is a lot of football knowledge that will leave with him.
“I appreciate his hard work and dedication over the years with our students and athletes and his work to uphold the legacy of our football program.”
Buffamoyer played college football at Western Carolina University and later started his coaching career there. He also coached under longtime former East Burke head coach Mike Biggerstaff.
Buffamoyer said he would like to continue teaching and would entertain an assistant coaching position.
“I still have the energy for that,” he said in the press release. “East Burke is a great place to work and the people here have made big contributions toward me, and for that I am thankful.”
EAST BURKE’S FOOTBALL HISTORY
A look at the nine men who served as head football coach at East Burke High since the school opened in 1974, with unofficials records:
Head coach First year Years Record
Danny Williams 1974 10 65-39-2
Wayne Fletcher 1984 11 69-50-0
Curtis Threatt 1995 2 12-10-0
Mike Helms 1997 2 6-16-0*
Tom Harper 1999 3 8-24-0
Mike Biggerstaff 2002 8 59-36-0
Jim Ruark 2010 4 11-34-0
Tom Brown 2014 3 13-23-0
Mark Buffamoyer 2017 3 5-28-0
TOTALS 46 248-260-2
*–includes one forfeit win in 1997, six forfeits in 1998.
SOURCE: HobbsDailyReport.com research and files.