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Some big shoes will need to be filled after the head boys basketball coaching positions at Perry, Hamilton and Boulder Creek all opened this week.
Sam Duane Jr. stepped down at Perry, Doug Harris at Chandler Hamilton and Justin Collard at Anthem Boulder Creek.
They all left indelible marks on those schools.
Duane led Perry to a fourth straight state title. Harris built Hamilton into a regular Open Division tournament team. And Collard had Boulder Creek built to elite status in Arizona.
Duane, who also led Tempe Corona del Sol to four consecutive big-school state titles before stepping down in 2015, is headed to the Mesa Public Schools, where he'll have compliance and mentoring roles in the district.
These are the hardest shoes to fill.
Duane, in his stints at Corona del Sol and Perry, could go down as argubly the greatest Arizona high school boys basketball coaches of all-time, surpassing even his father, Sam Duane Jr., who left a legacy at Corona del Sol, and former Mesa Mountain View great Gary Ernst, the state's all-time winningest coach.
But the transition would be smooth at Perry, if Duane's top assistant the last nine years, Kevin Hartwig, wants to stay and carry on the Perry dynasty in a lead role. Hartwig is a former head coach at Hamilton.
Harris is embarking on new endeavors, Hamilton Athletic Director Brett Palmer said. Harris led Hamilton to the 2022 6A state championship game before losing to Perry 48-38. The next season the Arizona Interscholastic Association started the 32-team Open, which pulls the best teams from the three big conferences, 6A, 5A and 4A, for a state tournament.
During his time at Phoenix Desert Vista, Harris led the Thunder to the 2008 5A-Division I state championship with a 13-point win over Phoenix St. Mary's. His 2004 Desert Vista team finished state runner-up.
"Doug Harris is a remarkable coach and teacher at Hamilton over the past nine years," Palmer said. "He consistently pushed his teams and spearheaded one of the most competitive programs in the state. We extend our heartfelt appreciation for his invaluable contributions to the Hamilton community. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors."
Collard is leaving to pursue a college coaching opportunity. Collard said he wasn't ready to say which college yet, but should be able to in the next few weeks.
Where is Koa Peat going to college? Perry basketball All-American Koa Peat announces college commitment
In his six years leading Boulder Creek's basketball program, it reached the Open Division state quarterfinals this year and the 6A semifinals in 2024, 2023 and 2022.
In a statement made by Boulder Creek Athletics read in part:
"His leadership, dedication, and passion for the game have left an incredible mark on our program, and his impact will be felt for years to come. Coach Collard, we thank you for your hard work, mentorship, and commitment to our student-athletes. We wish you the very best in your next chapter and know youwill continue to find success at the collegiate level."
To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at[email protected] or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Boulder Creek, Hamilton, Perry boys basketball coaching jobs open
Continue reading...
Sam Duane Jr. stepped down at Perry, Doug Harris at Chandler Hamilton and Justin Collard at Anthem Boulder Creek.
They all left indelible marks on those schools.
Duane led Perry to a fourth straight state title. Harris built Hamilton into a regular Open Division tournament team. And Collard had Boulder Creek built to elite status in Arizona.
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Duane, who also led Tempe Corona del Sol to four consecutive big-school state titles before stepping down in 2015, is headed to the Mesa Public Schools, where he'll have compliance and mentoring roles in the district.
These are the hardest shoes to fill.
Duane, in his stints at Corona del Sol and Perry, could go down as argubly the greatest Arizona high school boys basketball coaches of all-time, surpassing even his father, Sam Duane Jr., who left a legacy at Corona del Sol, and former Mesa Mountain View great Gary Ernst, the state's all-time winningest coach.
But the transition would be smooth at Perry, if Duane's top assistant the last nine years, Kevin Hartwig, wants to stay and carry on the Perry dynasty in a lead role. Hartwig is a former head coach at Hamilton.
Harris is embarking on new endeavors, Hamilton Athletic Director Brett Palmer said. Harris led Hamilton to the 2022 6A state championship game before losing to Perry 48-38. The next season the Arizona Interscholastic Association started the 32-team Open, which pulls the best teams from the three big conferences, 6A, 5A and 4A, for a state tournament.
You must be registered for see images
During his time at Phoenix Desert Vista, Harris led the Thunder to the 2008 5A-Division I state championship with a 13-point win over Phoenix St. Mary's. His 2004 Desert Vista team finished state runner-up.
"Doug Harris is a remarkable coach and teacher at Hamilton over the past nine years," Palmer said. "He consistently pushed his teams and spearheaded one of the most competitive programs in the state. We extend our heartfelt appreciation for his invaluable contributions to the Hamilton community. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors."
Collard is leaving to pursue a college coaching opportunity. Collard said he wasn't ready to say which college yet, but should be able to in the next few weeks.
Where is Koa Peat going to college? Perry basketball All-American Koa Peat announces college commitment
In his six years leading Boulder Creek's basketball program, it reached the Open Division state quarterfinals this year and the 6A semifinals in 2024, 2023 and 2022.
In a statement made by Boulder Creek Athletics read in part:
"His leadership, dedication, and passion for the game have left an incredible mark on our program, and his impact will be felt for years to come. Coach Collard, we thank you for your hard work, mentorship, and commitment to our student-athletes. We wish you the very best in your next chapter and know youwill continue to find success at the collegiate level."
To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at[email protected] or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Boulder Creek, Hamilton, Perry boys basketball coaching jobs open
Continue reading...
