Builder of dominant program at North Allegheny is the first National Coach of the Year from the Keystone State in 14 years. Check here for updated list of honorees back to 1970 and check back soon as we build the list further back to the 1950s and more.
Art Walker has now guided teams to state titles at two different high schools in Pennsylvania. His 2012 team finished 16-0. Photo courtesy of school.
By Doug Huff
Director, National Sports News Service
Art Walker must feel like he’s coached high school football all of his life.
The son of a Western Pennsylvania coaching legend in the Pittsburgh area, Walker is making his own mark after 15 years in the profession.
“I grew up watching high school football with my dad, and family,” the North Allegheny mentor says. “I guess I learned coaching by accident.”
It wasn’t any accident this season, however, that the Wexford, Pa., team reeled off 16 straight wins and captured its second Class AAAA state championship in three years with one of the most dominating largest class seasons in the history of the largest class in the Keystone State.
For his efforts, Walker has been selected the 2012 National High School Football Coach of the Year by the National Sports News Service. He’s the first Pennsylvania coach to get the honor since 1998 when Mike Pettine of Central Bucks West in Doylestown was chosen.
“Our 32-player senior class set high standards for this season, and they were on a mission,” Walker says. “I’m proud of the how our players progressed during the season and closed the way we did.”
During the last three years, the Tigers have gone 45-2 with the losses by a total of five points. They won the school’s second state crown in 2010 with a 15-1 record before a 14-1 season ended in 2011 in the state semifinals.
This season, the Tigers outscored 16 foes by 671-140, capped by a 63-28 title game rout of Coatesville. The 63 points set a state title game record in any class while the 28 first-quarter points and 26 overall first downs tied marks. The Tigers won playoff games by 42-14, 42-14, 47-17, 21-14, 56-6, 45-10 and 63-28.
“We felt we played the toughest Class 4A schedule in the state,” Walker adds. “We also were top-ranked from the start and had a target on us. We got everyone’s best game.”
The Tigers were led on offense by 5-foot-11, 190-pound quarterback Mack Leftwich, the Class 4A State Player of the Year who passed for 5,554 yards — 3,331 this season — and rushed for 1,459 yards the last two seasons. The Texas-El Paso recruit ran behind a line anchored by 6-5, 285-pound Michigan recruit Pat Kubler. A two-way standout was wide receiver-defensive back Brendan Coniker, a Richmond commit. Six North Allegheny players in all earned all-state recognition.
In addition, this is the third state crown for Walker, who teaches English literature at the school. He spent his first seven seasons (1998-2004) coaching at Pittsburgh Central Catholic and led the Vikings to a 16-0 record and state title in 2004.
Walker’s overall record is 145-41, including 84-18 the last eight years with the Tigers.
His father, also named Art Walker, is a Western Pennsylvania coaching legend. He coached 26 years at Mt. Lebanon and Shady Side Academy and is one of only two coaches to win six WPIAL titles, including five at Class 4A Mt. Lebanon.
In his father’s final season at Mt. Lebanon, the son played against his dad while serving as captain of the rival Baldwin High team. The younger Walker later played at Clarion (Pa.) University.
After retiring as a head coach, the older Walker helped his son as an assistant tutoring the quarterbacks at North Allegheny. His last game on the staff was the 2010 state championship game.
Now, with five WPIAL titles — including the last three at North Allegheny, Art Walker can match his father’s mark with just one more title in the highly competitive Pittsburgh area.
That would only be appropriate in the Walker coaching family.
National Sports News Service
U.S. Coach of the Year Honor Roll
(Based on research by Doug Huff prior to 1999; same selections as from Student Sports Magazine and StudentSports.com from 1999 to 2008)
Walker still has ground to make up to reach the Western Pennsylvania coaching totals established by his father.
2011 – Bob Milloy (Good Counsel, Olney, Md.)
2010 – Greg Toal (Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J.)
2009 – Dick Basham (Marquette, Milwaukee, Wis.)
2008 – George Smith (St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
2007 – Mike Grant (Eden Prairie, Eden Prairie, Minn.)
2006 – J.T. Curtis (John Curtis, River Ridge, La.)
2005 – Ricky Woods (South Panola, Batesville, Miss.)
2004 – Gary Rankin (Riverdale, Murfreesboro, Tenn.)
2003 – Tom Knott (Independence, Charlotte, N.C.)
2002 – Gene Wier (North, Olathe, Kan.)
2001 – Dave Carruthers (Urbana, Ijamsville, Md.)
2000 – John Herrington (Harrison, Farmington Hills, Mich.)
1999 – Roger DuPaix (Skyline, Salt Lake City, Utah)
1998 – Mike Pettine (Central Bucks West, Doylestown, Pa.)
1997 – Chris Geesman (Penn, Mishawaka, Ind.)
1996 – Bob Ladouceur (De La Salle, Concord, Calif.)
1995 – Chuck Kyle (St. Ignatius, Cleveland, Ohio)
1994 – Bruce Rollinson (Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif.)
1993 – Pete Adkins (Jefferson City, Mo.)
1992 – George Curry (Berwick, Pa.)
1991 – Dick Dullaghan (Ben Davis, Indianapolis, Ind.)
1990 – Billy Gillum (Ruston, La.)
1989 – Cal Lee (St. Louis, Honolulu, Hawaii)
1988 – Harold Clark (Vigor, Prichard, Ala.)
1987 – Lou Rettino (Union, N.J.)
1986 – Nick Hyder (Valdosta, Ga.)
1985 – Charlie Wedemeyer (Los Gatos, Calif.)
1984 – John McKissisk (Summerville, S.C.)
1983 – Bob Shannon (East St. Louis, Ill.)
1982 – Fred Tesone (Cherry Creek, Englewood, Colo.)
1981 – Marijon Ancich (St. Paul, Santa Fe Springs, Calif.)
1980 – Gerry Faust (Moeller, Cincinnati, Ohio)
1979 – Ron Lancaster (Cordova, Rancho Cordova, Calif.)
1978 – Gordon Wood (Brownswood, Texas)
1977 – Chris Ferragamo (Banning, Wilmington, Calif.)
1976 – Calvin Chai (Kamehameha, Honolulu, Hawaii)
1975 – Sid Cichy (Shanley, Fargo, N.D.)
1974 – Dick Haines (Vista, Calif.)
1973 – E.B. Etter (Baylor, Chattanooga, Tenn.)
1972 – Gary Kehler (Westfield, N.J.)
1971 – Herman Boone (T.C. Williams, Alexandria, Va.)
1970 – Travis Raven (Reagan, Austin, Texas)
Corrections or comments? Email markjtennis@gmail.com or ronnie@studentsports.com.
HighSchoolGridiron.com 