BY JOBY FAWCETT
Times-Shamrock Writer
LAWRENCE TOMPKINS
Susquehanna Community High School made a change in its boys’ basketball program Wednesday night.
The school board appointed Lawrence Tompkins as its boys basketball coach, replacing Scott Glidden, who did re-apply and had held the position for the last 15 seasons.
“I am really excited to coach these kids,” said Tompkins, who coached at Mountain View the last three seasons. “They had mostly a young group last season. I coached these kids when they were in seventh and eighth grade. It will be nice to see how they progressed and aim for a division title.”
Three years ago, the board adopted a policy that athletic coaching positions would be evaluated and opened every two years, according to principal Mark Gerchman.
“This year, we had several applicants for the position,” board president Steve Stanford said. “They went through an interview process and we felt we had a qualified candidate, and that we are trying to change the direction of the basketball program a little bit.”
Susquehanna reached the District 2 Class A championship game last season and qualified for the PIAA playoffs.
Glidden, a teacher for 26 years at the school and a Susquehanna graduate, had coached the Sabers program as a head coach, an assistant or junior high coach each year.
He guided the program to the PIAA Class A semifinal in 1999, where the Sabers lost to Bishop Hannan.
“I had a great run,” Glidden said. “I had a lot of neat kids to work with and some really good teams. We had some really great memories. And I was lucky to have those opportunities.”
Earlier Wednesday, Tompkins met with his players from Mountain View, and resigned his position after talking with administrators.
A former All-Region player at Blue Ridge and standout at Marywood University, Tompkins led the Eagles to a 33-40 record in three seasons.
Tompkins, who was a junior high basketball coach for Glidden before accepting the varsity job at Mountain View, is a teacher in the Susquehanna district and lives one and a half miles from the school.
“It makes sense to coach in a district where I am teaching,” Tompkins said. “It’s easier on travel and I think it would be better for my family.”
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