Football: Long Named Warriors Coach

Greg Long, who has been the defensive coordinator for Havre de Grace High School's football team, was named the Warriors' new head coach.

A Havre de Grace alum, Long will provide continuity to the 2010 Class 1A state finalists after . Long had been the coordinator running the Warriors defense during Brooks's 13-year tenure as head coach.

Long confirmed to Patch this week that he was chosen after Athletic Director Heather Crawford conducted interviews last week. Crawford confirmed the decision Thursday, saying the school was still in the process of hiring assistant coaches.

at M&T Bank Stadium last December. Brooks, also a Havre de Grace graduate and a teacher at the school, told Patch he would be taking a teaching position at Aberdeen this fall, and . Aberdeen went 1-9 in 2010.

Long is a math teacher at Havre de Grace, where he also has coached wrestling in the past.

His primary focus in more than a dozen years as a Warriors assistant has been the defense, which improved significantly in 2010 behind break-out performances from linebacker Jordan Stallings, ends Monty Werts and Andy Meiselwitz and tackle Ryan Weismiller.

The Warriors will have graduated a number of starters by the time Long's first official practice begins in August. Long also will be tasked with helping hire a staff of assistant coaches as many of the Warriors assistants are expected to follow Brooks to Aberdeen.

Long will be one of at least three new head coaches at Havre de Grace this fall. Boys volleyball coach Gary Wasielewski and girls volleyball coach Angie Taddia are not expected to return.