Wood leaves WHS football post

Following a career spanning 24 seasons and 124 wins, Watertown High School football coach Kevin Wood has stepped down.

"Well I've been coaching for 30 years, and I just felt like it was time to do something else," Wood said.

Times have been tough on the field for Wood lately. Over the past two seasons the Cyclones have accounted for exactly one win and 15 losses.

"The last couple years we haven't won that many games," Wood said. "But that really had nothing to do with it. There's nothing bitter there, it's nothing the district wanted or anything like that."

Wood informed Watertown athletic director Chad Kolb of his decision two weeks ago. It was one he struggled with through January and February. Wood also elected to wait until the winter sports season was over so he wouldn't take attention away from the athletes.

Wood's career record at Watertown is 124-91. He won more games than any other Cyclones football coach, and oversaw a landmark change in the Cyclones' history.

In 2001, when Watertown officially moved from the Northern Athletic Conference to their current home in Section 3 football, Wood was there. He was one of the most outspoken people at Watertown in favor of making the move and did so in search of greater competition.

Watertown has gone 13-43 since changing conferences and 35-50 over the last 10 years. The Cyclones last made it to the postseason in 2003 when they lost an opening round game in the Class A playoffs to Fulton.

"I'm proud of what we've accomplished," Wood said. "I'm the longest tenured coach and have the most wins. I'm proud of all the kids I've coached and moving forward I hope that Watertown gets better in the win column."

Wood urged the school to stay within the district to find a successor, and to make sure that it's someone with boundless amounts of energy and time.

"Part of our problem is the lack of teachers coaching. ..." he said. "Coaches that aren't teachers are a common thing nowadays. Teachers who coach have more contact with the kids on a day-to-day basis. That was probably my biggest drawback over the years. I'm a BOCES teacher in different districts."

Wood plans to continue to coach the Watertown boys track and field team this spring.

"I'll probably do that until I retire," Wood said. "I enjoy that. It's the opposite end of the spectrum."

Wood also hinted that he may continue to work in a football capacity at the school, but not at the varsity level.

"I may even coach modified football if they need somebody there," Wood said.

Dave Graf — one of Wood's loudest detractors and the son of former WHS football coach William I. Graf, namesake of the award given to the top male and female senior athletes at the school — was quick to point out what he perceived as the flaws in Watertown's athletic department.

"What they're running there is a fraternity," Graf said Wednesday. "They're paying big bucks for an athletic program, a professional athletic program and they're not getting it. It's a buddy game up there."

Graf has been vocal in asking for Wood to step down over the past two seasons, and in 2006 sent a letter to the Times detailing his issues with the program and requesting his family's name be removed from the award. He has since rescinded that request.

Graf added that he would like to see the school go outside the usual candidates to find someone that's qualified for the position, notably someone who would inspire student athletes during and after their time with the Cyclones.

"They've lost the desire to win," Graf said. "You've got to have a winning spirit. If you go out into the world, you've got to have a competitive edge."

Athletic director Kolb could not be reached for comment.

BASKETBALL

MALONE 48, AVERILL PARK 34

Alyson Johnson scored a team-high 13 points to lead Malone past Averill Park in the opening round of the state girls basketball playoffs Wednesday at Adirondack Community College in Queensbury. Malone will play Indian River at 5 p.m. Saturday in a state quarterfinal at Cicero-North Syracuse high school in Cicero.

Haley Poupore supplied 11 points for the Huskies (22-2).

Katie Duma contributed 13 points for Averill Park (18-6).

SENIORS GAMES SET FOR TODAY

The Frontier League will hold its exceptional seniors basketball games today at Case Middle School. The girls game will tip off at 5:30 p.m. followed by the boys game at 7 p.m.

LOWVILLE'S CAPONE HONORED

Lowville boys basketball coach Andy Capone was honored as the Section 3 Class B Coach of the Year last Sunday.

's championship game at Manley Field House in Syracuse.

Capone, who took over the program this season, guided the Red Raiders to an 18-5 record and a spot in the Class B-2 finals. Lowville also won the Frontier League "B" Division regular season and playoff championships.