DOLGEVILLE – Longtime Dolgeville assistant coach Dan Zilkowski was named coach on Feb. 12.
Zilkowski, who had been an assistant since 2000, replaces Chris Connolly who coached the Blue Devils for the last 10 years.
Connolly went 71-19 in his tenure at Dolgeville, going 5-3 last fall. Connolly replaced longtime Dolgeville coach Jerry Walczak in 2003.
During Connolly’s tenure, the Blue Devils won six league titles and the Section III Class C championship in 2008.
“Coaching positions are established annually. In analyzing our football program, its structure, goals, philosophy, and staffing, the District determined it was time to take Dolgeville football in another direction,” Dolgeville Superintendent Christine Reynolds said. “This direction requires that we change the structure of our coaching staff to a head coach and associate head coach model to take greatest advantage of their personal and professional strengths.”
Brian Wilcox, who also served as an assistant coach at Dolgeville, will serve as associate head coach next season. Both Zilkowski and Wilcox also worked under Walczak, who holds the Section II record with 271 coaching wins, including a 264-37-12 mark from 1969 to 2002 at Dolgeville.
The Blue Devils have won a record 15 Section III titles and went 13-0 to win the 2000 Class D state championship.
“Both coaches [Zilkowski and Wilcox] have been on the staff of the Dolgeville football program for a number of years and have the support and respect of both the players and administration,” Dolgeville Athletic Director John Huddleston said. “We look forward to these two fine coaches and teachers leading our football program and its student-athletes to continued success in the future.”
Huddleston replaced Connolly as athletic director in December.
Connolly said he had no comment on the situation.
