A pair of local high school basketball coaches who enjoyed success during their tenures have both resigned, according to administrators at their respective schools.
Brian McDormand, who guided the Old Town boys to the program’s first state championship in 23 seasons in 2014, has tendered his resignation after seven seasons at the school while Tim Scott, who has guided the Hampden Academy girls for the last three years, has also stepped down.
Old Town athletic administrator Brett Hoogterp and Hampden athletic director Mike Bisson both confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that the coaches had stepped down.
This past season at Old Town was McDormand’s 25th in the coaching ranks. Perhaps his career highlight came during the 2013-2014 season when his Coyotes won the school’s first state championship in boys basketball.
That team finished the season on a 10-game winning streak.
After serving as an assistant at several high schools in Massachusetts, McDormand got his first head coaching job at Lynnfield (Mass) High in 2000, and led the girls’ team to a 71-19 record and a state championship game appearance in 2004.
After the 2003-04 season, McDormand moved to Maine and guided the Lee Academy prep program for a season before mentoring the girls at Mattanawcook Academy through the 2009-10 season.
He was hired at Old Town in the fall of 2010, and felt like now was the time to hang up his whistle.
“It’s a grind and I just want to spend more time with the family really,” said McDormand, who has three grandchildren, two of whom live in Hampden and the other in Massachusetts.
“I live in Lincoln so there’s some travel involved,” he added.
McDormand said he’ll always remember the Old Town state championship team, which gave him his first gold ball.
“Everything came together at once,” he said. “Physically, we were very good, we had great size, we had great balance.”
At one point, the Coyotes won 23 straight games under McDormand’s watch.
He subsequently guided the Coyotes back to the regional semifinals the following year where Old Town fell to Winslow.
Old Town, which fielded a young roster this winter, struggled to a 5-13 record.
“Brian is a hard worker and in my opinion outworked several coaches in terms of scouting and watching films,” Hoogterp said.
McDormand said the Coyotes improved throughout the year and he expects the team to be in contention again in the future.
“We played well the second half of the year, we really improved defensively,” he said.
Hoogterp said he was informed on Monday of McDormand’s decision to resign.
Scott mentored the Hampden Academy girls for the last three years, guiding the Broncos to the Class A North semifinals the last two winters.
The Broncos posted an 11-7 regular-season record this winter, good for fifth place in Class A North. Hampden knocked off defending state champion Lawrence of Fairfield in the quarterfinals.
Hampden bowed out in the following round to eventual regional champion Messalonskee of Oakland.
Bisson said Scott wanted to spend more time with his family and watch his daughter, Brooklynn, play her senior year.
Bisson said Scott did an outstanding job and will be missed.
“It’s a loss for our program,” Bisson said.
Scott could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
