Huntley tabs top Indiana coach to lead football program
Huntley High School will name former Indianapolis Warren Central coach John Hart as the school’s new football coach, pending approval by the District 158 Board of Education at its monthly meeting today, according to sources close to the program, the school administration and Hart.
Huntley principal David Johnson and athletic director Bruce Blumer both declined to comment. District 158 superintendent Dr. John Burkey and Hart did not return calls seeking comment.
Hart resigned from his coaching position at Warren Central last Friday, according to the Indianapolis Star. In four seasons leading one of the Midwest’s best-known football programs, Hart’s teams went 41-9 and won the Class 5A state championship in 2009.
Hart’s Warriors were ranked No. 1 in Indiana for most of the 2011 season and cracked the top 10 in multiple national polls. They were undefeated and ranked No. 14 in the ESPN Fab 50 when they lost to Carmel 34-30 in the sectional championship.
Hart’s overall record is 238-70 in 27 seasons at four schools. He previously coached at Albion Edwards County (Ill.), Mount Carmel (Ill.) and Evansville Reitz.
In seven years at Reitz between 2001-07, Hart’s teams went 73-17, capped by an undefeated Class 4A Indiana state championship in 2007.
Jerry Fitzpatrick, Marty Maciaszek and John Radtke contributed to this report.