JOHNSTOWN — Johnstown High School football coach Kevin Marabito will not return next season.

Marabito, whose three-year contract concluded after the Trojans District 6 Class AAA championship season, delivered a Jan. 8 letter to Trojans Athletic Director Derrick Callihan stating that the coach would not re-apply for the position. The district’s school board received the document at Tuesday’s regularly scheduled meeting.

“I’m pleased with where the program is. I think it’s headed in the right direction,” Marabito said Saturday. “I guess someone else will steer them in a higher direction than I took them.”

Overall Marabito went 23-11 with one District 6 Class AAA title and a district runner-up finish during his three seasons. This past season, Johnstown went 8-4 and won the 6-AAA championship.

“The record speaks for itself,” Marabito said. “We had two Division I scholarships and this year isn’t done yet.

“Twenty-nine seniors went on to play football, went on to college or the armed services. The kids were successful. The whole key to coaching football isn’t so much the wins and losses but making sure the kids will be successful in life. I think I’ve done that at Johnstown. I feel I’ve done the job.”

Johnstown school board President Richard Unger said Marabito’s letter was discussed at Tuesday’s meeting and the board took measures to advertise the position.

“We opened up the head coaching position and we posted the position,” Unger said. “It’s got to be posted for

10 days. After 10 days there is a process for interviewing applicants.”

Marabito’s alerting the district of his decision not to return will enable Johnstown to start its coaching search early.

“We appreciated what he did as a football coach,” Unger said. “If he wanted to pursue other avenues we certainly support him to let him do that. It was his decision to not reapply, which he could have done if he had wanted to. I have nothing negative to say about him. We appreciate him for coaching that length of time and for his record.”

Both Marabito and Unger declined to elaborate on reasons for Marabito’s departure. The coach and the president each took the verbal “high road,” avoiding talk of rumors regarding possible friction between the football program and administration throughout the season.

Marabito’s three-year win total stacks up impressively to former Johnstown coaches through their first three seasons with the Trojans.

Cambria County Sports Hall of Famer Dave Hart led the Trojans to

25 wins in his first three seasons at Johnstown. Marabito, Bob Arcurio (during his second tenure at Johnstown) and Harold “Duke” Weigle each had 23 wins in their first three years.

Clark Shaffer (20), Francis “Blackie” Mihalic (16) and Jerry Davitch (15) also had strong three-year records once they joined the Trojans.

Marabito and Arcurio led teams in the LHAC, while Hart, Weigle, Shaffer, Mihalic and Davitch guided the Trojans in the WPIAL, traditionally one of the top conferences in the state.

“You never know. I’m not ruling out coaching again,” Marabito said. “I’ve had some people talking to me. I’m not done coaching. I might take a year off and watch my son (Brett) play baseball in college. Right now I’m not going to be anywhere but I’m not ruling anything out.”

In November, Johnstown beat Hollidaysburg 21-14 in a rematch of the previous season’s District 6 Class AAA championship game.

The Trojans opened the season at a disappointing 2-2 after dropping a Week 1 game against eventual 6-AA champion Forest Hills (20-8) and falling to Richland (21-20 in overtime) in a stunner at Trojan Stadium.

Johnstown went for a potential game-winning two-point conversion in overtime and the Rams defense held.

After that setback, the Trojans won six of the next seven games, with the only loss in that stretch to eventual Class A state runner-up Bishop McCort.

Johnstown concluded its season with a loss to eventual Class AAA state champion Selinsgrove.

Of their four losses this season, the Trojans fell to two teams that advanced to their respective state title games; a perennially powerful Rangers squad that won a 6-AA crown with one of the region’s top defenses; and a solid Richland program by a point in OT.

Two of Marabito’s teams won eight games and the other won seven. Marabito is one of the most respected coaches in the region, especially in the coaching community and throughout the media. He will be a tough act to follow.

“We’ve got to hire somebody that is familiar with the sport and has some experience,” Unger said. “It doesn’t matter who gets the coaching position, the next two or three years is going to be a building period. Hopefully the person we select will have the ability and knowledge to start the process with a positive note and have patience with the kids. The kids are our first concern. It’s going to be the coach’s team. There is not going to be interference from anybody. He is going to run the team. He will get to pick his coaches. He’ll have full support from the school board and superintendent and hopefully the full support of our fans.”