Joe Palka has resigned as Whitmer's football coach to accept the same position at Saline High School in Michigan. Palka was 59-17 overall at the school and his teams made the playoffs in five of six years under him.
The Panthers won the final two City League titles in 2009 and 2010 before capturing the inaugural Three Rivers Athletic Conference championship this season. After outscoring its first three playoff opponents 94-6, Whitmer (13-1) fell to Cleveland St. Ignatius, 17-6, in the Division I state semifinals Nov. 26.
Palka's program came under fire in August when the Ohio High School Athletic Association dispatched an investigative team to Whitmer to check into the validity of several transfer student athletes. The OHSAA told The Blade last week its probe "is nearly complete."
In addition to coaching Saline, Palka has agreed to roles as assistant athletic director and assistant principal.
"This is a great opportunity with increased responsibility and significant increase in pay at a great school," Palka sent in a text message. "The timing is never great when you change jobs for a lot of reasons. I made the decision based on what is best for my family. That is it. I am proud of what we accomplished at Whitmer."
The Whitmer football team is expected to be honored Wednesday at Washington Local Schools board meeting.

rmolin73;1024760 wrote:I've said all along that this was fishy.

Thinthickbigred;1024790 wrote:whats fishy is the double standards that are in place with public schools to private schools

Whitmer announced the hiring of new football coach Jerry Bell on Wednesday morning. Bell was offensive line coach under former coach Joe Palka and is a 1991 Whitmer graduate.
"Jerry brings a passion and enthusiasm to Whitmer football," Whitmer athletic director Tom Snook said in a statement. "He has a tremendous work ethic, and he has always been a huge asset to our athletic program and to the Washington Local community. As a Whitmer graduate and former Whitmer football player, I am excited to have a hometown boy as our next coach."
Bell will try to continue a brilliant run in the program. Palka's final two teams advanced to the Division I state semifinals, and the Panthers won league titles the past three seasons.
Bell is a social studies teacher at Jefferson Junior High and has taught in Washington Local Schools for 15 years.
More than 20 people applied for the coaching post, which became vacant after Palka resigned in December. He then accepted a head coaching position at Saline High School in Michigan.

skank;1025150 wrote:Maybe they will recieve a $250 fine and strongly worded letter.

rmolin73;1058593 wrote:This is just my opinion based off of seeing the remaining talent at Whitmer. I believe their run is basically over. They will finish 3rd or 4th in the TRAC and if they have the same weak Canadian laced out of confernce schedule they will not make the playoffs. The talent is running dry at Whitmer they have a ok sophmore class this year as well as a god junior class. Their freshman on the other hand. It will be Central and Findlay fighting for the TRAC title.

Chris Hedden has been named St. Francis de Sales varsity football coach Friday.
Hedden was a former offensive coordinator at the University of Toledo and was a tight ends coach at the University of Akron.
He succeeds Mike Blochowski, who resigned at the end of last season.

vball10set;1067648 wrote:Not Whitmer, but Toledo based nonetheless

http://www.toledoblade.com/HighSchool/2012/01/27/Hedden-named-St-Francis-coach.html

rmolin73;1058593 wrote:This is just my opinion based off of seeing the remaining talent at Whitmer. I believe their run is basically over. They will finish 3rd or 4th in the TRAC and if they have the same weak Canadian laced out of confernce schedule they will not make the playoffs. The talent is running dry at Whitmer they have a ok sophmore class this year as well as a god junior class. Their freshman on the other hand. It will be Central and Findlay fighting for the TRAC title.

skank;1068655 wrote:Your schedule was weak and YOU made the playoffs, so I guess it's possible.