Jan 17, 2018 2 min read

Charleroi High School’s football program just completed it best season in 20 years under fourth-year head coach Donnie Militzer.

Tuesday night, Militzer was called by two school district administrators and told that his position will be opened Tuesday at the Charleroi School Board meeting.

Militzer declined comment on the matter and Charleroi athletic director Bill Wiltz could not be reached for comment.

The Cougars finished the season with a 9-2 record and in second place in the Century Conference. The Cougars lost a first-round playoff game to Avonworth.

The playoff berth was Charleroi’s first since 2004 and the Cougars’ offensive nucleus of quarterback Geno Pellegrini, wide receiver Dakota Romantino and running back Brayden Mihalcin return next season.

Militzer was told that he can reapply after the position is opened.

If Militzer is not rehired, the program will have to reboot under a new coaching staff and it will have a ripple effect as Militzer’s offensive system has been implemented in with the middle school program and down to the midget program.

While there is speculation as to what is at the root of this move, Militzer’s tone when contacted Wednesday evening told his disappointment.

Charleroi players took to social media Wednesday night to show support for Militzer.

Tuesday afternoon, the talk around the Charleroi football program was the new-look conference that the Cougars will be in next season. with Beth-Center, Brownsville, Carmichaels, Frazier, McGuffey, Southmoreland and Washington.

Now the conference talk is on the back burner as the players try to figure out if Militzer, or someone else, will be coaching them next season.