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Wood, New named top football coaches

TAMPA -- Capping a season in which their programs joined the county elite, Durant coach David New and Wharton's Richard Wood were named coaches of the year Tuesday by the Tampa Chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame.

The award brought together two coaches who share more than just the Navy blue jackets recipients don before their acceptance speeches. It signals a change in two programs that before this season had one winning season between them.

New has been a coach at Durant since the school opened in 1995, taking over as head coach in 1998 when the Cougars were 3-7. Last year's 6-4 record was the first time the team finished above .500. This season the team made its first playoff appearance.

Durant, which won its district, advanced to the region semifinals where it lost to Wharton.

That win by the Wildcats was the continuation of one of the most surprising seasons in county history.

Wharton had never won more than four games in a season, yet managed to earn the runner-up spot in its district and make the playoffs for the first time. The Wildcats have won 10 games in a row and will play in Friday's Class 5A state championship game.

"This is definitely an honor and I'm humbled by it," said Wood, who took over as head coach after the second game of the 1998 season. "Without these kids and these assistant coaches, I wouldn't be here right now."

Longtime Jesuit assistant Bob Weiner was named Assistant Coach of the Year and Armwood was voted as the winner of the team sportsmanship award.

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