STOLLY |
Bellefontaine High School’s athletic department filled the brief opening in its girls basketball program Monday night, but now needs a head boys hoops coach.
After nine seasons leading the Chieftain boys, Henry Stolly decided to leave his post to take over the girls squad.
He will try to right the ship for a Lady Chiefs program that has faced a lot of hard times in recent years.
Stolly replaces Brian Hogan, who stepped down after the 2015-16 season.
Hogan served as head coach for six seasons, compiling a record of 44-89.
The Lady Chiefs went just 5-40 the last two seasons, finishing last in the Central Buckeye Conference Kenton Trail division in both years.
Part of the attraction to the girls program for Stolly was the opportunity to coach his daughter Aubrey, who is currently a freshman.
A former standout athlete at BHS, Stolly went 130-82 as the Chiefs’ head boys basketball coach.
Stolly’s Chieftain teams won two sectional titles, a district crown and one league championship.
His 2009-10 squad strung together a 21-game winning streak before falling to Graham in the sectional final. The Chiefs went 10-0 in the CBC that season as Stolly was named the Associated Press Division II Southwest District coach of the year.
Two seasons ago, Stolly guided BHS to its first district championship since 1999.
In a rebuilding season this winter and facing the challenge of moving up to Division I, Bellefontaine finished 11-13. The highlight came in the first round of the postseason when the Chiefs knocked off a talented Northmont squad.