Former Chesapeake High School boys basketball coach Andrew Lazzor is taking over the program at North County. Lazzor has already coached for eight years in Anne Arundel County.
Andrew Lazzor has been named the new boys basketball coach at
North County High School, athletic director Mike Baker said Friday.
Lazzor, 30, concluded a three-year run at
Chesapeake in March following a disappointing 3-20 season, which ended in the Class 4A East Region quarterfinals. At the time, Lazzor said that he wanted to continue working in Anne Arundel County. When the coaching position at North County opened after the departure of former coach Mike Francis in April, it was an obvious choice.
"We're very excited to have Andrew," Baker said. "His background and his experience speaks for itself. He has done a nice job at every school he's been at and we're looking forward to what he'll bring to North County."
Lazzor, a Glen Burnie resident, moved to the county after graduating from Waynesburg College in Pennsylvania. The Pittsburgh native coached for five years under coach Mike Rudd at
Glen Burnie before taking over for former Chesapeake coach Doug Sisson in May 2005.
"This is the perfect fit for me," Lazzor said. "I live in the area, I'm familiar with the North County community and I get to work with a great staff, a great AD and at a great school."
Rudd was very excited about the Knights' addition of his former assistant.
"The Battle for B&A continues," Rudd said. "Andrew is a great coach. This is great news."
Glen Burnie and North County have played many competitive games over the years as the heated rivalry was also known as the "Battle for B&A." The schools are located just a few miles apart on Baltimore-Annapolis Blvd.
The Knights nipped the host Gophers on a last-second shot in the region-tournament play-in game in February. The teams will meet to kick off the upcoming regular season on Dec. 5 at Glen Burnie.
"I've very grateful for coaches like Mike (Rudd) and Mike (Francis)," Lazzor said. "We've been friends for a while and they both helped me through this process."
Francis left North County, which completely renovated its gym before last year, to take over the men's basketball program at the Community College of Baltimore County-Essex. He will remain at North County as a student advocate, a position he has held at Glen Burnie school for more than a decade.
Baker said that he is hoping Lazzor, a math teacher, will also get a teaching position at North County.
"You always want your coaches to be on-campus during the day," Baker said. "Andrew brings quality and leadership and we want him to influence our kids in the classroom as well."
In other coaching moves, Baker named Scott McGuire as the school's new boys soccer coach. McGuire, 23, was the goalkeeper for
Severna Park during its state championship title run in 2001 and also played at Salisbury University.
"This is my first job in the county so I'm excited," McGuire, a Millersville resident, said. "Basically, my overall goal is to create a positive environment
for the players. I want to bring what I've gathered from soccer and instill it in them."
He replaces former coach Jeff Wukitch. The Knights finished with a sub.-500 record last season.
"If you look at North County, they have some really good teams," McGuire said. "The baseball, football and basketball teams always go deep into the playoffs. I think boys soccer is going to be right up with them very soon."
McGuire currently teaches at MacArthur Middle School in Fort Meade but will work in the new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) program at North County starting next year.
Baker also promoted Lauren Fuller to head varsity coach for the field hockey team. Fuller, the program's junior-varsity coach last season, replaces Monica Napier.
"We're really looking forward to Lauren and all the expertise she brings," Baker said. "Stepping up to the varsity level will be nothing new for her. The players already know and respect Lauren and it should be a smooth transition."