Centreville hired Gerry Pannoni as its new football coach on Thursday, according to activities director Jimmy Sanabria.
Pannoni replaces former Wildcats coach Mike Skinner, who announced his resignation at the end of the season. According to multiple sources, Pannoni was the choice after South County coach Pete Bendorf turned down the position this week. They were two of four candidates brought in for the final round of interviews.
“Gerry has been at our school. He knows the kids and knows the program and they really like him,” said Sanabria. “He’s going to be a great fit.”
Pannoni has spent the past year as an assistant coach at Centreville. He was formerly the head coach at both Lee and W.T. Woodson, where he stepped down after the 2005 season. Pannoni served as the defensive coordinator for Centreville this season. He and Skinner were college roommates at Frostburg State (Md.). Sanabria said Skinner may return next season as an assistant.
Pannoni built Lee’s program from a winless season in 2000 into a Division 6 Northern Region playoff team by 2003. He took over at Woodson in 2004 and led the Cavaliers to the Division 5 Northern Region title.
» Hylton’s Grassilli commits: Hylton senior offensive lineman Leo Grassilli has verbally committed to play football at San Diego State, according to Bulldogs coach Lou Sorrentino. Grassilli is the second Hylton offensive lineman to earn a Division I scholarship this season. He joins 6-foot-5, 310-pound Will Alvarez, who verbally committed to Virginia Tech over the summer.
Alvarez and the 6-4, 265-pound Grassilli helped Hylton average 211 rushing yards per game. The Bulldogs finished 8-2, but failed to qualify for the Division 6 Northwest Region playoffs for the first time since 1997.
