Click here to subscribe today or Login.
By TOM HOUSENICK; Times Leader Sports Writer
Thursday, April 09, 1998 Page: 1B
KINGSTON- Once a punishing, aggressive running back with a father who
played with the same wreckless abandon, Ed Michaels displayed maturity and
humility on Wednesday when he was named Wyoming Valley West’s football coach.
The former Spartan standout player and assistant coach was approved by a
9-0 vote by the Valley West school board to replace Jim Cantafio. The vote
took place during a regularly scheduled School Board meeting at the Middle
School. Michaels, a physical education teacher at Wyoming Valley West High
School, will receive $5,677 as head football coach.
About 40 others, including several players, gave Michaels a standing
ovation when he was introduced as the program’s next head coach.
“I’m very honored to be in this position, that nine school board members
had the faith in me to take over this fine football program,” said Michaels,
the son of former Baltimore Colts lineman/kicker Lou Michaels.
Cantafio announced his resignation last week after accepting a teaching and
coaching position at Wilson High School in West Lawn, near Reading. The
45-year-old Leola resident had a 27-9 record in his three years at Valley
West.
“It was the right thing to do, to keep the program going in the right
direction,” Cantafio said of Michaels’ appointment. “Eddie’s done a great job
with me working with the defense.”
Michaels, a standout player in the 1980s, served as Cantafio’s assistant
coach and defensive coordinator for the last three years.
“Hopefully, I can continue to do the job coach Cantafio did with the
program,” the Swoyersville resident added. “Things have been going very well
and the kids have worked extremely hard.”
The Spartans are coming off their best season in three decades, capturing
the Wyoming Valley Conference Division I championship with their first
unbeaten regular season since 1969.
Valley West went on to captured its first District 2 AAAA champi