— By Bill Cornwell
HURRICANE, W.Va. — Putnam County School officials have started the process in search of a new boys basketball coach at Hurricane High.
Lance Sutherland, who led the Redskins for 15 seasons, submitted his resignation from the job earlier this week.
Sutherland issued a statement through social media thanking Hurricane fans. It read:
“Thank you Redskin Nation for everything you have done to support the basketball program during my time at Hurricane High School,” Sutherland said. “I want to especially thank my wife Sally Sutherland for putting up with a dream I had and helping it come true. A coach’s wife is a special person and she has many hats she has to wear and she wore them all remarkably well.”
Sutherland became the Redskins’ head coach ahead of the 2010-11 season when he replaced veteran program leader Fred Wright.
Sutherland led the Redskins to their first state tournament appearance in 2013, and Hurricane returned in 2014, when it claimed its first win on that stage against South Charleston and would go on to finish state runner-up as it suffered a one-point loss to nearby rival Huntington in the title game.
Hurricane made four state tournament appearances and won five sectional titles under Sutherland’s guidance.
“Coach Sutherland has been a fantastic coach and mentor to so many student-athletes at Hurricane High School throughout his tenure,” said Jeff Null, Hurricane Athletic Director. “He is a Hurricane grad himself and poured everything he had into coaching kids at Hurricane High. I appreciate and respect all he did for our boys basketball program and wish him the very best as embarks on the next chapter in life.”