SACO — Can a tiger change the color of his stripes?

If one can, it would be Jamie Gagnon.

Gagnon, who has been a fixture in Biddeford High hockey as a player and coach, is trading in his Tiger Orange and Black for the Maroon and Gold of Thornton Academy.

Gagnon was named Tuesday as the new head coach at Thornton, which is fresh from winning the school’s first ever Maine Class A state title.

He is taking over for Shawn Rousseau, who left the school this summer for teaching and coaching positions at the Kent School in Connecticut.

“It is not only an opportunity to take on a head coaching role at a top Class A hockey program,” said Gagnon, who resides in Saco with his wife Tracy and two young sons, Nathan and Ryan, “but the chance to contribute to the community which we live and the school system our boys are a part of.”

Of course Gagnon is no stranger to championships either. He guided Biddeford to Class A crowns in 2007 and 2008, the final two terms of his four year stint as head coach.

After a year as an assistant with the fledgling varsity program at UNE, Gagnon returned to Biddeford as a volunteer aide to his successor and former assistant, Rich Reissfelder, and was on hand for the Tigers’ third state championship, captured in 2010.

Although he had decided not to return to Biddeford for the coming 2011-12 campaign, Gagnon, whose day job is as a financial analyst for Hannaford, left the door open should the right head coaching opportunity present itself.

He didn’t have to go far to find one.

Even if it meant crossing over to join Biddeford’s fiercest rival.

“We’ve lived in Saco now for a number of years,” Gagnon said, “so I have known for some time that there would be a day that I’d be donning the Maroon and Gold in support of our boys. I also have close family cheerleading and playing football at Thornton.

“For as many battles as I have had against TA, whether as a player or a coach, one thing was always certain – both programs were proud and passionate, and both would compete with every ounce of what they had

for every minute they were on the ice. I am looking forward to the healthy rivalry and to many more competitive contests in the future.”

His former colleague, Reissfelder, is looking forward to the same sort of hot competition when the schools meet this winter.

“He’s a great coach, but even a better guy,” Reissfelder said. “We had a ton of laughs together, and that’s what I’ll miss most.

“I guess the rivalry just got a little more interesting.”

Gagnon was selected by veteran Thornton Athletic Director Gary Stevens out what he called “by far the deepest pool of applicants for any position I’ve interviewed for.

Stevens said that of the dozen formal applicants, and six interviewees, Gagnon had the best handle on the qualities he was looking for.

“He impressed me as a capable coach,” Stevens said, “who had the knowledge of the game of hockey, a love for kids, and a system of values to tie it all together.

“The reason he has those championship rings, is because his program is about doing things the right way.”

Gagnon will not be inheriting an empty cupboard.

Thornton will return many of its key players who led the Golden Trojans to the title, and many observers expect Thornton to make a strong run at a repeat.

Gagnon knows many of those players as opposing players, but is now looking forward to a closer relationship with them.

“I am very familiar with the personnel from a hockey perspective,” he said, “and look forward to getting to know them all on a more personal level.

“Our goal will be to build on the success of last year and work toward an opportunity to compete for another state championship. Knowing the talent of those returning, and the experience gained from last year’s championship run, I am optimistic about where we will be starting from come November. I am also well aware of the contributions of some of the graduating seniors so it will take some work to fill the roles of those players.”

As for his staff of assistants, Gagnon said he’ll have a better idea of what that will look like in a week or two.

He may opt to retain holdover assistants such as Mike Roux (who also was a candidate for the position), Ron Sevigny, Rick Hebb, and Keith O’Leary, or bring in coaches from outside the program.

—Contact Dan Hickling at dhickling@roadrunner.com or follow on Twitter @DanHickling.