GORHAM – The Gorham Football Boosters have selected Andrew “Andy” Hager as the Gorham Grizzlies (Middle School) football coach.

The selection committee consisting of members of the community, educators and coaching staff recently presented the Gorham Football Board with their selection. The board voted unanimously in favor of Hager.

As a former four-year varsity player for Gorham High School, Hager played tackle, starting 40 of the 41 games played. Over his four years of high school play, Gorham High School made the playoffs all four years and won the Eastern Maine championship in 2003. Hager was also a team captain, all-state in 2004 and all-conference in 2004 and 2005.

Hager went on to play Division I football at Wagner College in 2006, 2007 and 2008, playing the positions of center and tackle while maintaining a 3.95 GPA.

The former coach, Craig Bassingthwaite, stepped down after seven years with the program. Bassingthwaite had been placed on a leave of absence last year by the booster group’s former president, Greg Yahm, following an incident at a home owned by Bassingthwaite in which a 14-year-old intruder was shot and injured.

But Bassingthwaite was then reinstated by the group’s board before later issuing his resignation. Yahm resigned around the time Bassingthwaite was reinstated, citing criticism he had taken from boosters.