After leading Seton-La Salle to two WPIAL Class AA championships in three years, Lou Cerro has agreed in principle to become Montour's football coach.
The Montour School Board will meet Monday to vote on Cerro's hiring. Cerro hopes to instill a winning attitude in the Spartans, 7-22 in three seasons under Bruce Byrom.
"I'm going in there with the same philosophy I've had for the past 12 years," said Cerro, who had an 82-46-1 record as head coach at Seton-La Salle after spending nine years as an assistant. "It's worked at Seton-La Salle and I think it will work there."
Seton-La Salle was 33-5 the past three seasons under Cerro, a two-time Pittsburgh Tribune-Review WPIAL Class AA Coach of the Year. The Rebels were 13-1 last fall, when they defeated top-ranked Aliquippa, 42-35, in the WPIAL final before losing to Tyrone in the PIAA quarterfinals.
Cerro is expected to receive an administrative position within the school district that would allow him to leave his job as a delivery driver with the Breadworks, which requires him to awake at 4 a.m. every day.
"It's going to be difficult," said Cerro, who is a Seton-La Salle graduate. "It's not like I'm leaving after a couple of years. I've been there 22 years. But it's an opportunity I can't pass up."
Seton-La Salle offensive coordinator Greg Perry, an 11-year assistant who is the architect of the Rebels' record-setting passing attack, is expected to be the leading candidate to replace Cerro.
"Greg's definitely qualified," Cerro said, "and he would be a great hire."
