HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL Poland taps Mark Brungard as head coach

Mark Brungard quarterbacked the Penguins to two national titles.
POLAND -- Former Youngstown State standout Mark Brungard was picked as the new football coach at Poland High Thursday night.
Following a brief interview in executive session, the School Board voted 5-0 to accept the resignation of Paul Hulea and to replace him with Brungard, who quarterbacked the Penguins to two Division 1-AA national championships.
Brungard, who played at Springfield High, was the sole choice of a search committee led by school system officials.
"This will be a huge undertaking for my life, my family's life and the assistant coaches' lives," Brungard said after the vote. "I'm humbled. It's a very visible position to be a football coach in northeast Ohio.
Brungard has taught physical education and coached at Poland for nine years, first as an assistant to Hulea, more recently as the 9th grade team coach.
Brungard ranks third all-time at Youngstown State with 6,116 passing yards. He is second in both attempts (876) and completions (496).
He was the starting quarterback from the Penguins from 1993-95, leading the team to national titles in '93 and '94.
Tradition of excellence
Hulea led Poland to an undefeated season and the state Division III title in 1999. He resigned to spend more time with his family and to earn a master's degree.
"There is a tradition of excellence at Poland," Brungard said. "Paul Hulea gave them a 15-0 season; that's hard to match. But there are things to do to go to the next level."
Brungard is active in the Christian athlete fellowship movement and is associate pastor of Church of the Rock in Poland.
Brungard said he was thankful to God for the chance to give something back.
"Nothing good happens without hard work, my kids know that," he said.
Brungard said one of his first tasks is to put together his coaching staff. He said he will look at the current coaches and could fill some spots from the outside if teaching spots become available.
"The first thing I will look for is integrity, then the ability to teach and coach," he said.