Blue Mountain football coach Tom Gallagher directs his team during a 2024 game against Bangor at the Eagles' Nest (Photo by Leroy Boyer).

Tom Gallagher established himself as one of Schuylkill County’s brightest and aspiring football coaches over the past four years, guiding Blue Mountain to 25 wins and three straight District 11 Class 4A playoff appearances.

The 29-year-old had built a winning culture at Blue Mountain, with his motto “Above the Line” making the Eagles a force on the field and a respected presence in the community.

It appeared Blue Mountain was in for a big season in 2024 after starting 6-1, but a struggling finish that included home losses to North Schuylkill and Pottsville and an upset home playoff loss to Lehighton in the District 11 4A quarterfinals caused tensions between Gallagher and the school board.

It led to Gallagher’s surprising resignation Jan. 15, a story that finishes No. 7 in the T102 Sports Now Top 10 Stories of the 2024-25 School Year as voted on by writers and broadcasters at t102sportsnow.com, WPPA/A-106 and T-102.

Gallagher was hired Jan. 28 to become the new coach at Elizabethtown High School in Lancaster County and Blue Mountain followed by hiring former head coach Chuck Kutz to guide the program Feb. 7.

Kutz coached Blue Mountain from 1998-2008, compiling an 81-45 overall record that included six District 11 Class 3A championships and three trips to the PIAA playoffs. He later coached five seasons at Hamburg, going 20-29 with three playoff appearances. Kutz had been an assistant coach under Gallagher last season.

STORY: GALLAGHER STEPS DOWN (LINK)

STORY: ELIZABETHTOWN NAMES GALLAGHER AS HEAD COACH (LINK)

STORY: KUTZ RETURNS TO BLUE MOUNTAIN AS HEAD COACH (LINK)

PODCAST: 4TH AND SHORT AT BLUE MOUNTAIN (LINK)

The coaching change at Blue Mountain was the biggest football news off the field, but there were also plenty of good stories on it during the 2024 season.

Williams Valley outlasted Schuylkill Haven to win its second straight District 11 Class AA title, reaching the state playoffs before falling to District 2 champion Riverside.

North Schuylkill advanced to the District 11 Class 3A championship game before falling to eventual state champion Northwestern Lehigh, Pottsville made a surprising run to the District 11 4A semifinals, beating Allentown Central Catholic along the way, and Tri-Valley earned the District 11 Class A championship.

STORY: WILLIAMS VALLEY WINS AA CHAMPIONSHIP (LINK)

STORY: NORTH SCHUYLKILL FALLS TO NW LEHIGH (LINK)

STORY: POTTSVILLE GRINDS OUT WIN OVER ACC (LINK)

STORY: TRI-VALLEY FALLS IN SUBREGIONAL FINAL (LINK)

To wrap up Year 1 and gear up for Year 2 of t102sportsnow.com, the staff is counting down the best stories of the past school year. Here’s a look at the Top 10 stories so far:

T102 Sports Now Top 10 Stories

Thursday, July 17: No. 10 — Minersville’s Dante Carr commits to play football at UCF

Friday, July 18: No. 9 — Schuylkill Haven wins first Schuylkill League girls’ basketball title

Saturday, July 19: No. 8 — Sage Smeltz’s senior season at Williams Valley

Sunday, July 20: No. 7 — Tom Gallagher resigns as Blue Mountain football coach, Chuck Kutz returns

Monday, July 21: No. 6

Tuesday, July 22: No. 5

Wednesday, July 23: No. 4

Thursday, July 24: No. 3

Friday, July 25: No. 2

Saturday, July 26: Top 10 views of the past year

Sunday, July 27: No. 1