For the first time in the history of the soccer program at Ellsworth High School, the man coaching the team will not be named Brian Higgins.

Higgins stepped down from his position in the Spring after 42 years coaching the team.  He took over as the head coach in 1974 after originally applying for the basketball coaching position.

The man who now steps in to replace the legend is someone that players and fans of the program are very familiar with; former Ellsworth Middle School varsity coach Paul Lock.

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Lock has been a name that has been synonymous with soccer in the area, coaching at the middle school level for 24 years himself, starting his tenure in 1992.  He does know that taking over for the winningest soccer coach in the state is not an easy task.

"I'm excited.  I've been looking forward to [coaching] for a number of years.  I'm enjoying it", said Lock before his first practice with the team on Monday afternoon.

The fact that Lock has been around the program for so long is very comforting for the players, specifically those who have come up through the Ellsworth school system.

"I was excited because I've played under [Lock] before and he's a really talented coach and he knows how to get the best out of his players.  I'm excited to see how we'll do this year", said senior Colby Clarke.

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Lock and Higgins have been working closely together over the years and the former helped the latter in the "Bootin' Eagle" summer soccer camps over the years.  Though both coaches have a good relationship with one another, Lock did say there would be a few changes in play style.

"There are some things that [Higgins] through the years and I have thought differently of, but there are things that are embedded for years.  Many of those things we're just going to fall back on and we're going to utilize those.  I may try to introduce some a few new things and see how [players] take to it.  If some of the things I want to introduce work, then we'll combine them with some of the things that Mr. Higgins already has in place", said Lock.

Higgins spent his first soccer opening day away from the varsity soccer team coaching at the "Tikes With Spikes" youth soccer clinic.

The Eagles will begin the season on September 3rd as Ellsworth hosts Caribou.

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