Bapst Coach O’Connell Advances In National Competition

John Bapst football coach Dan O'Connell has advanced in the USA Today America's Best High School Football Coach competition. Voting in the state round closed Tuesday with O'Connell edging out Leavitt coach Mike Hathaway by 382 votes. Winners from all 50 states and Washington D.C. will be split into regions with voting to begin Wednesday October 9 at 12 noon. Eight regional winners will advance to the national round which will determine America's best High School Football Coach.

The athletic department of the winning coach will receive $2,000. Second through fifth places also receive cash prizes for the athletic departments: second ($1,000), third ($500), fourth ($250) and fifth ($100). All eight finalists receive banners for their schools.

Here are the final state voting results.