Hazlet hired as Northwest head football coach

Former Panther Valley head football coach Lon Hazlet thought he needed a year off to recharge the batteries.Instead, he missed coaching football more than he expected.In the last four months, he interviewed for three jobs and missed on the first two. The third turned out to be the charm.The Northwest school board hired Hazlet at its meeting on Wednesday night.He replaces Carl Majer, who had his position opened last month.Hazlet returns to the WVC after coaching at PV for two years. He coached at Pittston Area from 2005-07.He did not coach at all in 2014.Hazlet also coached on the high school level at Karns City, DuBois and Pittston Area. At Panther Valley he helped produce the program's first Division I player since 1988 when Richie Smith went to Army.Hazlet served an assistant at Wilkes from 2008-11, coaching wide receivers, quarterbacks and running backs.Majer coached at Northwest from 2008-14 and went 50-30. The Rangers won the 2009 District 2 Class A title.