Assistant Mike Junko replaces Jim Render as Upper St. Clair football coach

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, January 15, 2019 | 1:36 AM

For the first time in four decades, Upper St. Clair football has a new coach.

The school board promoted assistant Mike Junko to head football coach Monday night, filling the vacancy created when Jim Render retired Jan. 3 after 40 seasons with the Panthers. Junko, a USC graduate and son of longtime Pitt football coach Bob Junko, was on Render’s staff the past two seasons.

“I am honored and humbled to be named the next head football coach at Upper St. Clair,” Junko wrote on Twitter. “I look forward to honoring our program’s proud tradition as well as leading our players into a new and exciting future.

“To all the young men that choose to join me on this journey, I make you the promise that your life will be forever changed by the lessons that only discipline, commitment and family can provide,” he added. “Upper St. Clair is a special community and I look forward to leading our football program in this place that I am proud to call home.”

Junko is a high school teacher in the district. Before joining USC football staff, he was a Mt. Lebanon assistant under Chris Haering and Mike Melnyk.

Render retired as the winningest coach in WPIAL history with a career record of 406-141-6. He coached 49 seasons overall.

Chris Harlan is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Chris at charlan@tribweb.com or via Twitter @CHarlan_Trib.

Tags: Upper St. Clair