Legendary WPIAL Football Coach Passes Away

By: Bruce Markey
Friday, January 13, 2012 | 12:04 AM

Former New Castle football coach Lindy Lauro passed away Thursday night at the age of 90. New Castle won three WPIAL titles in Lauro's 32 career career as the coach of the Canes. Funeral arraignments were not announced as of Friday morning. 

Lauro had a 220-104-15 from 1961 till his retirement in 1992, including championships in 1967, 1973 and 1975. The Canes were also runner-ups in 1982, 1983 and 1987. He picked up his 200th win in 1987, joining Phil Bridenbaugh in that club, thought to be the only school in the country to have two head coaches with 200 or more wins. 

New Castle also picked up it's 600th win in 1991, becoming the first school in Pennsylvania at that time to reach that distinction. The Red Hurricane had six undefeated teams, ten Midwestern Athletic Conference championships. One of those undefeated teams, in 1970, is considered one of the greatest teams in WPIAL history, but did not play for a championship due to the Gardner Points System, leading the WPIAL to establish a playoff system featuring conference champions the next season. 

In 1990, his peers throughout the state set a precedent by choosing him as the first active coach to be inducted into the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Hall of Fame.

He also was named Pennsylvania Big School Coach of the Year in 1984, was inducted into the Lawrence County Historical Society Sports Hall of Fame in 1986 and into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2002.

Lauro was also honored at New Castle as the playing field at Taggart Stadium is named after both 200 win coaches, Bridenbaugh-Lauro Field.