HAZLETON, PA – In a recent development, Dennis Buchman has officially resigned as the head football coach for the Hazleton Area Cougars after a five-year stint. The confirmation came on Friday afternoon from Fred Barletta, the athletic director of Hazleton Area, who stated that Buchman cited personal reasons for his departure.
Barletta noted, “He did discuss some things with me. I would rather not comment on that. I’d leave that up to him.” Attempts to reach out to Buchman for further comment have not been successful.
The process for Buchman’s resignation has already begun, as Barletta has submitted it to the central administration and plans to ask the school board to accept it during an upcoming meeting scheduled for Thursday. Once the school board approves the resignation, the school will likely post the head coach position, potentially as early as next Friday.
Buchman, a graduate of Hazleton Area in 2007, took over the head coaching role before the 2020 season. His first season was challenging, as it was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a record of 4-3 and a loss to Delaware Valley in the District 2 Class 6A championship game. In 2021, Buchman saw the team finish with an 8-4 record, again losing in the playoffs to Delaware Valley. The following year, the Cougars held an 8-3 record but fell to Bethlehem Freedom in the District 2/11 Class 6A playoffs. The 2023 season was tough for Buchman, with the team finishing 2-8 and missing the postseason entirely. This past year, Hazleton Area ended their season with a 5-6 record, falling to Williamsport in the District 2/4 Class 6A playoffs.
Buchman was the seventh head coach for the Hazleton Area program, which began in 1992 following the merger of Freeland, Hazleton, and West Hazleton high schools. Notably, since the end of the recent season, the Wyoming Valley Conference has reported three coaching openings among its 12 teams.
