Andre retires as LHS football coach

After guiding Lawrence to three Nassau County football championships and one Long Island title in 10 years, Lou Andre has retired as head coach of the Golden Tornadoes.

Andre, who has until the end of April to decide if he will remain a member of the physical education staff at the high school, served three years as a Lawrence assistant coach before assuming the top job prior to the 2000 campaign. He previously coached at Massapequa, and won three county championships there.

"Lou Andre's record speaks for itself," Lawrence Athletic Director Pat Pizzarelli said. "More importantly are the values of hard work, dedication, goal setting and sportsmanship that he instilled in the many young men that he coached. He will be missed."

Joe Martillotti, a Lawrence product and a football coach in the district for more than a decade, was named Andre's successor on March 23. Martillotti spent the past three seasons coaching the defense at the varsity level.

"Lawrence is the only place I've ever wanted to be, and I'm looking forward to the challenge of continuing the great tradition," said Martillotti, a two-way starting lineman for Lawrence who graduated in 1995. "I've got big shoes to fill."

Andre, who recalled the team's 28-27 victory over Bellport in the 2006 Long Island Class II championship game at Stony Brook as his most memorable, believes the program will continue to thrive. "I had a great run and I'm confident Joe is going to do an outstanding job," he said.

Last season, Martillotti coached a defense that excelled down the stretch and throughout a playoff run that resulted in the team's third county title in four years. 

"Probably the most important thing I learned from coach Andre is how to run a great practice," Martillotti said. "He's also great at breaking down film and clock management."

The Golden Tornadoes, who defeated Manhasset, Plainedge and Lynbrook in the playoffs on the way to capturing the Nassau Conference III crown, are the No. 1 seed in the conference for 2010 and will play home games on a brand new artificial-turf field.

"Joe Martillotti is a product of our system," Pizzarelli said. "He has served as the JV head coach and a varsity assistant coach for the past 11 years. He is an outstanding young educator. I'm confident that he will continue the excellence that is associated with Lawrence football."