LYNN — The era of one of Lynn’s most successful high school football coaches has come to an end.
Matt Durgin announced Wednesday that he is stepping down as the St. Mary’s coach after a 10-year career during which the Spartans became a football powerhouse. Twice, the Spartans played for state championships in the MIAA Super Bowl (2012 and 2016). They also won three North Sectional titles, and in 2016 and 2017 St. Mary’s finished the season with 11-1 records — the best in the school’s history.
“Matt is one of the most successful football coaches in Lynn history,” said his cousin, Jeff Newhall, who is athletic director at St. Mary’s.
“He has taken our program to a level where it is recognized as one of the best in the state. We will miss him greatly, but because of what he accomplished, we are in excellent shape moving forward.”
Durgin said Wednesday that it simply was time to take a step back.
“Actually,” he said, “Jeff and I talked about it last year — that it was getting to be time. I agreed to coach one more year.
“You know how you can just feel something like that? I feel it,” he said.
Durgin has been coaching 29 years, 21 as the head man. During that time, which included stints at Classical, Malden Catholic, and St. Mary’s, Durgin’s record was 163-70. His winning percentage of .700 tops the legendary Bill Joyce (.694, 185-74-27), who coached Harry Agganis.
Durgin took over at St. Mary’s in 2008, shortly after stepping down at Classical. He had intended to take a break from coaching after spending the previous decade with the Rams, as well as the 2004 season in Malden with the Lancers.
However, when the St. Mary’s job opened up, Newhall convinced him to take it. In the ensuing decade, the Spartans won 86 games while losing only 29. At Classical, Durgin was 72-35 in 10 seasons (1997-03 and 2005-07), including 10-win campaigns in 2000 and 2001. He went 5-6 at Malden Catholic in 2004.
“It’s time to take a step back,” said Durgin. “I’m very grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had and all the great kids I’ve coached.
“You can’t win if you don’t have good kids and good people coaching with you,” Durgin said, “and I’ve had both. These guys will be my friends for life.
“You take something from all of them,” he said. “I’m very grateful for that.
“From Day 1 at St. Mary’s, I was welcomed, and treated well,” Durgin said. “I feel tremendous gratitude to that school.”
Durgin, who has served as the director for the Agganis All-Star Football Game, will stay on despite his resignation from St. Mary’s.
“I love helping out with the Agganis game,” he said. “It is such an institution in Lynn. It’s an honor to be part of it.”
A Lynn Classical graduate who played football at the University of Rhode Island, Durgin started his coaching career as an assistant at URI in 1989. He worked at Maine Central Institute, Classical, Bishop Fenwick and Lynn English before becoming the head coach at Classical.
Durgin, whose late father, Hal, coached football at Lynn Tech, with the Lynn Lions and at Central Catholic, lives in Lynn with his wife, Belinda and daughters, Molly and Mattie.
