The winter sports season is just under way and several longtime EGHS coaches will be absent this year, replaced by a new crop. Athletic Director Chris Cobain said each of the transitions came naturally.

"In every situation, when the coaches decided to leave, it was a change in their life or a schedule issue," Cobain said.

After more than six years as coach of the Boys Basketball team, Spanish teacher Craig MacKenzie left EGHS this summer to become assistant principal at Chariho High School. 

Matt Records has stepped into the role. Records, a tech teacher at Cole, had been coaching the Girls Basketball team in recent years. Don Bowen continues on as assistant (whew!).

One change begets another begets a third. The new Girls Basketball coach is Tori Ahrens, former Avenger star (Class of 2007) who played for Franklin Pierce. 

Another very familiar face will be missing this season – Len Kiernan stepped down from coaching the hockey team to focus on his new position as assistant principal at Hope High School in Providence. 

Longtime assistant coach Sean Fahey is now the head coach.

In wrestling, too, there's been a change. Joe Amato retired after last season. In his place is EGHS English teacher Michael Penza, former head wrestling coach for Cranston East. The wrestling program is still small but Penza is using the fact that he's a teacher to expand recruiting – to start the season this year, there are 21 wrestlers. [Ed. note: This paragraph was edited for clarity at 9 a.m. 12/10/12.]

For swimming, Gina Hand is the coach for both boys and girls. 

For indoor track, Peter Dion is coaching the boys and Kyle Mushaweh is coaching the girls.

Seven girls from EGHS are playing for the co-op hockey team from Cranston. It's the second year of co-op girls hockey for EG and a good option, according to Cobain, since there just aren't enough girls to field an EGHS hockey team.

The games have begun. For a full rundown of EGHS sports, including the weekly schedules, go to goavengers.com.