Fairmont boys basketball turns to graduate

Kenny Molz, whose roots and connections to Fairmont High School boys basketball are extensive, took that to the highest level on Thursday when he was named the Firebirds varsity coach.

Molz succeeds Blair Albright and returns to Kettering after serving the last four seasons as the boys coach of Southwestern Buckeye League member Monroe.

Molz is a 2000 Fairmont graduate who played for four seasons at Wittenberg University. Molz also was an assistant at Upper Arlington – under former Fairmont coach Tim Casey - when the Golden Bears placed runner-up in the Division I state tournament in 2014. Casey was the NCAA Division III national player of the year at Witt in 1985.

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“We are thrilled to welcome back one of our own to our Firebird coaching family,” said Fairmont athletic director Chris Weaver in a statement. “Kenny is incredibly passionate about the game of basketball and is looking forward to sharing his vision and goals with our student athletes.”

Molz had fleeting success at Monroe, twice guiding the Hornets to best seasons of 12-11, including last season. Overall, his Monroe teams were a combined 38-54 and 22-26 in the SWBL Southwestern Division. Monroe ended Franklin’s 51-game SWBL win streak in January of 2016, his first season at the Butler County school.

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Albright resigned after six seasons as Fairmont’s coach. The Firebirds (17-9) advanced to a second straight D-I district championship last season.

Molz is at least the third new coach among the 20 current Greater Western Ohio Conference teams, joining Steve Pittman (Beavercreek) and Mark Hess (Troy). The other GWOC boys opening is at Butler.

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The entire GWOC American Conference – with the exception of Trotwood-Madison – will form a revised 10-team Miami Valley League this fall. The remaining GWOC National Conference teams will comprise a 10-team GWOC.

Molz’s coaching position at Fairmont is pending school board approval.

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