After leading the Derry Area boys basketball team to its first section title in almost 70 years, head coach Tom Esposito is calling it quits after nine seasons in his second tenure leading the Trojans.

The school board approved his resignation Thursday evening.

Esposito said that with his longtime coaching staff unable to return next year, the prospect of losing the camaraderie of such a close-knit group was difficult to accept.

“I was fortunate to have coach Polinsky, coach Bosco and coach Murphy, along with coach Petrosky, for as long as I did. Not having any of those guys, for a variety of reasons, changed my outlook on this season.”

Esposito added, “We were like brothers. We spent a lot of time on and off the court, and I trusted all of them with their roles 100% of the time. Our players benefited tremendously from our coaching staff. I just felt it was time to turn the page, so to speak, and feel like we, as a staff, left the program in a good place.”

He thanked the Derry Area School District and its administrators, coaches and teachers, the Booster Organization, the student body and the Derry community who have supported him and his team throughout a successful run of recent regular-season and postseason success.

Esposito picked up career Derry Area win No. 150 in a thrilling overtime road victory at Elizabeth Forward last February to secure the first Trojans section crown since 1957. The team then returned home to cut the nets down in their gym, where a large crowd of Trojan fans greeted them.

He would claim one more win before falling to Deer Lakes in the opening round of the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs, but Esposito said the 2026 season will provide memories that last a lifetime.

Among the other accolades under Esposito, including having the most wins in school history, the Trojans won their first-ever playoff game, a 64-39 preliminary-round win against Southmoreland in 2021. The Trojans would again make the postseason in 2023, losing to Mohawk 66-56.

The 2024 season may, arguably, have been the best in Trojan boys basketball history. The team finished 15-9 and upset Our Lady of Sacred Heart, 54-53, in the opening round of the Class 3A playoffs. After falling in the quarterfinal to Neshannock, 64-57, the Trojans would earn a PIAA berth by knocking off Ellwood City on the road, 59-40. A valiant effort against Girard in the state playoffs fell just short in a 74-65 loss.

In 2025, DA finished 12-10 and added another postseason berth, this time falling to Central Valley, 80-55, in the opening round.

In Esposito’s two combined tenures, he led Derry Area to seven playoff appearances, including five of the last six years and four in a row.

Although the accolades were many, "Coach Espo” said the relationships certainly outweighed any of the results.

“I cherish every team that I have ever coached at Derry,” Esposito exclaimed.

“Each team was different, but they all embodied our ‘family’ culture within the program. I have coached great young men who still have a vested interest in the basketball program. It’s nothing to have a handful of players come back for holiday practices, to have players even from my first stint 25 years ago call, text and visit to this day. That truly is what is so special about coaching.”

"Immediately following our section championship win against Elizabeth Forward, I received nearly 300 texts and calls from former players and coaches from Derry, Blairsville and Homer-Center. I even have a group chat with the Bobcats that I coached from 35 years ago. There’s a lot of love between the old coach and former players. That truly is what is so special about coaching.”

Esposito replaced Damon Rause in 2019 after coming back to serve as Rause's assistant for two seasons. Prior to that, he took seven years off in between tenures to spend more time with his wife, Janet, and his son, Heath. Heath would serve as a team manager while in high school and is now attending college.

“I treasured the years that Heath was our team manager. I dubbed him the ‘Director of Basketball Operations.’”

Prior to coaching at Derry, Esposito was the head boys basketball coach at Homer-Center and enjoyed success, including reaching the PIAA semifinals on two occasions.

He started his coaching career at the age of 20 at his alma mater Blairsville High School as an assistant under the late Jack “Hawk” Shurina. Esposito later served as assistant head coach under the late Jay Monahan, with the duo leading the Bobcats to three district championships and two PIAA quarterfinal appearances.

“I highly doubt that I am done coaching," Esposito concluded. "Who knows, I may be on the sideline sooner than later, but at this time, I think it is best for all that I step aside”.