It’s what Mark Morelli called himself back in 2017 when he was hired as head football coach at Warren Area High School. It’s what Morelli still uses to describe himself now as he steps down after six seasons.

“Many years ago, a wise, older coach from New York state whom I became close friends with working the Penn State football camps gave me some sage advice, ‘You will know when it is time to go,'” Morelli wrote in a letter of resignation on Thursday to Jeff White, WAHS athletic director. “And so the time has come to announce my retirement as the head football coach at Warren Area High School, effective January 30, 2023. I want thank you for six productive years and for all of the trust and confidence you had in my ability to lead the program.”

“I hope to stay involved with the game of football in some capacity, some way, somewhere,” the 63-year-old Morelli said, while also calling the decision a ‘retirement’. “Perhaps there is a place for us graybeards to share our football experience, especially a football lifer like me.”

Prior to coaching at Warren, Morelli had been a head coach at Cameron County from 2010 to 2012, compiling a record of 12-19. His most successful season as head coach of the Red Raiders was his first in 2010, when Cameron County went 8-3 and advanced to the District 9 1A semifinals before losing to eventual champion Curwensville. He was the head coach at Ridgway from 1997 to 2007, going 60-48, including 47-22 in his first seven seasons, which included three District 9 playoff appearances.

Mark Morelli

Morelli followed Greg Latimer, who spent four seasons as Warren head coach.

The Dragons were 1-9 in Latimer’s last season as head coach and 2-8 in Morelli’s first at the helm.

“I will be forever grateful for the Warren football program in being a part of and helping me to achieve a milestone in my coaching career, 100 wins,” said Morelli. “I will ride off into the sunset of my 42-year coaching odyssey with a career record of 101-95 and a 29-29 record at Warren with two playoff appearances along with five straight winning seasons. You take away our first year record of 2-8 in 2017, and we went 27-21 the past five years.”

A competitive man, proud of his old-school moniker, Morelli is more proud of what it took to get there.

“Memories, relationships, the kids, had a lot of fun with them,” said Morelli. “We knew when to have fun and when to be serious. The administration and Jeff White were very supportive, good people.”

Some of those “memories” include the “Miracle in Meadville.” In 2018, trailing at Meadville and with the Bulldogs at Warren’s own 1-yard line, the Dragons forced a turnover. With one minute and 47 seconds left, Warren drove 99 yards for a 21-20 victory.

Other memories include a come-from-behind win in 2019 for its first-ever victory over General McLane, a come-from-behind win over Sharpsville in 2020 and a come-from-behind win in 2021 to beat Oil City.

“Coming from behind to beat Oil City in 2021, and beating General McLane in 2019; those two wins put us in the playoffs,” said Morelli.

Beyond those results, the Dragons got to visit practices of the Penn State Nittany Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers, had individual “record-setters in Jake Kupchella, Ryan Arnold, Ben White, Nick Pennucci, 1,000-yard rushers in Noah Myers and (current all-purpose back) Tommy Nyquist, and 1,000-yard passers in Kupchella, Landon Douvlos and (current quarterback) Eric Dippold,” as well as several all-region, all-District 10, and all-state recipients, and college football players.

Morelli had the honor of coaching Pennsylvania in the Big 30 Charities Classic and was tabbed an assistant coach for the Pennsylvania State Football Coaches Association East/West All-Stars game. He was also the man in charge during separate cooperative agreements between Warren and Sheffield and Warren and Youngsville, and during the coronavirus pandemic.

“I want to express my gratitude for the excellent support (Jeff White) and the school district have given me over the years,” said Morelli. “That success is derived from many people and many sources of help, all of those factors played an important role in getting the Warren football program turned around. With regards to the team and others, past and present, I will miss them. Most of all, I will miss the camaraderie, the friendships, and the relationships that I have built up over the years.”

Morelli reiterated he isn’t done with football.

“Perhaps I can catch on with someone and help them out. I am not going to do nothing. I will find something football-related,” he said. “You do not coach 42 years without loving the game.”