Former Orange, Bartlett-Yancey coaches to help on the sidelines
By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Eastern Alamance’s football staff for 2026 will include a pair of former head coaches from nearby schools.
Eastern coach John Kirby said that Devante Pettiford, who last season was the defensive coordinator at Western Alamance, has joined his staff. Pettiford was Orange’s coach before spending the 2025 season with Western.
Eastern is also bringing on Antwain Cook to help with the defensive linemen. Cook spent the past three seasons as Bartlett Yancey’s coach.
“You surround yourself with all these people who know more than you,” Kirby said. “We might have more coaches than we have players.”
Kirby, 64, is back as the full-time coach after filling a vacancy last summer as interim coach. This followed his 32-plus seasons as head coach prior to what became a one-year retirement in 2024.
The Eagles are coming off a 5-7 season.
