By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
“Getting to come back to Southern and lead the team in the community where I grew up. There’s the excitement of being a first-time head coach.”
– Southern Alamance alum and new head football coach Jonathan Hester
Southern Alamance alum Jonathan Hester is the new football coach at the school.
Hester has been on the coaching staff the past five seasons.
“Getting to come back to Southern and lead the team in the community where I grew up,” he said Wednesday. “There’s the excitement of being a first-time head coach.”
Hester is a 2016 Southern graduate and a former Patriots lineman.
Hester’s appointment was approved Tuesday during the Alamance-Burlington School System’s board of education work session.
“He cares deeply about Southern Alamance,” said Todd Davis, athletics director for ABSS. “His roots kind of run deep in the Southern community.”
The position has been vacant since January when Tony McCants stepped down following one season in the position. McCants has since become the coach at Eden Morehead, though he has continued to teach this semester at Southern.
Southern finished 7-4 last season after a 12-2 mark in 2023. Fritz Hessenthaler was the coach through the regular season in 2023 before his firing prior to the Patriots winning three games in the state playoffs.
Hester, 26, is a special education teacher. He also handles morning and afternoon routes as a bus driver, plus some bus driving for sports teams at the school.
He said feedback to his pursuit of the football job has been positive as “it was somebody from the school and somebody who knows our kids.”
Hester initially coached offensive linemen with the Patriots and later switched to defensive linemen. He was the junior varsity coach in 2024, with the team posting a 9-1 record.
While a student at Southern, Hester played football for three years before opting out as a senior. He said participating in club football while at UNC Greensboro helped rekindle interest in the sport.
Henry Trevathan was Southern’s coach when he was a freshman followed by Andrew Carrouth.
Southern’s run-heavy offense has allowed the Patriots to stand out compared to some other teams. Hester said that approach will remain.
“I’ve seen what works,” he said. “We found something that works for the kids we have. There’s no need to change that.”
Hester and other assistant coaches have been handling behind-the-scenes duties related to the football program. Now, he has a new title.
“I can’t wait to get to work,” Hester said.
