Andy Marino proved author Thomas Wolfe’s novel title wrong - you can go home again.

And his football career has come full circle.

Marino was recently named head football coach at Whitehall High School, replacing Matt Senneca, who resigned after he led the Zephyrs to two District 11 Class 5A titles in four years. Senneca had an overall 17-26 record, and Whitehall finished with an overall 8-6 mark last season.

Serving as the offensive line coach at Elon University under former Whitehall head coach Tony Trisciani, Marino began his coaching career at Whitehall in 2009 in the same capacity.

That began a 12-year stint that included stops at Delaware and Lehigh for the former Neshaminy High School grad. While at Elon, Marino’s primary recruiting responsibilities were the Lehigh Valley area, where he reacclimated himself quickly.

When the door opened, Marino didn’t hesitate.

“I knew there were a handful of job openings around, but Whitehall was the one that I wanted,” stressed Marino. “There is a special connection with Whitehall. There is a lot of pride and tradition in the area. The community is well connected with the athletic program, and there is a sense of toughness here.

“Whitehall has plenty of very good people in its program, and the facility is impressive. I had a really good feeling about it, and I don’t have any second thoughts.”

Marino also wants a place to settle for some time, as he and his wife Ashley have a 19-month-old son (Rocco). He plans to be working in the school district.

Athletic Director Bob Hartman believes he made the right choice.

“Coach Marino is a great fit for Zephyr Football,” Whitehall athletic director Bob Hartman stated in a release. “As a player and coach, he has exemplified exactly what we want to stand for in our athletics programs: tough, hard-nosed, passionate and loyal. Andy has had the opportunity to work with and learn from so many outstanding coaches, including Andy Coen, Tim Murphy, K.C. Keeler, and Tony Trisciani.

“Andy has had the opportunity to work with and learn from so many outstanding coaches. I have been lucky to maintain a great relationship and watch (Marino) continually improve at his craft from when he left Whitehall. I do not doubt that Andy will work to make our program even better by coaching and loving our players the right way. Not only will he help improve our program, but his connections with other college coaches will clearly enhance opportunities for the players in our program.”

Marino likely will keep some of Senneca’s assistants, and he plans to round out his staff soon. He also will begin an offseason training program as soon as possible.

He is well aware of the highly competitive East Penn Conference, and plans to have his team ready for any battle.

“Every week, we know we will have a tough game,” said Marino. “I know how difficult it is to play in the league. Our overall goal is to win a district title. Our kids will compete every week, and they will set high standards and play with a sense of urgency.”

But Marino knows he has to be patient. The Zephyrs will need some help on their offensive and defensive lines, but they will return quarterback Trey Dogmanits among a few others.

“We have to take one day at a time,” said Marino. “We have to make sure that everything we are doing, we are doing to get better. We have to be better every day.”