Mount Vernon lands Pedersen

MOUNT VERNON -- Lance Pedersen will be the next football coach at Mount Vernon High School, pending board approval.

Mount Vernon Athletics Director Joe Wallace confirmed Pedersen's hiring Friday night.

Pedersen will succeed Duane Orr, who resigned in March after seven seasons.

"We are excited and fortunate to have such a qualified and proven leader taking over our program," Wallace said. "He is going to provide our athletes with great opportunities and experiences. We did an extensive search and believe that Coach Pedersen is going to be a great fit for Mount Vernon."

Pedersen, 42, was a 1990 graduate of West Branch High School and is the son of Bears Coach Butch Pedersen. He currently serves as football coach, softball coach and AD at Wilton High School. The Beavers were 9-2 last season and reached the second round of the Class 1A playoffs.

Wilton reached the playoffs eight times in Pedersen's 10 seasons, none before his arrival. Pedersen owns a career record of 79-33.

At Mount Vernon, he will coach middle-school PE. And he'll try to revive a proud football program that has won state titles in 1974, 1993 and 1994, but has slid recently.

The Mustangs were 4-5 last season, with four of the five losses coming by a combined 13 points.Pedersen could not be reached for comment Friday night.