Prep Hoops: Fehrenbacher tabbed as Bulldogs' boys basketball coach

Harrisburg High School has landed on the man that will be the schools 21st coach of the Bulldog basketball program.

Andy Fehrenbacher was announced as Randy Smithpeters replacement late Friday afternoon by a 6-0 vote in a special school board meeting.

Prior to coming to Harrisburg, Fehrenbacher had stints at Salem and Teutopolis.

He was hired by Salem in the 2015-16 season, going 6-23, followed by a 12-16 record. The next two seasons, Fehrenbacher went 18-10 and 18-13. He finished with a .466 winning percentage, going 73-87.

Prior to coaching the Wildcats, Fehrenbacher spent 8 years at the helm of Teutpolis, winning six regionals and four sectionals. He finished with an .820 winning percentage, going 200-44.

Fehrenbacher, a Flora native said Sunday evening, that he's excited and ready to hit the ground running.

"It's something for me that when you look to move on from one school to another, I like to look at what type of town it is, what I am coming into and what the expectations are.

"Harrisburg is a very sports minded community. They are competitive and have success in a lot of sports. It's a station that my family and I are super pumped about."

Fehrenbacher is no stranger to Harrisburg basketball. While at Teutopolis, he went 1-1 against the Bulldogs in the post season, the later being a loss in the Carbondale Super-Sectional the year Harrisburg won the state title.

"I have nothing but respect for Randy Smithpeters," Fehrenbacher said. "He is one of the good guys in high school basketball coaches and someone that has been loyal and put 29 years into that program. How he did it, I have nothing but respect for him.

"I'm not trying to compare myself to him, what I do want to do is help continue moving the Harrisburg basketball program forward and what I can do to help Harrisburg High School."

Fehrenbacher said his plan surrounding the Bulldog program is to get the ball rolling later this week as he will be splitting his time between Harrisburg and Salem.

"There are still some things that need to come together, but for me, I'm excited about being able to spend some time with the guys, getting to know them and them getting to know me. I want to build that relationship with them. This summer is going to be more about building that foundation."

Spyder Dann covers prep and college sports for the Southern Illinois LOCAL Media Group. Follow him on Twitter: @spydieshooter.