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FAIRFIELD — His passion for Lawrence football began when he was a 5-year-old watching the Bulldogs play under the lights at Keyes Field.

From that starry-eyed youngster to a varsity player to an assistant coach, that passion has never been extinguished. Now, Pete Curtis will get a chance to lead one of central Maine’s most storied programs.

Curtis was announced Friday as the next Lawrence football coach. He replaces John Hersom, who left the post in March after two decades to take an assistant role at Bangor under his son, Jack.

“It’s an exciting feeling,” Curtis said. “From those days watching the varsity players, and then playing on Keyes Field myself and coaching on it, it means everything. It’s always good giving back to the community, and to be able to take over the program, it makes me incredibly happy and proud.”

A 2004 Lawrence graduate, Curtis played for the Bulldogs under head coach Brad Bishop as a freshman and sophomore, and Scott Walker as a junior and senior. He joined the Lawrence coaching staff a year after graduating from Maine Maritime Academy in 2008, and has stayed on since.

Lawrence athletic director David Packard said Curtis’ 17 years of experience gave him the edge during the interview process. Curtis taking over also provides continuity for the Bulldogs, Packard said.

“He knows the kids, he knows the system, and he’s a pillar of the community,” Packard said. “The kids really like him — they seek him out to ask advice — and he’s a great role model for them. All of those things led his choice as the best candidate.”

As offensive and defensive line coach, Curtis has played a big role on staff for a Lawrence program that prides itself on physicality in the trenches. That was evident in 2023 as the Bulldogs’ elite offensive line paved the way to the Class B North title, Lawrence’s first regional championship in 11 years.

Curtis said he plans to keep Hersom’s coaching staff, which includes assistants Ken Lindlof, Jason Pellerin and Jesse Dodge, intact. Although replacing Hersom, who won five regional titles at Lawrence as well as the Class A state championship in 2006, is a tall order, it’s also worthy of esteem.

“I know there’s some big shoes to fill. It’s going to be a big task to follow in those footsteps, but to be able to take over the program and replace John is an honor,” Cooper said. “We have a great coaching staff coming back, and we’ll probably add a few more names.”

Curtis is a product manager at Huhtamaki in Waterville. He lives in Albion with his wife, Alicia, and their five children: Gabe, 10; Grayson, 7; Garrison, 5; Gianna, 4; and Gracie, 2.

Lawrence returns the bulk of its roster from a team that was the No. 3 seed in Class B North at 5-5. Two of those losses were by one point.

“It really is a good time to take over the program,” Curtis said. “We have a lot of talent coming back, and we have a lot of depth coming back. I’m super excited about that, and I know the kids are, too.”