LEWISTON – After a season that saw numerous players leave for various reasons in its final weeks, the Lewiston High School boys’ varsity basketball team has also lost its coach.

Pat Blais resigned last week after three years with Lewiston, athletic director Jason Fuller confirmed Friday.

Blais compiled a 19-36 in three years at the Lewiston helm, reaching the Eastern Class A tournament in 2006.

“I appreciate everything he gave us. He worked hard,” Fuller said.

Blais did not return several messages seeking comment.

The Blue Devils lost to Mt. Blue in the preliminary round of the Eastern Class A tournament and finished 9-10 his first year. After dipping to 3-15 in 2006-07, they just missed a playoff spot last year, but a 7-11 season was marred by a Jan. 25th on-court altercation between players from Lewiston and Lawrence. Players from both teams were suspended, as was Blais because he left the bench to break up the fight.

The Devils, who also had two players quit prior to the Lawrence game and lost starter Alfonza Brooks when he turned 20 late in the season, lost three out of their last four games and finished one spot out of the postseason.

Fuller declined to say what reason, if any, was given by Blais for stepping down.

Blais, who teaches history at LHS, was the youngest coach in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference and one of the youngest in the state when Fuller hired him as his successor at the age of 26 in 2005.

Blais played for Jim Ford at Lewiston and graduated in 1998, then later graduated from the University of Maine at Farmington before joining Fuller’s staff at Lewiston in 2003. He coached the freshmen his first year, then led the junior varsity team for a year before taking over the varsity program.

Fuller said the opening is being advertised, and he would like to have a replacement ready for the start of summer basketball. “We hope in the next six or seven weeks we can get someone in place,” he said.