Kerry Lane moves to Pine Tree AD

Published 5:53 pm Tuesday, January 4, 2022

LONGVIEW — The Pine Tree Athletic program will have a new leader at the top in June, and that move means a new leader on the football field for the Pirates.

Kerry Lane, who spent six seasons as head coach for the PT football team, will move into the role of Athletic Director in June with the retirement of Jody Berryhill. Lane, who has also been the program’s assistant AD, will be replaced on the field by offensive coordinator Jason Bachman.

Lane confirmed the moves on Tuesday.

In six seasons at Pine Tree, Lane carved out a 29-35-1 record and led the program to the playoffs three times.

After going 2-8 in his first season, the Pirates finished 3-8 in 2017 and earned a playoff berth for the first time in 16 seasons.

The Pirates were 5-5 in 2018, and then went 5-6 in 2019, 9-2-1 in 2020 and 4-6 this past season. The back-to-back playoff trips in 2018 and 2019 marked the first time in program history that happened, and the Pirates’ 34-28 overtime win against A&M Consolidated in 2020 was the first postseason victory for the Pirates since 1976.

The 2021 Pirates earned wins over Liberty-Eylau, Kilgore, Nacogdoches and Jacksonville and suffered losses to Lindale, Marshall, Texas High, Whitehouse, Mount Pleasant and Hallsville. Four of the six losses were by a touchdown or less.

Before coming to Pine Tree, Lane spent four seasons as passing game coordinator at Gilmer, where he helped lead the Buckeyes to a state title in 2014. A Union Grove and Stephen F. Austin State University graduate, Lane also had coaching stops at Waskom, Gladewater and Arp.

Bachman came to Pine Tree from Louisiana, where he spent seven seasons at Calvary and two years at Shreveport Evangel (2008-2009). He helped lead Evangel to the state finals in 2008 and a state title in 2009, and as offensive coordinator at Calvary he earned back-to-back state titles (2013 and 2014).

Bachman played receiver at Evangel, helping lead the Eagles to state championships in 2001, 2002 and 2004.

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