Younger brother will take over the position

            Paul VI High School athletic director Tony Mitchell confirmed Thursday night that Eric Bonnette has resigned as head boys’ cross country coach.

“Eric officially resigned Wednesday,” Mitchell said.

Bonnette, who replaced Jim Enright, was entering his first season as Eagles head coach.

“I was offered a distance coaching position at the University of Pennsylvania for both men and women,” Bonnette said. “This is kind of a dream opportunity for me, so I had to take it. The tough part about it is leaving the kids. They improved so much this summer.”

Bonnette said that the job at Penn is a full-time position that will include him serving as an assistant for the cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field programs.

According to Mitchell, a replacement has already been hired.

“Breton Bonnette is taking over as head coach,” Mitchell said. “He will be assisted by Mike Rankin Sr.”

Breton Bonnette is the younger brother of Eric and was originally supposed to serve as the Paul VI assistant. He’s a 2002 graduate of Haddonfield, where he was a member of the 2001 team that won the Meet of Champions.

Rankin Sr. is the father of sophomore Mike Rankin Jr., the team’s top returning runner.