“Thank you so much, I’m very excited to hit the ground running,” said Gomez. “I’m telling you, we’re going to work our butts off to get to the stadium and beyond.” He was referring to the Section VI finals held annually at the Buffalo Bills’ stadium.

Gomez stated he would turn the football program around — it’s coming off an 0-8 season in 2022 under former coach Mark Benton.

Another Dunkirk varsity sports program, girls softball, also got new coaches Tuesday. Connor Aitcheson and Salvador Flores were named as co-coaches.

The school district also hired Catherine Rivera Rodriguez as a secondary school counselor, Patrick LaMattina and Nicole Perez Diaz as clerks, and Nilda Vazquez as a cleaner.

OBSERVER File Photo The Dunkirk football team will be under new direction in the 2023 season as Edwin Gomez takes over.

A long list of substitute teachers was hired: Kendall Derisley, Amanda Fenger, Cameron Forster, Amber Gaitan, Rachel Glowniak, Reuben Hernandez, Lillian Markley, Bridget Murphy, Kennedy Neckers, Amber Nellett, Jennifer Palaszynska-Mellott, Dennis Palmer, Maryanne Panfil, Brinn Shaughnessy, Helen Smit, Kristen Tasselmyer and Abbigail Woolcott.