EAST PROVIDENCE — Jay Monteiro is the choice to replace Sandy Gorham as the new head football coach at East Providence High School, The East Providence Post and eastbayri.com was first to confirm through multiple sources Friday morning, June 6.

Mr. Monteiro was one of a handful candidates to be interviewed for the position by a search committee on Thursday, June 5. He succeeds Mr. Gorham, who resigned the job last month after two decades on the Townies' bench. Among other notable achievements, Mr. Monteiro, of Cape Verdean descent, becomes the first African-American head football coach in East Providence's storied history.

Mr. Monteiro's appointment does not become official until it is approved by the School Committee, which is expected to vote on the matter at its next meeting scheduled for the City Hall Chamber Tuesday evening, June 10.

Mr. Monteiro, a former Townie player, has a long history with the program. He previously was an assistant coach at EPHS for 15 seasons (1989-2003). He coached both sides of the ball, serving as defensive coordinator with a focus on linebackers and defensive backs and also coached running backs and wide receivers on offense.

He was on the East Providence staff for nine seasons under Coach Gorham. The Townies made six championship game appearances during that time. He was a party to four Division I Super Bowl wins by E.P., in 1997, 1999, 2002 and 2003.

Mr. Monteiro left the Townies after the '03 title for a position on the Bryant University staff in 2004 where he served as the Bulldogs' linebackers coach. He remained at Bryant until 2011.

He is an EPHS alum and a graduate of the University of Rhode Island where he played football for three years. Mr. Monteiro is a long-time and current Physical Education/Health teacher at the high school.

Mr. Monteiro inherits an East Providence program in need of a jump start. The Townies have won only three of 18 Division I regular season games the last two years. E.P., obviously, failed to qualify for the playoffs both times. Of note as well, the Townies have lost nine of their last 10 Thanksgiving Day meetings with rival LaSalle, including the last seven consecutively.