By Laura Albanese

December 20th, 2007

Newsday

Nearly 40 students, football players past and present, and other supporters congregated in the bitter chill Wednesday outside the Half Hollow Hills East administrative office in Dix Hills with a single purpose: to rally around a coach.

David Pitman, the third-year coach who players said reinvented a faltering football program, was relieved of his duties last week after a 1-7 season. Because of confidentiality laws, school officials could not disclose why Pitman was released.

For nearly an hour, the protesters encouraged passing cars to honk in support of Pitman - the cacophony of chants and beeps drowned out conversation. Students recently made T-shirts and distributed petitions that garnered about 500 signatures.

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