McMurray, 51, replaced former coach Mike Bellotte amid controversy last summer. Bellotte, who had directed Severna Park to a 74-20 record and one state title in five years, was not re-hired after the 2002 season in which the Falcons finished as state runner-up.

A branch manager for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Bellotte had been hired to a series of one-year contracts. A Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association rule states that hiring preference must be given to teachers.

McMurray, who is a physical education and health teacher at Chesapeake Bay Middle School, filed a grievance with the Board of Education because he had been denied the Severna Park job since 1999. Anne Arundel County ruled in favor of McMurray, and he took over the team amid protests from some parents and players.

McMurray guided Severna Park to an 18-1 record this season that included an Anne Arundel County championship and a return to the state final, which it lost, 13-12, to Dulaney. However, McMurray said he felt he had yet to win over parts of the community.

"Early on, it was apparent to me that I was in a no-win situation," McMurray said. "From the start I never had the full support of all the parents and players connected with the lacrosse program."

McMurray said his house and cars were vandalized on three separate occasions, T-shirts with degrading messages about him were distributed and he received anonymous letters that "questioned my coaching, questioned my character, questioned my strategy."