Chaminade-Madonna football coach Tim Tyrrell announced his resignation Wednesday, citing personal reasons.

Tyrrell, who is from Ohio, made the decision Wednesday morning after hearing news about his wife’s family back home the day before.

“I had to make the decision not based upon football but my family and to be with my wife,” he said. “It’s the hardest decision I’ve made of my coaching career, but I preach it to the kids — the family thing — so I have to do what I preach.”

Before taking over the program, Tyrrell spent seven years coaching at the high school level and another three in college. He had replaced current Cypress Bay coach Mark Guandolo, who won a pair of state championships at Chaminade.

His replacement will be the school’s athletic director and current defensive coordinator, Marcelo Rodriguez. Rodriguez has been the school’s Dean of Students for the past 12 years. He also was the defensive coordinator under Guandolo and held the same position before that at Miami Killian.

In Tyrrell’s five seasons at Chaminade, the Lions went 39-18. After a 2-8 first year, Chaminade bounced back with a 13-1 record, losing in a Class 2B state semifinal.

According to Tyrrell, one of his crowning achievements was sending 27 of his players on college football scholarships, with another seven or so set to sign in February.

“The entire Chaminade-Madonna family is grateful to Coach Tyrrell for his significant contribution to the athletic program during his five years as head football coach,” Chaminade-Madonna president Rev. Larry Doersching said in a statement.

“The varsity football program has been successful, not only for the number of victories we have known, but for the formation of our young men as successful athletes beyond high school and as successful contributors to both church and society. ‘Coach T.’ will be greatly missed.”

Tyrrell doesn’t have a job lined up in Ohio or knows how long he will remain there when he moves. His resignation is effective Dec. 19.

“Hopefully I can come back [at some point],” Tyrrell said. “I just really enjoy South Florida. The opportunity came up [in 2008] looking for a coach to rebuild. I rebuilt a program in Ohio, so I had the reputation. I like the challenge and I wanted to take one down here.”

Boys’ basketball

All but written off after three nondescript seasons at Boyd Anderson, Sagemont senior 6-7 forward Andre Horne hopes a change of scenery will help him reclaim his spot among the marquee big men.

“I am real excited, this is a clean start,” Horne said. “A new season with a different team. I don’t feel like I’ve reached my full potential. I just want to get a state ring and go to college. It bothers me I haven’t gotten the attention of other players. I’ve put in the work. Now I want some credit too.”

The next stop in Horne’s resurrection tour is Miami Columbus High on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. when Sagemont (4-0, ranked No. 1 in 3A by Sourcehoops), faces Palm Beach Dwyer in the A-Rod Basketball Classic.

Despite being one of the highest-ranked post prospects in the 2009 freshman class, Horne never materialized into the star player at Boyd Anderson many envisioned.