HAMPTON — Amherst graduate Derrick McCoy played both ways in Friday night’s Virginia High School Coaches Association All-Star football game, starting for the West squad at outside linebacker and wide receiver.

Appomattox hired both its new football coach and new athletic director from the same source — Amherst’s football coaching staff.

After a month-long search for Scott Abell’s successor, and a whirlwind week of interviews, Amherst High School named Cecil Phillips as its new football coach, a move approved at Thursday night’s school board meeting.