By LINDA LOBECK

Iron Mountain

Daily News

NORWAY — Longtime Norway High School boys basketball coach Ben Leiker submitted his resignation this week.

Leiker coached Norway to 12 district titles in 18 years. He also won three Mid-Peninsula Conference titles. Last year, the Knights were eliminated in the district semifinals to Iron Mountain.

Leiker did not respond to requests for comment.

Norway-Vulcan Area School Superintendent Lou Steigerwald accepted the resignation and said it was received at 5:40 p.m. CDT Wednesday by athletic director Joe Tinti. The school board approved Jeff Gallino as Leiker’s replacement.

Leiker was suspended for five games early last season. Neither Leiker nor other school officials ever explained what led to the suspension.

Leiker was also the middle school basketball coach. The school said the position will be posted internally first and then externally.