Panther Valley wrestlers are wondering why a popular coach won’t be assisting them on the mats this year.

Ed Kennedy served as an assistant coach with the high school team for more than five years, and wrestling boosters say he has been involved with wrestling in the area for two decades, including time coaching the elementary program.

On Thursday, the Panther Valley school board voted 5-2 to reject a motion to name Kennedy as an assistant coach for the 2017-18 season.

Only Dan Heaney and Irene Genther voted in favor of keeping Kennedy.

Superintendent Dennis Kergick said he couldn’t comment because it was a personnel matter.

The vote came as a surprise to parents and wrestlers who said that Kennedy has been a mainstay of the program.

“Ed Kennedy’s been involved in the program over 20 years. This year, his kids are seniors,” said Joseph Lorkowski, whose sons are Panther Valley wrestling alumni.

“It’s truly a shame, and I don’t know what’s going on.”

Kennedy’s sons Hunter and Tanner are standout wrestlers for Panther Valley, with Hunter qualifying for the state tournament last year.

In the 1980s, Kennedy himself qualified for the state tournament twice wrestling for PV.

He has coached at the high school since at least 2011, according to published reports, and Lorkoswki said he coached the Panther Valley elementary team before his sons were even born.

At Thursday’s meeting, a group of varsity wrestlers showed solidarity with their assistant coach.

Several of them spoke in support of Kennedy and pressed the board for answers about why he was fired.

Some even got emotional as their teammates spoke.

Xander Kern said he didn’t know of Kennedy doing anything that would cause him to be fired.

“He’s a really good guy. He’s more than a coach, it’s like he’s a part of the family,” Kern said.

Derrick Beckham said Kennedy is a good coach to be around, in part because he isn’t afraid to get on the mat with the wrestlers.

Justin Ogazalek said he heard that the decision had already been made to fire Kennedy, and he wanted to voice his disagreement.

“He supports all of us, and we’re here to do the same thing for him. We’d like to see him as a coach this year again,” Ogazalek said.