Andy Johns and Fred Tone have been fixtures at Bishop Dwenger for almost four decades. Next year will be a different story. After Tone announced his retirement as principal in March, Johns recently did the same as the school’s athletic director for 20 years.

“It was very difficult the last two months to actually pull the plug,” said Johns, who was also the school’s football coach for 22 years. “It was such a hectic life for the last 30-40 years to go to a way less hectic life, so it will be a little bit scary, but I am looking forward to it.”

Johns said he made up his mind during the winter and has been going through the process and paperwork since April.

Johns spent 34 years at Bishop Dwenger, all of those with Tone, who was also an assistant football coach before becoming principal. Tone had been at the school for 42 years, the last 16 as principal.

“It is more of a coincidence than anything else,” Johns said of retiring with Tone. “He is a few years older than me. Our new principal (Jason Schiffli) is a great guy, and I would have loved to have a chance to work with him.

“This sounds like it is something that just came out yesterday, but it has been since almost February that I have been pretty sure.”

Johns, who will turn 62 next month, coached the Saints to Class 3A state football championships in 1983, 1990 and 1991. He stepped down as football coach in 2002 and was replaced by Chris Svarczkopf.

Johns was 192-68 as the football coach and coached Tone’s sons, John, Jason and Alex. Besides being the football coach and athletic director, Johns was also an assistant coach for baseball, wrestling and basketball.

“Obviously you think of big games in the past, and you think of all the kids who have gone through my classroom or my athletic arena or my office here,” Johns said. “There are so many happy things, and it was a real joy to be able to do that for as long as I did it.”

Johns’ plans for retirement include teaching a leadership-development class at the school for one period a day next year, spending some time with his family and playing his passion – golf.

“It is tough when you cram 80 percent of your golf into the month of July,” he said. “Maybe I won’t have to do that anymore. I am just going to generally try to slow down a little bit. The years go by so fast all the time.”

Johns expects for the school to find his successor in the next four weeks.

“It will carry on,” he said of the Dwenger athletic tradition. “We have a lot of great people, and it will continue to progress and go upward.”

gjones@jg.net