Ken Misiak gave Geibel Catholic High School 45 seasons and more than 600 wins as its boys' basketball coach. Then it all ended suddenly with one phone call.

Misiak, the second-winningest coach in WPIAL history, was recently informed he would not be retained as coach for next season. Geibel principal Vince Mascia called him on the phone and told him the school was opening his position.

Misiak, 71, said the decision was made by Mascia, who is a former player under Misiak. Mascia wouldn't say who made the decision, saying only, "it's a personnel decision and I can't comment on personnel decisions."

Misiak was the only coach in Geibel's history, a small private school in Connellsville which opened in 1963.

"The main thing here is the way it was handled," Misiak said. "I was never told anything was wrong. I was never called into anyone's office saying this or that was wrong. I got a phone call.

"I'm very hurt. I felt like somebody stabbed me in the back and twisted the blade."

Misiak has been a head coach for 49 years. He spent four years at Immaculate Conception before Geibel opened and his all-time record is 730-366. Three years ago, he became only the fifth coach in Pennsylvania history to win 700 games.

Misiak also was a physical education/health teacher and athletic director at Geibel for 45 years before retiring at the end of this school year. But he still wanted to coach. Since Geibel joined the WPIAL in the mid 1970s, Misiak guided the Gators to the playoffs 28 times and won 15 section titles. He won WPIAL titles in 1978 and '80 and his '78 team also won the PIAA championship with an undefeated record.

Misiak won three section titles in a row as recently as 2004-06. The 2007-08 team was only 6-15, but Misiak still got the Gators to the WPIAL Class A playoffs.

"I asked [Mascia] to give me some reasons, and he said maybe school enrollment would come up if we had a new coach," Misiak said. "But how is enrollment going to come up with a new coach? He said we had only 16 kids come out for the team this year. Well we're having trouble getting kids out for a lot of sports at our school. He said some people were complaining in the stands, but that's just parents of kids whose sons weren't playing.

"There was no compelling reason to do this."