Alex Hill

BETHEL PARK — The last time Alex Hill was in Art Bernardi Stadium, he was part of a Butler High School boys lacrosse team beginning a journey to WPIAL glory.

“We were playing our first playoff game at home that season,” Hill recalled of the 2010 season. “We wound up winning the WPIAL Division II championship that year in only the program’s second season.”

The Golden Tornado finished 18-2 that season. Butler had a senior-laden team, including Hill, who was the starting goaltender. The school’s lacrosse program only joined the WPIAL during his junior season.

Now 30, Hill will be returning to Art Bernardi Stadium Friday night — as visiting Bethel Park’s defensive assistant and goaltending coach. The Black Hawks are taking on Butler at 7:30 p.m. in a mutual season opener.

“I’m excited about coming back, even though it will be with the other team,” Hill said. “I have a lot of great memories going to school at Butler and playing lacrosse there.”

Hill went on to become the backup goaltender at Seton Hill University. He went to law school at Duquesne and is now employed as an attorney for UPMC. He is in his second season coaching with Bethel Park.

Having coached a summer club lacrosse team, Hill was not involved in WPIAL lacrosse for seven years before joining the Black Hawks’ staff. He was a teammate of Bethel Park head coach Tim Schrieber at Seton Hill.

“I put some feelers out there that I was looking for an assistant coaching position and Tim and I got together,” Hill said. “It’s been a lot of fun. We have a good team and have some high aspirations for this season.”

Bethel Park lost to North Allegheny in the second round of the WPIAL tournament last year. Hill said this spring’s Black Hawk team is similar to the Butler team that won the 2010 title.

“It’s such an awesome experience going through a championship run like we did,” Hill said of that Butler team. “We have a senior-dominated team at Bethel this year like we had at Butler that year.

“There are a lot of similarities. I’ve been drawing off my own high school experiences in talking to these kids.”

Hill won’t rule out becoming a head high school lacrosse coach down the road.

“It’s hard to say. I’m taking each year as it comes,” he said. “Time availability would have to be there, the right situation would have to present itself. But I love the idea.

“Right now, I’m just happy to be back in the game.”