Marshwood High has hired Lewis Atkins as its boys’ basketball coach.

Atkins, 37, coached the past six seasons at Portsmouth Christian Academy in Dover, New Hampshire. This winter, the Eagles went 19-3 and reached the NHIAA Division IV title game. The previous season, Portsmouth Christian was 17-5.

Atkins replaces Mike Zamarchi, who retired shortly after the 2015-16 season. Zamarchi, 48, a history teacher at Marshwood, led the Hawks to more than 200 wins and 15 playoff appearances in 21 seasons.

“I think it’s a good school to work for, just from looking at Marshwood from the outside,” Atkins said.

“Mike did a great job over his 21 years.”

Marshwood Athletic Director Rich Buzzell said he had 14 applicants. Five were interviewed by a committee before Atkins’ name was put forth to the school board. His hiring was approved Wednesday.

“It came through, especially after checking his references and the people he worked with closely, (that Atkins) really does a great job of bringing out and developing talent and is an extremely hard worker,” Buzzell said.

“If you want to have a successful program you have to develop talent, and that starts at the lower levels,” Atkins said.

Atkins was born and raised in Romulus, Michigan. After high school, he played basketball at Lawson State Community College in Birmingham, Alabama, and then at Division I Alabama A&M in Huntsville.

Because of injuries, Atkins played sparingly at Alabama A&M. After graduating in 2002, he was an assistant coach at the school for four seasons, the first two as a grad assistant.

Atkins lives in Dover and works in the IT department at Liberty Mutual. He and his wife, Becky (Driver) Atkins, are expecting their first child in September.

Becky Atkins played varsity basketball at Marshwood, earning all-SMAA honorable mention honors as a senior in 2005.

Atkins said he does have a preferred basketball style.

“I want to play up-tempo, I want to play fast, I want to defend,” Atkins said. “Looking at the scores from last year, I think (Marshwood) defended well. That is our M.O. We guard you the entire game.”

Atkins said he expects “two or three” of his assistant coaches at Portsmouth Christian will join him on the Marshwood staff.

“We need to come up with a summer schedule and communicate to the guys what we expect and what we’re trying to do here,” Atkins said.

“A lot of the kids don’t know us. It’s important for us to get to know them and make them comfortable but also to work hard and work together.”

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