After just one year with the Vikings, Wareham High School Athletic Director Marc Loranger is returning to the Panthers at Plymouth South High School.

"I wasn't looking to leave Wareham, but it was an opportunity in my community," said Loranger, who is leaving Wareham to become assistant principal at Plymouth South.

Loranger taught and coached various sports at Plymouth South for 17 years before beginning work in Wareham in July, 2011.

In Wareham, he is credited with instituting a "meet the coaches" night each season, hosting special lunches to help team captains become better leaders, and most recently, working out a deal with Carver High School for joint hockey and wrestling teams, which created a wrestling program at Wareham at no cost to the district.

Last winter, when fed up with the leaking high school gym roof, Loranger traveled to a local hardware store with the school's custodians, purchased a large tarp, and helped the custodians cover the most severely affected part of the roof.

"Someday I want to be a principal, so this is a good avenue to take," Loranger said of his move back to Plymouth. "The only thing I regret is the timing. I really wanted to stay in Wareham more than one year."

Loranger remains in Wareham until September 19. His successor has not been named.

"We're going to get the best person for the kids," said Wareham High School Principal Scott Palladino.

Palladino said he is looking for an interim athletic director to take over for this school year, and is hoping one can be named by the end of this week so Loranger can assist with the transition. A permanent director will then be sought, Palladino said.

Noting that Loranger is returning to "where his roots are," Palladino said the job is "a good opportunity for him. ... He's a good administrator."

Loranger said he appreciated his time in Wareham.

"The people were great," he said. "I'm going to miss them."