Mike Reardon, who made three successful prep football coaching stops in Arizona after relocating from Utah a little more than a decade ago, retired Friday Mesquite athletic director Anthony Scanio said.

"Mike is retiring from it all, coaching and teaching," Scanio said. "He's done a great job for us. He's not going anywhere. He's going to stay here. He's just retiring."

Scanio said the coaching opening has been posted on the AIA website effective Friday afternoon. Reardon-coached teams in Arizona made the playoffs nine of his 11 seasons here. He has coached football for 42 years at some level or another.

"It hurts losing a guy like Mike," Scanio said. "But this is a pretty good program he's leaving."

"It is time to hang it up," Reardon said. "Time to move over and let a younger guy come in. And besides I'm ready to go out and play some golf."

Reardon spent the last four years coaching Mesquite and the Wildcats posted a 22-23 record in that time. They made the playoffs three out of four seasons -- 2007, 2009 and 2010. Each playoff season was ended by a loss in the first or second round by Hamilton.

Reardon said the last couple of years have been particularly enjoyable and successful.

"I'd rather go out a year early than a year late," Reardon said. "This year was a great group of kids and they had a good year. The kids were great, the staff was great. That's the kind of memory you want to go out on."

Reardon also had a a three-year stint at Saguaro, his most successful run, after leaving the state in 2003 to coach in California and prior to coming to Mesquite. The Sabercats were 29-9 under Reardon between 2004-2006. They were 13-1 and 4A-I state champs in 2006 and made the playoffs each season.

Reardon, who came to Arizona from Salt Lake City in 1998, started his Arizona coaching career at Highland. The Hawks were 24-19 in four seasons under Reardon and made the playoffs three of his four seasons there.