LEWISTON — The multi-time state champion Lewiston High School cheerleading team and its coach of the past nine years have abruptly parted ways.

Lynnette Morency, who took over the varsity competition program and its ancillary fall soccer and winter sideline teams in 2006, and has helped guide the team to four state titles and three New England crowns, will no longer be affiliated with the team or any of its programs, effective immediately, according to Lewiston High School Athletic Director Jason Fuller.

“I have received a letter of resignation from Lynnette Morency,” Fuller said. “It’s difficult timing, but you’ll have to speak with her for any reasons behind her decision.”

“For the past nine years at Lewiston High, I have obviously done a lot of things right with the help of a lot of wonderful people along the way. Unfortunately, I, myself, alone, made a very poor decision, a decision that was not done out of malice,” Morency said Tuesday. “I assure that the problem has been rectified, and I take full ownership of it. However, because of this decision, I must step away from this program and have submitted my resignation, effective immediately.”

Morency would not elaborate on the nature of her “poor decision,” and Fuller could not, he said, because it’s a “personnel matter.”

Morency took over the program in fall 2006, with the team coming off three state titles in four seasons. It took her and the group a couple of years to get settled, but once they were, the team became virtually unbeatable. Lewiston has won seven consecutive Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference titles, six Eastern (now Northern) Class A regional titles and the aforementioned state and New England crowns in her nine years.

“Absolutely during her time here, the team enjoyed tremendous success,” Fuller said. “We thank her for her hard work and dedication to the program over those years.”

“I want to apologize to all the incredible young athletes that I have had the honor of coaching, all the Lewiston cheer supporters and the community,” Morency said.

“I would like to thank everyone that I have had the honor of working with over the last nine years — parents, boosters, cheer staff and, most importantly the athletes of Lewiston cheer.”

The cheering program at Lewiston is divided into four teams — fall soccer, fall football, winter sideline and winter competition. Many of the athletes on these four teams overlap participation in two or three of these groups. Morency was officially the coach for three of the four. Her daughter, Sam (Morency) Pelletier, is the fall football cheerleading coach. She remains in that capacity, and will take over the fall soccer cheering squad, as well, pending an application and interview process.

“We’ll take application, go through the interview process and hire the best possible candidates for our positions,” Fuller said.