Published May 13, 2008
Missouri Football Coaching Update
Rivals
Publisher
Updated: Monday. May 12, 11:30 PM
St. Louis, MO --
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Andy McNeely
will assume the coaching duties at Plattsburg High School. McNeely, who
has been at assistant at Smithville for the past four years hopes to continue
the solid tradition of the Plattsburg program.
Springfield looking for another head football coach
After just one season, a 1-9 campaign Chief head football coach
Don Knock
has resigned as head football coach at Kickapoo. Mark Fisher, athletic
director at Springfield will again begin a head coaching search as he has also
done at Glendale and Hillcrest.
Larry Mueller
has resigned at Cuba and will be taking a head girls basketball position at
Hollister. Cuba is accepting applicants and will begin interviewing
Friday.
Here they are... The Coaching Rumor Mill is constantly being updated.
Traditionally we've always begun the day after the state finals and run
through the month of September. However, many schools are beginning the hiring
process sooner and sooner. Because of this we will open it up as soon as that
specific team is eliminated from the tourney or if retirements etc are
officially announced. Out of respect for all coaches, we have listed only
positions that have been officially opened, as well as any rumored front
runners. Please include specific information regarding teaching areas/openings
that might accompany each job if known...
Please click
if you
can offer any information
regarding these or other positions.
Archie:
Vacant
Aurora:
Rick Scholten who spent a season at Fair Grove after a successful stint at
Marionville has accepted the Aurora top football position.
Brian Moler has taken the Reeds Springs position.
Benton (St. Joseph) --
Matt Tabor has accepted the top position at Benton. Tabor
assisted at Lafayette last season, and was the head coach at LeBlond for four
seasons building a 15-22 record.
Benton graduate Derek Wilson will not return for his sixth season
leading the Cardinals this season following a 2-7 mark last year.
Wilson, who couldn't come to terms on the football position,
compiled a 27-25 mark while leading Benton to the semifinals of the Class 4
playoffs in 2004.
California: Lance Johnston
has been hired at California High School, taking over for Geary Labuary who
stepped down following a very successful career. Johnson moves from
Lexington where he guided his squad to the 2006 district crown and has served
for the past 5 seasons. Johnson also guided Polo and North Platte to a
Show-Me Bowl title in 1998.

Cameron:
The Dragons have hired a new head coach. Dave Rash, an assistant
coach at Kearney the past six seasons, including a pair of Show-Me Bowl
championship season will assume his first head coaching position.
Following an outstanding run at Cameron, including a 2005 Class 2 Show-Me
Bowl title and a 39-19 record, head coach
Eric Thomas
has moved to Hickman (Columbia) where he will serve as a coordinator.
Cape Central:
Vacant
CBC (St. Louis)
The Cadets wasted no time hiring their new head football coach.
Scott Pingel,
30, has served as the offensive coordinator at CBC for the past three seasons.
Pingel was a standout wide receiver at Westminster University (Fulton)
breaking several records and earning NCAA Division III all-america honors.
Bob Shannon
has retired following an outstanding career in which he built a 256-97-4
record at CBC, Alton (IL), and East St. Louis.
Clinton:
Vacant
Crest Ridge:
Chris Cavanah
will take his first head coaching position at Crest Ridge.
Cuba: Larry Mueller
has resigned at Cuba and will be taking a head girls basketball position at
Hollister. Cuba is accepting applicants and will begin interviewing
Friday.
Fair Grove:
Jason O'Neal,
has been named to replace Rick Scholten who resigned to take the Aurora head
coaching position. Formerly the head coach at Osceola, he has recently
been in administration.
Ft. Zumwalt North: Joe Bacon
has been named head coach at North. A former member of Valle Catholic
title teams in 1988 and 1989, he has been an assistant at North for the past
11 years.
Leroy Shumaker
steps down after leading the program since 1999. During that time he build a
45-46 overall mark including an 8-3 mark including a co-Gateway North and
district title this season.
Gallatin:
Former Cameron assistant coach Jeff White takes over as the new head
coach with the Gallatin Bulldogs.
Following a successful run at Gallatin head coach
Mark Cole
has resigned and will head to Savannah High School.
Glendale: Joel Heman
has been hired in Springfield to replace long time Falcon mentor Gary Hurst
who stepped down following the 2007 season.
Harrisonville:
Veteran
Chuck Lliteras
will take over the Harrisonville football program, currenlty one of the most
successful in the Show-Me State. Lliteras has served as defensive
coordinator at William Jewell the past two seasons and has served as a head
coach at Holden, Ft. Osage and Maryville for 11 seasons.
Hillcrest:
The Hornets will have a new head football coach for the second time in as many
seasons next year as John Beckham takes over the program.
Beckham, who is 46, takes his first head coaching position.
Hillsboro:
Brian Robbins (leaves Poplar Bluff)
Jackson: Van Hitt
has paid his dues, serving as an assistant coach at Jackson since 1979, he
will now serve as the head football coach. Carl Gross, the 19-year
veteran Jackson coach stepped down following the 2007 season.
Kickapoo:
After just one season, a 1-9 campaign Chief head football coach
Don Knock
has resigned as head football coach at Kickapoo. Mark Fisher, athletic
director at Springfield will again begin a head coaching search as he has also
done at Glendale and Hillcrest.
Lexington:
Vacant
Liberal
Send application to: Liberal R-II School District 107 S. Payne Liberal, MO
64762
Liberty:
Joel Wells (leaves Nixa)
Wells comes to
Liberty following a very successful tenure leading Nixa High the past seven
seasons. During his time in Nixa the Eagles earned four C.O.C. titles,
four district titles, and a pair of quarterfinal appearances.
Lutheran North:
Troy Fehrs,
42, takes over at North after serving as the head coach for the past 10
seasons at Lutheran West (Cleveland).
Veteran Lutheran North head football coach
Jim Manion
has retired, again. Manion led the football program from 1970 through
1972, then returned in 1998 staying ten seasons and leading his squad to
Show-Me Bowl title in 1999.
Marionville:
The Comets continue
to name new head coaches, and they continue to win. The latest head
coach is 13-season Springfield Catholic assistant coach Chris Jennerjohn.
Jennerjohn will take over a Comet program that finished 9-1 last season.
McDonald County: Sean Price,
a former coordinator in nearby Carthage, and the head football coach at
Columbus (Kansas) High School takes the top football position.
Mehlville:
Eric Meyer,
38, a long time Mehlville Panther assistant coach since 1995 has taken the top
football position. Meyer has learned under the tutelage of Heyde and is
ready to maintain the program. Gary Heyde(211-82) retires after
leading Mehlville for 27 seasons.
Mexico-- vacant
head coach
Kent O'Laughlin
leaves the Bulldogs following a 2-8 season in his first year in Mexico.
O'Laughlin will return to coaching girls' basketball in Palmyra.
MICDS:
It's not everyday you have the opportunity to take over one of the most
successful football programs in the Show-Me State. Josh Smith,
who has served as an assistant coach with the Rams for the past 10 seasons was
recently named as the new head coach taking over for Matt Irvin.
Matt Irvin,
who spent three seasons at MICDS has taken the New Trier (Illinois) head
coaching position. Irvin led his team to a 33-3 record, including three
ABC league titles, and two appearances in the Class 3 Show-Me Bowl.
Neosho:
Shawn Flannigan
(leaves Hillcrest after 2-8 season)
Nixa:
Richard Rehagen,
the defensive coordinator in Nixa for the past 13 seasons has taken the head
coaching position with the Eagles.
Northeast (Kansas City)
After compiling a 7-11 record, and playingin their district championship
game both seasons, Matthew J. Pyle is leaving
Northeast High School.
Odessa:
Par Pitts (leaves Palmyra)
Par Pitts
has been named the new head football coach at Odessa following a very
successful 10-year stint at Palmyra where he compiled a 78-21 mark and guided
the Panthers to three district titles and the Class 2 runner-up finish in
2000.
Head coach
Mark Bliss
moves on, leaving the Bulldog program to coach at Edwardsville, Illinois.
Owensville:
Former Dutchmen and Missouri Tiger Paul Schmanke has taken the head
coaching position at Owensville.
Palmyra:
Nine year Panther
assistant coach Jason Keilholz will serve as the next Palmyra head
football coach. Keilholz will move into the head position from his role
as defensive coordinator.
Perryville: James May,
a former Perryville assistant coach who had been serving in a similar role at
Chaffee High School will take over the position vacated with the resignation
of Rick Chastain.
Platte County:
Platte County has named assistant coach Bill Utz
to fill the vacant head coaching position. Utz has served as the defensive
line and special teams coach the past three seasons with the Pirate football
program. Previously Utz(33-58) served as the head coach at Stewartsville
and Mid-Buchanan where he guided the Dragons to their only district title in
school history in 2003.
Chip Sherman
who built a 191-37 career record leading the Pirate football program including
three consecutive Show-Me Bowl titles in 2000, 2001, and 2002 has taken the
Salina (Kansas) South head coaching position.
Plattsburg:
updated 5/1
Andy McNeely
will assume the coaching duties at Plattsburg High School. McNeely, who
has been at assistant at Smithville for the past four years hopes to continue
the solid tradition of the Plattsburg program.
Following a seven year run leading the Tiger program head coach Karl Asbury
will step down and will be relocating to Illinois.
Poplar Bluff:
Former Mule quarterback and current assistant
Shane Kearbey
has been named the new head football coach at Poplar Bluff High School.
Potosi:
Potosi has remained in-house filling their vacant head football position with
assistant coach Mark Casey. Casey will replace Matt Haug who
spent the past two seasons with the Trojans, building most of his career
208-67 record in his previous coaching stop at North County.
Raytown -- Kevin Page
is the new head football coach at Raytown.
Reeds Spring:
Following a successful tenure as the head coach at Aurora Brian Moler
will attempt to rebuild the Reeds Spring football program which finished 1-9
last season. Moler was 31-32 in Aurora after taking over an 0-10 football
team, prior to that he served as head coach at Strafford.
Savannah: Mark Cole
has been named head coach at Savannah, he leaves Gallatin where he built a
40-26 mark and playoff runs in the past three seasons.
Bruce Humphrey
steps down after filling in for the Savages during the 2007 season.
Sherwood:
Vacant
Interested ? Currently we have several teaching assignments that could go
with the position. Please send your resume, cover letter and any other
supporting documents to: Steve Fox, High School Principal, 33300 Sherwood
Drive, Creighton, MO 64739 or call 660-499-2239 ext. 301.
Skyline:
Brandon Shelby
is the new head football coach at Skyline High School.
Daniel Roberts
has resigned, he led the program since its inception and built a 38-25 career
mark, including a pair of district titles in 2004 and 2005.
Slater:
Vacant
Slater head coach Tom Doherty has resigned from
his football position following a 13-year stint leading the Panthers.
Interested ?
Teaching Field at this time is yet to be determined. Submit resume' and
credentials, along with letter of interest and coaching philosophy to: John
McEachern Superintendent Slater Public Schools 515 N. Elm Street Slater,
Missouri 65349 OR Fax: (660) 529-2279 Email: john.mceachern@att.net
South Callaway:
Tim Rulo has
taken the Bulldogs head football coaching position. Rulo has previously served
as an assistant coach at South Callaway and Francis Howell Central.
South Harrison:
Former Bulldog Caleb Obert takes
over the head football position.
Head coach Larry Linthicum moves into Superintendent position.
Staley:
Highly successful coach
Fred Bouchard
who has guided Harrisonville to the past three Show-Me Bowl football titles
will take over at the new Suburban Kansas City high school.
Tarkio:
added 5/2 Tarkio has gone the
route of a youth movement, filling their vacant head football position with
Andrew Webster.
Webster has recently served as an assistant at Savannah and the Dexter High
School native will be a head coach in his first year as a teacher.
Van Horn: Jeff Tolbert
Tolbert is the former head coach at Ruskin High School.
Westport
Windsor (Imperial)
The Owl football program has named John Fortney,
formerly the head coach at Cuba for one season as their new head coach.
Winnetonka
Raytown head coach Ken Clemens will make the move to Winnetonka next season.
Have additional head football coaching information in
Missouri? Drop the staff a line at
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