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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Coach Candidates Play Waiting Game With Cda Football

What’s up with the search for a head football coach at Coeur d’Alene High School?

Good question. Thought you’d never ask. It’s been more than four months since Greg Drake resigned.

The answer: very little.

School officials will be sorting through applications soon and hope to have a list of finalists after spring break.

After that, though, it will be a hurry-up-and-wait process.

Everything is still very preliminary. Whether the school has a teaching position to package with the coaching job hinges on the outcome of a levy in May.

If the levy doesn’t pass, the district faces a reduction in force. Officials would then hire an in-district candidate.

Which prompts this observation and statement in the form of a question: It’s obvious that officials want to see if a quality candidate exists outside the district. Otherwise, why would officials have waited this long to hire from within?

The leading candidate inside is Vik defensive coordinator Will Havercroft. He may ultimately be hired if the bond doesn’t pass.

If that transpires, it’s too bad school officials didn’t hire Havercroft in the fall and make the transition smoother.

Unfortunately, returning players have been left hanging regarding off-season training and camps.

Havercroft, 42, an assistant for nine years at Lakeland and five at CdA, wants the job.

“I’ve been at this a long time and it’s (head coach) the next logical step,” he said. “It would be a great opportunity.”

Shhh! It’s a secret

And it’s the worst-kept secret in the Silver Valley.

Word has spread that Kellogg High School boys basketball coach David Roberts interviewed at Meridian High School last week.

Roberts will learn early next month if Meridian wants him to fill its vacant head coaching position. Coach Dennis Kerfoot resigned to become head coach at the new school in the district, Eagle, which opens next fall.

Roberts is one of three finalists. The other two are Tim McCarthy, Kerfoot’s top varsity assistant for eight years and Meridian’s freshman A coach, and Nampa head coach Greg Kimball.

“As far as I’m concerned, (McCarthy) is the man for the job,” Kerfoot said.

Roberts enjoyed his interview, saying he came away confident of his chances of landing the job.

Now he must wait until April 10, when a decision will be announced.

Kerfoot, who coached Meridian to a state championship in 1991-92, said he opted for the Eagle job for a simple reason: He doesn’t want to ultimately coach against his son, a freshman.

“Our house is in the Eagle boundaries and I didn’t want to coach against my son. I’ve seen too many coaches coach against their sons and it’s not a good situation,” said Kerfoot.

Stepping down?

Speaking of head boys basketball coaches, rumors abound that Lakeland’s Mike Bayley and Sandpoint’s Jack Dyck may resign.

One of the rumors appears close to the mark; the other is way off base.

Bayley is coming off the most difficult season he’s had at Lakeland. The combination of being head basketball coach and offensive coordinator in football is starting to take a toll, he said.

But Bayley has delayed a decision regarding his basketball coaching future until the end of the month, saying he didn’t want his decision to be an emotional knee-jerk reaction to the season.

Dyck, meanwhile, said he will not step down until he’s turned the Sandpoint program around.

“I’m a big baby, I guess. I refuse to quit until we start winning,” Dyck said. “I’ve spent the last four weekends at AAU tournaments. We’ll be young next year, but we’re on the verge of breaking through.”

Much like the other programs at Sandpoint, particularly football.

“It’s been hard for me losing the past couple of years because that’s not something I’ve been used to,” said Dyck, who coached previously at Beverly Hills (Calif.) High School.

If Dyck resigns from any position, it’d be as athletic director. But he’s been too busy to even consider it.

Which may be a sign that should his head surface from beneath the pile of fund-raising projects and paperwork, he may be ready for one job - coaching.

Quotebook

“He came in and took half of nothing, busted his butt and did a great job,” Lewiston High wrestling coach Dave Harrington said of first-year Coeur d’Alene coach Craig Hanson.

Miscellaneous

Post Falls senior thrower Ian Waltz, ranked No. 1 in the nation in the shot put, launched his spring season with a respectable showing last weekend at the Lewiston Invitational.

He was named the meet’s outstanding thrower as he set meet records in the shot put (57-6 1/2, old record 53-8 1/2) and discus (169-0, old record 168-7 by Justin Strand of Gonzaga Prep, 1993).

Waltz will improve on those numbers all spring. The recruiting sweepstakes for Waltz will only get sweeter for the Trojan.

Hey, that Bonners Ferry soccer team may give the Coeur d’Alene teams a push this spring.

Look who’s in goal for the Badgers: senior basketball and football standout Gavin Glindeman. Basketball teammate Kris Gravelle also is playing.

Gravelle scored two goals and Glindeman deflected two penalty kicks in the Badgers’ 7-2 win over Lewiston last week.

Newly hired Lake City girls basketball coach Dave Stockwell has his eye on a varsity assistant: Keri Schwenke. The former CdA standout played for Stockwell in basketball and on the Lady Lakers softball team. Schwenke will graduate from Eastern Washington University this spring.