Assistants Filling Top Basketball Coaching Jobs At Riverside, Dp

Football is not the only Great Northern League sport where coaching changes have taken place.

In basketball eight-year Riverside coach Brent Monroe and Deer Park’s Ben Widman have also stepped down.

Monroe announced his decision last spring and has been replaced by his assistant, John Wolfe.

Widman resigned for family reasons and his assistant, Jason Thompson, takes over.

“I’d like to see my daughter Erin play (at Mount Spokane High) and my son Ryan wherever he goes,” Monroe said at the time.

He coached his daughter’s summer team and will continue to coach freshman football and varsity tennis at Riverside.

“I’ll have my winters off after being a head coach for 20 years,” said Monroe. “It was a hard decision to make, but I feel good about it.”

He added that Wolfe, who has assisted him for six years, is qualified and Riverside has the nucleus to compete in the new league.

With only one teaching opening, filled by football hire Doug McGill, Deer Park athletic director Mike Blair said that Thompson’s selection was logical.

“He knows the kids and will run a real quality program,” said Blair of the Deer Park graduate and current social studies teacher. “I feel it’s in very good hands.”

Both new Deer Park coaches, added Blair, are aware that there is a difference between junior varsity and varsity head coaching.

“The league is very, very tough. They’ll get their baptism of fire this year,” Blair said. “I think both are mature and will handle it very well.”

Not one, but two Pirate losses

Not only did Rogers’ Dave Pomante lose McGill as an assistant coach, but he also loses longtime offensive coordinator Dave Carson as well.

Carson, who coached in California before coming to Rogers nine years ago, has 20 years experience.

“It’s going to be an adjustment,” Pomante said. “You just don’t replace those guys.”

Dave Hughes moves from line coach to offensive coordinator; Aaron Fowler replaces McGill on varsity, and Mike McCracken will join the staff from Fife High School near Tacoma and become junior varsity coach.

, DataTimes