Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
DAVENPORT - Athletic director Tim Rasmussen officially had his interim high school football coach tag removed this week, accepting the job that was approved by the school board Monday, July 31.
Rasmussen takes over the job that he inherited on an interim basis after Justin Young's resignation five games into the 2022 season. The Gorillas finished the season 2-2 in four games under Rasmussen.
He accepted the job after candidates interviewed by the district "didn't work out" for teaching or local fit reasons, he said.
"With the state of where our program was, we need to build it back up," Rasmussen said. "I felt my experience with building programs would be beneficial to where the program is."
Prior to moving to Davenport at the start of the 2022-23 school year, Rasmussen coached Lake Roosevelt for four years. He also has coaching experience at Tacoma Baptist along with stops at a junior college in the Midwest and high school coaching in Texas.
He doesn't plan to vacate the job anytime soon.
"I want to run it and build it," Rasmussen said. "My plan is to be here as long as they'll have me."
Whether Davenport will have an 11-man team remains in question, though Rasmussen said that's currently the plan.
"We'll see where turnout goes," he said.
Currently, coaches expect around 18 players to turn out for the season. Any less, and the district may have to consider a move to 8-man for this year.
"We'll cross that bridge if it comes," Rasmussen said.
If Davenport can field an 11-man team, Rasmussen's first test as permanent head coach will be a road game at rival Reardan Friday, Sept. 1.
In other coaching news, middle school volleyball coach Natalee Hayes was hired as head high school volleyball coach. She'll be assisted by Jill Morrison and replace Heather Jacoby, who resigned at the end of June.
The volleyball team starts play at a jamboree in Medical Lake Thursday, Aug. 31.
The middle school football coaching job went to Matt Wagner, who was also approved for hire Monday. The squad's first game is scheduled to be a road tilt at Northwest Christian Thursday, Sept. 21.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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