Volleyball and football practice are underway although school hasn’t started. The 2018-19 school year is around the corner and athletic directors around the area have completed their coaching staffs.
Bridge City-
No AD has been busier than Allen DeShazo. And that’s not unusual for a new and first time athletic director/head football coach. DeShazo had several head coaching positions to fill including both head coaches in basketball and soccer. Randall Robertson moved to Texas from Louisiana and will be the new basketball coach, replacing Larry Sterling who left to be an assistant at Nederland. Lance Robertson, who was an assistant last season, will take over the girls basketball program with Jolee Kolander leaving to become the new volleyball coach at Hardin-Jefferson, following AD Dwayne Dubois who returned to H-J in May.
Lauren Martin moved up to take over the girls soccer team, replacing Laura Hernandez. The boys new soccer coach is Paul Landry who comes over from Central. Jimmy Hallman stepped down but remains an assistant coach in the district. Longtime assistant James Robbins also announced his retirement during the summer.
Also joining BC as assistant coaches are Danny Villanueva who left Hull-Daisetta and will run the offense. Also Chris Lee who was at LCM, and Brandon Morrell who was at Pasadena Memorial. Denee Crawford and Jordan Haynes will assist the softball team. Jessi Farmer comes over from Nederland to coach girls basketball. Cori Bosco will help with soccer.
DeShazo also hired a new trainer, Kelly George, to replace Jeff Gibson who moved over to East Chambers.
Orangefield-
AD Josh Smalley had only one head coaching position to fill. With Cindy Burton retiring from coaching Richard Drouillard will takeover the tennis team. Longtime assistant T.J. Reed has moved into administration and assistant Rick Deutsch retired.
Smalley has hired Hunter Uzzle to be an assistant coach, along with Ryan Pickering. Both move over from West Orange-Stark. Also assistant coach Dusti Hussey left to take a position in the Buna School District.
Little Cypress-Mauriceville-
AD Randy Crouch had a pretty easy summer when it comes to reading resumes. He hired Eddie Michalko as the new girls head basketball coach. He came over from East Chambers and replaces Linda Riddick who got out of coaching. And he hired David Drake as an assistant to replace Chris Lee who went to BC. Drake coached at Silsbee last year.
West Orange-Stark-
Coach Cornel Thompson has a new baseball coach for the Mustangs next season. Sergio Espinal has been hired as the new baseball coach. Espinal, 54, played for the Cubs organization back in the late 1980’s before getting into coaching. He comes to WOS from 3A Mathis HS.
Thompson also hired Bill Barstow to be the head basketball coach after Tramaine Hancock announced his departure to be an assistant at the new Beaumont United High School. Barstow lead Groseback High to a district title last season. With longtime volleyball coach Gwen Kelly getting out of coaching, Coach T has brought in Hannah Lunceford from PNG.
WOS also hired Ashton Lopez as an assistant and moved Joseph Viator to junior high athletic coordinator. Cameron Coulter is starting his coaching career as an assistant at WOS and David Mire comes over from Crowley, La. Assistant coach Seth Thomas has also told Coach Thompson he will not be back this season. Thompson was also excited to announce that offensive coordinator Ed Dyer will be back with the football team after an illness.
Vidor-
Like LCM, AD Jeff Mathews had few moves to make with his staff. Assistant Drew Charlton left for Buna and Mathews hired Blake Peveto who had been at Deweyville. Also Brooklyn Sampere has been hired as a girls assistant coach.
Deweyville-
Athletic Director Brandon Prouse hired Greg Bass as an assistant coach. He’s coming from Kountze. Also head basketball coach Hunter Estes has left to go to Central Heights in Nacogdoches where he will be an assistant coach. Prouse has hired Michael Bethea from Hamshire-Fannett to take that position. Michael Trahan comes over from Anahuac and will take over the volleyball program.
A few other notable moves-
Former OF softball coach Amy Schmaltz McLaughlin is the new softball coach at Fort Bend Kempner.
Former Deweyville volleyball coach Lawayne Siegert is the new volleyball coach at Mildred HS.
LCM grad Clayton Ehlert left Navasota to become the new baseball coach at Buffalo HS.
Former OF baseball coach is now the baseball coach at the new Beaumont United HS.
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