Flathead has narrowed its football coaching search to four finalists, with each to be interviewed on Saturday.

The finalists are Emmett Dougherty of Lewiston, Idaho; Jon Helmandollar of Wendell, Idaho; Mark Kessler of Alamo, Calif.; and Kyle Samson of Havre.

Dougherty the former head coach at Lewiston High School in Idaho, a school of nearly 1,400 students in Idaho’s highest class, 5A. He resigned from the position in 2011 after 13 seasons to spend more time with his family. He was 70-58 during his time with the Bengals.

Dougherty was also a finalist for the vacant Missoula Hellgate coaching job this offseason. The Knights eventually hired former Montana assistant Matt Softich.

Helmandollar is the head coach at Wendell High School in Idaho, a school of roughly 300 students in Idaho’s 2A class, where he has spent the last three seasons. He is 16-13 in that stretch.

Last season, Helmandollar led the Trojans to a 9-2 record and the state semifinals. A former running back at Boise State, he took over a program that had two wins the season before and turned the team around quickly, getting the team to the state playoffs in his second season.

Kessler was last the head coach at San Ramon Valley High School in Danville, Calif., where he was let go a day before the playoffs last season after a 35-25 record over five seasons. San Ramon Valley is a school of more than 2,100 students that plays in California’s top division.

Kessler coached the Wolves to the North Coast Section championship game in 2011 before losing to national superpower Concord De La Salle. San Ramon Valley made the quarterfinals in 2012. His team won its first game following his departure this season, but lost in the second round of the playoffs.

Samson is an assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Montana State University-Northern, where he has served for seven years under his father, Northern Lights head coach Mark Samson.

Kyle Samson has been the offensive coordinator for the Lights for the last six seasons. Northern has been in the top 10 in the nation in total offense the last three seasons. His teams broke 16 school records in the last two seasons.

He is also a two-time NAIA All-American at Northern and a former Gatorade Montana football player of the year at Helena Capital, quarterbacking the Bruins to the state championship in 2002.

Each of the candidates will be interviewed on Saturday by the nine-person interview committee. The committee includes Flathead activities director Bryce Wilson, assistant superintendant Dan Zorn, principal Peter Fusaro, former-Brave and current NFL fullback Lex Hilliard, current coaches Pat Reilly and Joel Robinson, school board member Tom Clark, former Touchdown Club president Becky Toelke and Kalispell Education Association president Mike Thiel.

The list of candidates was narrowed down from 13 applications that were reviewed by the committee.