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Mission Valley teams get ready for the fall season

Jason Blasco | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 8 years, 4 months AGO
by Jason Blasco
| August 10, 2017 12:39 PM

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CHARLO VIKINGS quarterback Landers Smith finds an opening against Chester-Joplin-Inverness in the first round of the Class C, 8-man playoffs last season. Many coaches have named the Vikings as one of the favorites to win the state championship this year. Last season, Charlo finished second in the state in the Class C, 8-man with a loss to Ennis in the championship game. (Jason Blasco/Lake County Leader)

With the fall sports season comes change.

The Ronan Maidens, Chiefs have transitioned from Class B to Class A. The Mission Bulldogs transitions from Class-B, 11-man football to Class C, 8-man football and some of the differences between the fall of 2016 and the fall of 2017.

At the conclusion of every season, there is the inevitable turnover at the coaching position. One of the most (note-worthy) changes in the Mission Valley was the transition of Polson Pirates head coach Scott Wilson. After 17 seasons of coaching, Wilson stepped down to make a full-fledged transition into administration. Wilson left his post in which he had a 17-year tenure to become the Polson High School principal.

Two other notable changes occurred this fall. The Arlee High School football team will no longer have Todd Yocum as its head coach. Yocum, who will retain his position as an assistant coach, is letting Chuck Forgey assume control of a team that just two years ago finished second in Class-C, 8-man football.

The other major change for the Warriors’ football season will be at the athletic director. Scarlets basketball coach and Athletic Director Bill Stockton has stepped down and Amy Bartles will now assume the responsibilities as athletic director.

The other noteworthy change came quickly. Cammie Evenson has left her position as the Lady Vikings’ head coach. Charlo is currently looking for her replacement.

“We are currently interviewing and we won’t know anything for a little while,” newly-appointed Vikings’ athletic director Shane Bartschi said. “The sooner, the better we make a hire because sports will be starting soon.”

Bartschi will replace current Vikings’ football coach Mike Krahn as Athletic Director. Krahn, who coached Charlo to a second-place finish last season, will retain his title as head football coach.

At Mission, Tyler Murray is the newly appointed head coach and will replace former Bulldogs’ football coach Jake Bosley. Bosley will retain his position as the athletic director for Mission High School.

The Chiefs hired new golf coach Frank Ciez and he will replace Matt Olson. With the transition from Class B to Class A, Ronan will now have its golf season in the fall instead of the spring.

The following is a list of coaches as provided by the athletic directors of the schools:

Polson:

Pat Danley, football coach

Patricia Luetzen, volleyball coach

Matt Seeley, cross county coach

Bill Owen, golf coach

Adam Fansher, boys soccer coach

Jamie Whealon, girls soccer coach

Ronan:

Matt Detweiler, Ronan football coach

Noelle Decker, girls, boys cross county coach

Frank Ciez, boys, girls golf coach

Charla Lake, volleyball coach

Charlo:

Mike Krahn, head football coach; Jim Peterson assist. football coach

Bret Thompson, boys, girls cross country coach

Arlee:

Chuck Forgey, head football coach; assist. Todd Yocum, Ryan Landolfi

Brett Sproull, boys, girls cross country coach

Lonie Morin, girls volleyball coach; assist. Amy Bartles

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