Kenzie Hansell, who coached Weston-McEwen to the 2A football final the last two seasons, has resigned from his position.
Hansell said he stepped down to have more time to follow the activities of his daughters, Charlotte, Eloise and Cora, who are in Grades 9, 6 and 3, respectively. They compete in volleyball, basketball and track and participate in 4H and FFA.
“There's never a good time, but with the age of my daughters, right now is the time,” Hansell said. “I need to be in the stands, watching my girls at their sporting events. I can't thank my wife and children enough for allowing me to follow this dream of coaching. It's been a dream come true.”
Hansell, who played receiver at Hermiston and Washington State, has had two stints as coach of the TigerScots. He went 43-27 from 2008 to 2013, then returned in 2020, going 32-8 in the last four seasons.
He said the first time he resigned it was because his wife, Emily, was expecting their third daughter. When he returned to the team, his daughters were there to help.
“They were with me at practices, on the bus, games. Ball girl, tee girl, water girl,” he said. “Now they have their activities, and I need to be there.”
Weston-McEwen came close to winning its first state championship the last two seasons, falling in the state final to Oakland 46-32 in 2022 and Lowell 74-42 in 2023. The TigerScots' previous state championship game appearance was in 1996.
“We obviously would've liked to win them both, but the accomplishment of the program was pure joy,” Hansell said.
Hansell, who works on a farm with his two brothers, savored how the community rallied around the team.
“When you get off a bus at a road game, and you have more people there than the home team, that brings a smile to your face right away,” he said. “It's something that is extra special, and it will continue to be that way.
“You walk downtown, or go to lunch, during the fall, everybody is talking football. And everybody is at the football games on Friday nights.”
Hansell said that assistant coaches Casey Perkins and Morgan Dunlap plan to remain on the staff. But Hansell's younger brother Luke, the defensive coordinator, will no longer be with the program.
“What a dream come true to be able to coach with my brother,” Hansell said. “He has nieces and nephews, and he wants to be there rooting them on, as well. I'm proud to say I coached with him. We share a driveway. We talk football 24-7. It was pure joy.”
Hansell left the door open to return to coaching.
“I'm not going to throw away my playbook,” he said. “I will throw away the plays that didn't work. There's a few of those.”
He said he will attend Weston-McEwen games.
“I'm excited to see Weston-McEwen continue to be on the map,” he said. “Whatever I can do to help out the new head coach.”
Hansell said he is intent on continuing the relationships he established with his players, in much the same way that he has stayed connected with his high school basketball coach, Mike Doherty.
“He still calls me on my birthday,” Hansell said.
Change at Henley
Henley, which won its first state title in 41 years last season, has a new coach. Alex Stork resigned as coach and has been replaced by assistant Matt Green.
Stork went 50-19 in seven seasons, including 13-0 in 2023, when the Hornets defeated Marist Catholic 42-28 in the 4A final. He stepped down to spend more time with his family after his wife, Makena, gave birth to their first child in December.
Henley athletic director Luke Hammond told the Herald and News that Stork's resignation “caught us off-guard, for sure,” but the program is in good hands with Green, an assistant for the last six seasons.
“He understand the program, understands the culture at Henley,” Hammond said. “He’s a Henley guy, supportive of all our athletic programs. He’s going to be able to continue the program on the trajectory it has been on the last few years.”
Stork told the Herald and News that Green “is going to do a great job.”
“He’s just been really invested on and off the field and continued to develop as a coach,” Stork said. “He’s always been focused on building relationships with the kids. That’s why I knew he’d be the right person for the position.”
The program is in position for continued success, according to Green.
“We’ve got a good group of kids coming back,” Green told the Herald and News. “That senior class we had were great leaders and built a great standard that we play by. … We’ll be the same old Henley team we’ve always been.”
Tigard hires Crist
Tigard has filled its head coaching vacancy with assistant Todd Crist.
The Tigers played last season under interim coach Ken Feist, who led the team to a 5-6 record. Feist assumed the position after John Kemper resigned and left to coach in Texas.
Crist, a California native, played at Linfield. He worked as a substitute teacher in the Tigard district and coached in the football program – from youth to high school – for 17 years. His two sons played for the Tigers.
Crist told Pamplin Media Group that he is “pinching myself” after being hired.
“I just can’t believe I’m really the leader of the Tigard football championship program,” he said. “And that’s what we are, a championship program, and we’re going to get back to being champions.”
After winning at least 10 games eight times in a nine-season span, Tigard is 16-20 in the last four years.
jerryu@osaa.org
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