Andrew Vancil went 189-114 and made two 6A semifinal appearances during his tenure at Beaverton. (Photo by Norm Maves Jr.)

After 12 years of navigating the treacherous Metro League, boys basketball coach Andrew Vancil is getting a change of scenery.

Vancil, whose tenure at Beaverton included four Metro titles and two 6A semifinal appearances, has taken the job at Silverton of the 5A Mid-Willamette Conference. He has replaced David Morgan, who went 24-24 in two seasons as coach.

“It was a great opportunity for me and my family to make a change, and Silverton to me is a top-five job in the state,” Vancil said. “We're going to put some new roots down. I look to stay there for a long time.”

Vancil said he likes the competitive opportunity at Silverton, one of the top all-around athletic programs in 5A. He is enamored with the support from the community and administration.

“Silverton to me is one of the better sports towns in the state,” he said. “One-high school town. Going 5A, I feel like we'll be in the hunt each year.”

In the Metro, Vancil regularly competed against top programs such as Jesuit, Southridge and Westview. The Beavers went 189-114 during his tenure, but after making the state semifinals in 2024, they struggled to 4-8 league records in the last two seasons.

“At Beaverton, I honestly felt in my heart of hearts that I could win a state title maybe in four or five of those seasons,” he said. “At Silverton, I might not have as many basketball kids, but I'm going to have the athletes, the physicality, to compete in every game I play.”

Vancil said he stepped down after last season when he and the school administration reached an impasse.

“I look back on my time there as a real positive,” he said. “I just feel like where I'm at as a coach and a teacher, and where the school is going, it was best for me to make a change.”

Vancil said he was “blown away” when he first visited Silverton.

“It reminded me of like 1995, 1985,” he said. “A little throwback.”

He is taking a pay cut by going from Beaverton to Silverton, but he believes the change in lifestyle will be worth it. He is encouraged by his conversations with Silverton football coach Dan Lever, who made a similar move after having success at 6A Tualatin.

“We've been talking, and he's very supportive,” said Vancil, who will teach health and PE at a Silverton middle school.

Vancil has coached three summer-league games and is impressed by the players' “no-nonsense” approach. He said the Foxes don't have as much basketball skill as the top Metro programs, but they are big, physical, multi-sport athletes who know how to compete.

“Wilsonville wins games in the 30s and 40s. I can see us playing a very similar style,” he said. “If I can get everyone out from Silverton, I'm going to have five Division I athletes on my roster next year.”

Vancil represents Silverton's fifth coaching change since the Foxes won the 5A title under Steve Roth in 2015. He had lunch with Roth two weeks ago and has talked with Jamie McCarty, who went 130-22 in two stints as coach.

Brian Satern and Brent Satern, former players under Roth, will be on the staff as head JV coach and varsity assistant, respectively. Chase Hildner, who assisted Vancil the last five seasons, also will make the move from Beaverton.

Vancil is eager for the challenge in the Mid-Willamette, which had five of the 16 teams in the 5A playoff bracket last season. Reigning conference champion West Albany is coached by Drew Halvorson, who served as Vancil's JV coach at Beaverton for five seasons.

“It will be kind of a fun rivalry, a friendly rivalry,” Vancil said. “I told all my boys already, 'That's the goal. We're hunting down West Albany.'”