AREA PREP COACHES MAKING CAREER MOVES

Whether its the big leagues or prep sports, coaching changes are inevitable.

With several area coaching moves taking place as another school year comes to a close, Southeast Missouri has had its share of shakeups in the coaching ranks.

Kelly's Clay Vangilder headlines this year's list, following a remarkable stay at the Benton school. After 17 years at the helm of Kelly's girls basketball program, Vangilder will be exploring new territory as the assistant principal at Jackson High School.

"I've never been in school and not coached," said Vangilder, who started at Kelly in 1984. "I'll miss that a lot; it's been very enjoyable."

Vangilder compiled an impressive 249-133 record at Kelly, leading the Class 2A Lady Hawks to three district titles and a third-place state finish in 1992. Last season's 20-7 record marks the seventh time in the last eight years the Lady Hawks have won at least 20 games in a season.

"I know I'll miss coaching, but I guess you have to hang it up sometime," Vangilder said. "There's really never a perfect time to leave, but the opportunity at Jackson was just too good a job to pass up."

Curtis Finley, who helped Kent Mangels last season as Kelly's boys assistant coach in his first year at the school, will take over the girls program from Vangilder.

* After leading Delta to its best season ever in his 11th season, boys basketball coach Nate Crowden is stepping down to assume the school's principal position.

Crowden handled both duties this past season as the Bobcats reached the 1A quarterfinals with a 22-8 mark.

"It was just a little bit too much to do," Crowden said. "It's a good time to step down and let someone else take over."

With three years of coaching experience at Delta, Jim Gloth will be taking over the boys program from Crowden. Gloth was Crowden's assistant this season after leading the girls program the previous two years.

* Sikeston announced Greg Holifield as its new boys basketball coach early last month. Holifield replaces Fred Johnson, who took an administrative position at the school.

In his eight-year coaching career, Holifield compiled a record of 153-61 at three different schools. His first five years were spent at Senath-Hornersville and then he coached at Kennett for two years. This past year he coached Greene County Tech in Paragould, Ark.

Sikeston is coming off a 6-17 season, the Bulldogs' third consecutive losing season.

* Bell City basketball coach Scott Kruse is moving to Twin Rivers after a respectable two-year stint as the Cubs head coach.

The Cubs were coming off a 2-20 season when Kruse came to the program for his first-ever coaching job. Bell City improved to 7-16 his first year and went 13-13 this past season.

Twin Rivers went 12-13 last year under coach Matt Victor. The Royals are losing eight seniors off that team. Bell City has not yet filled Kruse's position.

* Cape Girardeau native Chris Stanfield, known for years of assistance with the Cape Central athletic program, will be taking over the head coaching position for the Hayti football team next year.

Stanfield was the assistant football coach and head baseball coach at Hayti this past year. The Indians are coming off a 1-9 season; the only win was a forfeit over Malden.

* Malden is experiencing wholesale changes in its athletic department with the hiring of a new athletic director, two new basketball coaches and a baseball coach.

Delane Beckwith will fill the head boys basketball and baseball coaching positions. Beckwith is taking over the basketball post vacated by Micoe Cotton's resignation and the baseball program following Gary Blaylock's retirement from coaching.

Beckwith, who has coached at several area schools, spent the last two years as Naylor's head baseball and boys basketball coach.

Ron Golden was promoted from the junior high football program to fill the athletic director's position vacated by Randy Scott's retirement.

Scott was also the girls basketball coach and Barry Beachum is returning to Malden to take over that program after heading the baseball program at North Pemiscot.

The Lady Wave were 18-7 this season. Cotton, in his first-ever coaching stint, led the boys to a 9-16 mark.

Some information provided by the Southeast Missouri News Network.