High school football: Nealey assumes interim head coaching duties at Malden

MALDEN — There he was standing on the sideline in last Friday’s regular-season home finale versus Portageville.

Nick Nealey, wearing a headset and with sheets of paper folded in his back pants pocket, exhorting on the Malden High School football team.

Nealey assumed the reins of the Green Wave last Friday, taking over for currently suspended head coach Shane Kearbey.

Malden interim head football coach Nick Nealey (right) pats senior offensive lineman Clay Coleman (51) during a high school football game dated Friday, Oct. 6, 2023, at �The Swamp� in Malden.(Photo by Denton Kooyman, special to the Democrat)

“I stepped into Shane’s role,” said Nealey, who said assistant coaches Luke Rayfield and Brian Vent are sharing equal yokes coaching the team these days.

Rayfield has been the defensive coordinator while Vent, like he has for many years and coaches, the special teams duties. Nealey has been handling the rest.

Nealey said he considers himself a “facilitator” more than anything else.

“It’s not my first rodeo, and I’ve coached other sports,” he said.

Nealey said he’s been pleased with the players’ efforts in practice, and the Green Wave have shown no quit heading into Friday’s game at equally winless Hayti. The players have been resolute, and shown perseverance.

“We’re keeping the kids together, and we’re getting a little bit better each day,” he said. “Our goal is to win a game and finish the season strong.”

Malden will finish the regular season on Oct. 20 at Dexter, and could face either tradition-rich Valle Catholic or athletic New Madrid County Central in the first round of the Class 2 District 1 playoffs.

Nealey comes from a disciplined, military background — having reached the rank of staff sergeant in the United States Air Force, stationed in northern California.

A native of rural Steele who played basketball for South Pemiscot, Nealey earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Southeast Missouri State University and a master’s degree in educational administration from William Woods University in Fulton.

Nealey was the longtime head girls basketball coach at South Pemiscot.

Last January, Malden’s administration talked Nealey into becoming a physical education teacher and assistant coach. Nick’s wife, Jennifer, also accepted a job in the district as a fifth-grade teacher.

Nealey also has been an assistant football coach at Caruthersville and for a high school in northern California.

Malden has indefinitely suspended Kearbey, stemming from an incident during a 50-42 loss to East Prairie on Friday, Sept. 29.