Louise hires two coaches, one more needed
By KRIS BAGLEY sports@leader-news.com

Brent Tritschler

In search of his first full coaching staff, Louise Athletic Director Mark Stevens found two new recruits to join the Hornets' ranks.

Coaches Brent Tritschler, of Rice Consolidated, and Greg Murrile, of East Bernard, have signed contracts and will be at Louise at the end of the school year.

"It speaks well of our community and our school and our kids," Stevens said of his two quick hires. "What sold the coaches was, they came down here and watched our kids work out. They walked the hallways and saw the way our kids act and behave. That's what the sell was - we have good kids and a good system."

Tritschler will head up the Hornets' offense while Murrile will be the new defensive coordinator on the football field.

With offense and defense covered, Stevens joked that his job as head football coach will be easy.

"All I'm going to do is drive the bus," he said.

Actually, Stevens will share offensive duties with Tritschler.

"Brent is going to have the title of offensive coordinator and we're going to do it together," Stevens said. "Greg is going to run the defense. He'll put a new scheme in - the defense he ran at East Bernard. I'm going to let him be in total charge of the defense.

Greg Murrile

"I'm going to go over to the offensive side of the ball. Of course, Coach Tritschler is going to have a lot of input. To me, I've never been a big ego guy, so the more input I get, the better. We're going to do things together and make us the best team we can be. I'm excited about it because we've got a lot of good football coaches coming in."

While the defense will change, Stevens said the Hornets will still have the same goal in every game.

"Our emphasis is going to be that we're going to put our best 11 kids on the defensive side of the football," he said. "The scheme that they're playing doesn't take away from the focus, that we're going to win with defense first.

Stevens said he will keep the same offensive format run under former head coach Rodney Dowell.

"Offensively, the scheme is not going to change," Stevens said. "We're still going to be a Wing-T football team. There may some small differences just because it's not Coach Dowell, it's me, and I have a little bit different ideas sometimes."

Both Tritschler and Murrile are the head baseball coaches at their current schools. Once they come to Louise, however, neither one will head up the Hornets' program. That title will stay for Head Coach Josh Curtis while Tritschler assists.

"(Murrile) is not going to be in baseball and I'm not going to be in baseball," Stevens said. "Coach Murrile and I are going to do spring sports together, but not baseball. That being said, if something comes up where we can help out the baseball program in any way, of course we're going to do that. Definitely Coach Curtis is the head baseball coach."

With the two new hires, Stevens is looking for another girls coach to share Bryan Branch's load. Branch heads up girls basketball, volleyball and track.

Stevens said he has officially offered the job to an applicant and is awaiting her decision. He declined to name the potential new hire.

"We have some ideas now, but nobody is set yet," Stevens said.

"We're looking for the strongest coach that we can get that can help Coach Branch. If they happen to be strong in track, then we may make them the head track coach. If they're more volleyball oriented, then we may make them the head volleyball coach and give Coach Branch some relief there. Coach Branch will still be the head basketball coach. We're trying to get the best girls coach that we can get and then we'll make it fit with Coach Branch."