WEST SALEM — The West Salem High School football team will aim for a Coulee Conference championship with a new coach in charge next fall.
Ryan Olson, who has coached the Panthers the past two seasons, announced this week that he will not return for a third. Olson will continue as the school’s athletic director.
“I am grateful for the time I have served as the Head Football Coach,” Olson stated in a release to media. “After thoughtful consideration, I feel it is the right time for me to step back from my position as head coach.
“My focus has always been and will continue to be on all Student Athletes and the West Salem Athletic Department as I continue in my role as Director of Athletics.”
West Salem posted a 17-5 record under Olson and placed second in the conference standings both seasons. The Panthers qualified for the WIAA Division 4 tournament twice and advanced to the second round of the bracket both times.
West Salem has eight players who were named first- or second-team all-conference last season eligible to return, so the opportunity for the next coach is a good one.
Quarterback Drew McConkey passed for 1,281 yards and 16 touchdowns and rushed for 444 yards and nine TDs as a junior, running back Lucas Fry rushed for 542 yards and 13 TDs.
Juniors Luke Grube and Will Clements and sophomore Isaac Arentz were all-conference offensive linemen, junior Josiah Wolbrink an all-conference defensive back, junior Isaiah Laack an all-conference linebacker, sophomore Landon Wiegrefe an all-conference kicker. Fry also made the all-conference list as a linebacker.
Laack had a team-high 78 tackles — 10 for loss — and Fry had eight TFLs.
Junior Rory O’Neill and sophomore Kaden Langrehr also combined for 745 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, and Wolbrink and junior Jameson Skifton combined for 34 catches for 620 yards and nine TDs.
