Walker Valley head coach Ted Lockerby is seen in this file photo.After a winless 2011 season, Ted Lockerby has resigned as Walker Valley's head football coach.
Lockerby was 12-39 in his five seasons running the Bradley County program but directed the Mustangs to their first Class 4A playoff appearance in 2008. That team was 6-5 with a dramatic 28-27 overtime win over Cleveland in the regular-season finale.
Since that playoff season, the Mustangs are 3-27, and they are riding a 16-game losing streak despite scoring in double figures in eight of their 10 contests this year. The defense allowed 37.3 points per game this season.
"I want to thank [Lockerby] for his service to our young people and the school. He is a valuable asset to our community," principal Danny Coggin told WRCB-TV in a statement.
Coggin said Lockerby will remain a teacher in the Bradley County school system. Attempts to reach Lockerby were unsuccessful Monday night.
The Mustangs will return senior tailback Kelvin Wells Jr., who rushed for 1,499 and 1,261 yards the last two seasons, in 2012. Talented wingback Gabe Cartwright and offensive lineman Alexander Hooper also will be back.
New CSAS coaches
Arts & Sciences athletic director Mark Dragoo has named new head coaches in both boys' and girls' soccer as well as the girls' basketball program.
David Poss, who had been an assistant with the boys' soccer program for two years, becomes the Patriots' head coach. Poss also officially becomes the girls' coach. As their interim coach this season, he led CSAS to the region semifinals last week.
Lee Ziegler, the CSAS girls' basketball co-head coach last season, now has that head coaching job to himself. Former co-head coach Carrie Hill is now an assistant at East Hamilton.
Ziegler will assisted by LaShandra Rivers.
"David taking over both soccer programs is a good situation for us," Dragoo said. "He took over the girls' program after school started but before our first game, and even though he hadn't worked with them over the summer, he did a really good job. He'll bring the same positive energy to the boys' program, and what I really like about him is he's very detail-oriented.
"Lee has a lot of experience, and I think the mixture of that and LaShandra's knowledge of the game will make a good coaching team. We wanted a female assistant since we were going to have a male head coach, and I couldn't be happier with getting LaShandra to assist."
Ziegler has more than 20 years of coaching experience, including 17 in North Carolina as both a head coach and assistant in girls' and boys' basketball. He was an assistant with the Lady Patriots one year before moving up to co-head coach.
"I don't see my role being any different than it was last year," Ziegler said. "I did a lot of the head coaching job last year, so the offense, defense and game-time decisions won't change.
"LaShandra is a fantastic lady with a lot of basketball knowledge, so I can't wait to work with her this year."
Jamboree seeks teams
Chattanooga State is looking for boys' and girls' basketball teams for a jamboree it will host on Nov. 14. Chatt State coach Jay Price said he has confirmation from Howard, Notre Dame, McCallie, GPS, Tyner and Ooltewah but would like at least two more teams.
Interested teams should contact him at 595-9573.