Holt HS Hires Ken Moore as Its New Football Coach

by Jeff Fisher
Missouri High School Football Huddle

Ken Moore has left Warrenton High to take over the head coach position at Holt.

Moore, who was the head man at Warrenton for three seasons, led the Warriors to an 11-4 season last year and a runner-up finish in Class 4.

Moore takes over for Chris Shields, who resigned earlier this year to take the head coaching job at Joplin.

Vianney Names New Head Football Coach

by Jeff Fisher
Missouri High School Football Huddle

John Vianney has named Mike Diffley as the school's new head coach.

Diffley has been the offensive coordinator for the last five seasons at Chaminade High School.  He replaces Gene Gladstone, who had been the school's head coach for the last 14-years.

Hazlewood Central Stays Inside the Program for New Head Football Coach

by Jeff Fisher
Missouri High School Football Huddle

Hazlewood Central has named former defensive coordinator Van Vanatta its new head football coach.

Vanatta, who is 36 years old, replaces Ron Nixon, who led the Hawks to Division 6 state titles in 2008 and 2009.  Vannata has also served as the school's head baseball coach over the last three years.

Missouri Announces New Postseason Format

by Jeff Fisher
Missouri High School Football Huddle

The Missouri State High School Activities Association has changed the football playoff system for the 2012 season.

Under the new format, teams will play a nine-game regular season with every team qualifying for the postseason.  Teams will be placed in eight-team districts that will be seeded under a points system.

Week 10 will start the postseason with three weeks of playoff games to determine eight district champs that will advance to the state quarterfinals.

Classification sizes remain the same with the largest 32 teams in Class 6.  Classes 1-4 will include the smallest 64 schools in ascending order.  Class 5 will include the remaining schools.

Joplin HS Names Shields Football Coach

by Jeff Fisher
Missouri High School Football Huddle

Chris Shields is leaving Holt High School for the head coaching job at Joplin.

Shields, who was 26-26 since taking over the job in 2006, will be in-charge of taking Joplin into the Class 6 ranks in a district that features defending state champ Rockhurst.

Brentwood HS Hires Keith Herring as Head Coach

by Jeff Fisher
Missouri High School Football Huddle

Former Hazlewood West head coach Keith Herring is the new head coach at Brentwood.

Herring amassed a record of 26-24 in five seasons at Hazlewood West.  He takes over for Scott Surgener, who moved on to Pine Ridge High School in Florida.

Parkview Hires Anthony Hays

by Jeff Fisher
Missouri High School Football Huddle

King City High School's loss is Parkview's gain.

Parkview has hired Anthony Hays as its new head coach.  During Hays' three years as the head coach at King City, his team qualified for the post-season every year.  His overall record was 16-16.

Hays replaces Wes Beachler, who resigned as the end of the year to take a coaching job in Nevada.

In 2008, Parkview snapped a 58-game losing streak.  Last year the Vikings were 5-6.