GREAT BEND — On Feb. 18, things looked bleak for Great Bend High School’s football program. Coach Bo Black, after 13 seasons and 82 wins, decided to leave the Panthers and become the head coach at rival Hays High School.
Tony Crough
But less than a month and a half later, Great Bend has its next head coach. Tony Crough slides in to take over the program after spending this past season as the defensive coordinator.
Crough served as defensive coordinator at Oakridge School in Arlington, Texas, for six years prior to coming to Great Bend. He helped lead the Owls to a state championship in 2011.
Before his time in Arlington, Crough made coaching stops in Desoto, Texas, and Andover.
Crough went to high school in Garden City and played football at Fort Hays State University from 1999 to 2003 where he was a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference All-Conference Honorable Mention linebacker for the Tigers.
In addition to his coaching duties, Crough will teach physical education classes at the high school.
Black’s 82 wins rank him second in school history, behind only Harry Kline who won 99 games. Black will take over for Ryan Cornelson at Hays High, who left the Indians for the vacant Hutchinson football job in early January.