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CHS looking to fill several coaching slots

CLOVIS — Clovis High athletic director Lonnie Baca said on Wednesday that the school is looking to fill saveral coaching openings, including boys basketball, by the end of this week.

CHS filled its football head coaching vacancy in June, naming Lovington native Andrew McCraw, a former player and assistant coach at Eastern new Mexico University, to replace Cal Fullerton, who resigned in May after five seasons as the Wildcats’ head coach.

Baca said applications for the boys basketball job are still being accepted. CHS alum Jaden Isler left at the end of June after spending four seasons at the helm.

Baca said it’s important to get the position filled as soon as possible with the start of the 2022-23 school year around the corner.

“School starts on Aug. 11,” he said. “We’d like to have a coach in place so we can get or off-season program going.

“We’re still accepting applications. Hopefully, by the end of next week we will get somebody hired.”

Isler took a position with a consulting business in the Fort Worth area, Baca said, adding: “It was an opportunity he felt he couldn’t walk away from.”

Other positions to be filled are in swimming, softball and girls golf.

Gordy Westerberg retired from his position as swimming co-coach with Vincent de Maio. The school is planning interviews next week for its softball position after Braelyn Kruelskie stepped down after the season when her husband was tranferred from Cannon AFB.

Also, girls golf coach Joe Dvozenja relinquished that position after his wife, also stationed at Cannon, was transferred out.

Meantime, Portales athletic director Ruth Chavez said the school has hired Texico High and Eastern New Mexico University graduate Jasmine Gannon as its cross country coach. Gasmine, who played four years of volleyball at ENMU and is currently working on her Master’s degree, replaces Laura McNeill, who stepped down after her husband was also tranferred from Cannon.