Charleston (W.Va.) Gazette, December 9, 2008

Nitro football coach steps down

Nitro High football coach John Sowards resigned today, according to school principal Paul McClanahan.

By Mitch Vingle, Sports Editor

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Nitro High football coach John Sowards resigned today, according to school principal Paul McClanahan.

"He resigned for personal reasons,'' McClanahan told the Gazette. "I don't have a lot to say other than it was for personal reasons.''

Sowards was the head coach of the Wildcats for just one year. NHS went 2-8.

Sowards was named Nitro's coach last June. He replaced Scott Tinsley, who stepped down in March to accept the head coaching position at WVU Tech.

Charleston (W.Va.) Gazette, December 10, 2008

Sowards resigns as Nitro's football coach

'Personal reasons' cited after 2-8 year

For the second time in six months, Nitro is without a football coach.

By Rick Ryan, Assistant Sports Editor

For the second time in six months, Nitro is without a football coach.

John Sowards, who completed his first season last month with a 2-8 record, has stepped down from the position, according to Principal Paul McClanahan.

"He resigned for personal reasons,'' McClanahan said Tuesday. "I don't have a lot to say other than it was for personal reasons.''

The 31-year-old Sowards was recommended for the job by McClanahan in June, ending a short search after six-year coach Scott Tinsley left in March to accept the head coaching position at WVU Tech.

Tinsley led the Wildcats to a 49-22 record, including a berth in the 2005 Class AAA championship game, a 27-24 overtime loss to Morgantown. Under Tinsley, Nitro missed the playoffs in his first year (2002), but qualified the next five seasons. Tinsley also served as offensive coordinator from 1995-01, which included a state title victory in 1998 with J.R. House at quarterback.

McClanahan, who has yet to turn the vacancy in to the Kanawha County school board, is unsure what sort of interest the opening will generate.

"I really don't know,'' he said. "We'll find out after the first of the year.''

However, McClanahan would like to see the program return to its recent glory days.

"Hopefully, we'll get someone to carry on the tradition down here,'' he said. "You know, 'Friday Night Lights' at Nitro is normally a pretty special time.''

Sowards, who previously served as an assistant on Tinsley's staff - coaching running backs and linebackers - had some obstacles right from the start when he took over the head coaching job at Nitro. The Wildcats, in effect, had to replace two starting quarterbacks from their traditionally high-powered offense.

All-stater Michael Scott started 41 games from 2004-07, and it looked like he would be replaced this fall by Huntington transfer C.J. Crawford. Crawford even handled Nitro's QB duties during the three-week approved practice period in June, but re-enrolled at Huntington when word came that the SSAC would likely rule him ineligible at Nitro.

Bodie Johnson started the first eight games at QB this season, but Mark Chandler took over at halftime in the Week 8 upset win against Hurricane and finished the season. Nitro's only other win came against Poca in its opener.

Rumors circulated during the first week of October that Sowards had either resigned or been fired, but McClanahan dispelled those reports, saying at the time he'd had a meeting with the football coaches to express "some concerns'' he had.

"I was making sure the administration and the discipline of all our athletic programs mirrors what our expectations are at school,'' McClanahan said at that time.

Mitch Vingle contributed to this report. Reach Rick Ryan at 304-348-5175 or rickr...@wvgazette.com.