Coaches prepare for winter sports

Sanders County winter sports practices got underway last week, and several basketball and wrestling teams have new coaches this year.

Kylie Ishler is coaching the girls basketball team in Plains. Ishler is from Missoula, having played basketball for Hellgate High School. She was the JV girls basketball coach last year for Plains. “Basketball was really big in our community and I want to bring the school and community spirit back,” Ishler said. As a first-grade teacher she is able to work toward that goal by creating projects that spark school spirit.

“I want my team to fall in love with basketball,” Ishler said. She shared that there are many new kids this year. “We have lost four or five seniors and have juniors who are new to the team this year.” Correlating with the changes in dynamics of the team, Ishler is looking forward to starting fresh and being competitive. Ishler says they are actively looking for an assistant/JV coach.

Jesse Jermyn is the new wrestling coach for Plains. Jermyn grew up in Plains, served in the Air Force for 20 years and is currently the Maintenance Supervisor for the school. He was the cross country coach this year, assistant coach for wrestling two years ago and is currently the Little Guy Wrestling coach.

When asked what he was looking forward to, Jermyn said, “Getting the first match out of the way, which is the mixer at home, very exciting!” His aspiration is to have fun with the team. Jermyn says they have both returning and new wrestlers, as well as one or two students joining them from Hot Springs. He's eager to see his team compete. Joining Jermyn will be Rocky Wagoner as the assistant coach, along with two volunteers.

Michael Benson is the new boys basketball coach for Noxon. Benson is from Lonepine, served in the Coast Guard for four years, and does carpentry work and professional painting. He's also an avid fisherman. Benson was the assistant boys basketball coach in 2017 and 2018 and the girls assistant basketball coach 2019 and 2020 at Thompson Falls High School.

Benson says he’s excited and wants the team to have fun and not feel pressured. “I’ll be their third coach in three years. Of course a goal is going to state but first to survive districts and divisionals.”

Benson says that he is looking forward to seeing the players' potential. He said that the team is young but with possibly seven upperclassmen. To help him this year is assistant coach Trever Kayser.

Courtney Vohs is the new Noxon girls basketball coach. She grew up in Trout Creek and graduated from Noxon High School where she played basketball. “It’s a neat feeling to have the opportunity to coach in my hometown,” Vohs said. She had previously been the head coach for Noxon and has coached basketball for four or five years, she said.

Vohs says that her hopes for the season are “to win, develop as a team, build confidence and sportsmanship and to have fun.”

This year they have a couple of returning seniors and juniors, but a pretty young team. Quentin Jensen will be the assistant coach and volunteering is Cory Brodmerkle.

Vohs is currently the Title I reading intervention teacher for K-6 in Noxon.

Reiley Winebrenner is coaching the boys basketball team in Hot Springs. He’s from Hot Springs where he had been involved in track, basketball and football as a high school athlete. Winebrenner later coached junior high football and was an assistant to the high school football team. “I love my school and have a lot of pride being a part of it,” said Winebrenner.

Winebrenner said that he hopes to make divisionals with a new tough identity. He’s looking forward to seeing his team grow and to be comfortable in the system. Helping him this year is Sam Hoff.

Winebrenner is an ardent hunter and currently works for Uffda LLC.

Mike Tessier is the new girls basketball coach for Thomson Falls. He grew up in Trout Creek, where he currently resides with his family. He served in the Navy for four years and presently is the territorial sales manager for Pabco Roofing. As a young athlete Tessier played basketball and ran cross country for Noxon High School. He also coached boys basketball at Noxon for 12 years and little league baseball for 15 years.

Tessier said that the young ladies on his team have already been successful in their athletic careers so his goal is to continue that momentum. “I’m looking forward to seeing them grow both as athletes and young ladies, they're very competitive and we are looking forward to a lot of successes,” said Tessier. The team has five returning seniors with a lot of experience and a big group of freshman and juniors, added Tessier. Helping him this season are Scott Pardee as the JV coach and Sandra Kazmierczak as the C team coach.