By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After four seasons, including a Class 4A Division II state championship, Hayden boys basketball coach Torrey Head has resigned his position, informing the Wildcat players of his decision Tuesday afternoon.
"When I asked Tim (Triggs, Hayden assistant coach) to do this with me, we initially said, 'Alright, let's give this four years and then evaluate,' and that's kind of what we did,'' Head told TopSports.news Tuesday.
Hayden was just 4-16 this past season, but returns several key players from that team, including third-team All-Shawnee County sophomore Joe Otting and sophomore all-county honorable mention pick Jake Muller.
Head thinks better days are ahead for the proud Wildcat program and said he thought it was important to turn over his position to a new coach with a nucleus to build around.
"I think we have some pretty decent all-league and all-city-type kids that are coming up and I think it's better to give a new person an opportunity to have some success,'' Head said. "I really just think it's advantageous to do do it now so at least the new person can have an opportunity to succeed.''
Torrey Head, with former Wildcat standouts Zach Harvey and Jett Canfield, confirmed Tuesday that he has resigned as Hayden's boys basketball coach. [Twitter/Hayden men's basketball]
Head, who admitted that declining enrollment and the changing landscape of the Centennial League also came into play in his decision, said one of the things he'll miss the most is the day-to-day relationships with his players.
"You look at a guy like Austin Crow,'' Head said. "He didn't get to play as much as he would have had he not been on a really talented team (in 2017-18), but the first chance we had to fill a (coaching) spot I asked him if he would be interested and he was like, 'Yeah, I want to do it.'
"It's the lifelong friendships and relationships that we have with these guys that is the most important thing about it all. I'm still going to go to games, and that's not going to change.''
Obviously a highlight for Head was the 2018 state championship, which Hayden earned with a 65-57 win over Holcomb in the championship game at Emporia's White Auditorium.
Several players off that team went on to play at the Division I and II level, including Zach Harvey (Cincinnati), Jett Canfield (Creighton), Levi Braun (Washburn) and DeShawn Hanika (Iowa State football).
"There's a special connection there because you get to do it with coaches that you've known since you were 14 and then you're coaching some guys who you've known since they were born,'' Head said. "The connections there just take it to a different level.''
