Welsh is keeping a familiar face around to lead the Greyhounds football program, promoting offensive coordinator Cody Gueringer to head coach.

The Greyhounds won the 2017 Class 2A state championship were runners-up finish this past season.

Previous head coach John Richardson left to become head coach at Westlake.

Gueringer has coached the offensive line for the past five seasons and served as offensive coordinator the last two. He was head coach of the boys basketball team from 2014-17.

Gueringer said he wants to uphold the culture built by his predecessors.

“I’m looking forward to a community that is driven in regards to football, one that cares, is loyal and passionate,” he said. “We have fans that come out to support the team, kids that work hard no matter the score. There is a great culture in place here. That culture was put in place by Dutton Wall and all the coaches that came after him — Marcus LeJuene, Robbie Gates, Chuck Gorman.”

Gueringer said no assistants followed Richardson to Westlake.

“I would not have applied for this job if (defensive coordinator) Aaron Trahan was not staying,” he said. “Everyone else stayed as well.”

A new face in the head coach’s office will not change the program’s expectations.

“The standard at Welsh is to compete for championships, whether it is a district title or the state championship,” Gueringer said. “Being here already helps. There is always going to be pressure when you are at a football school.”

Holmes leaves W-M

DeCarlos Holmes stepped down after one season at Washington-Marion accept an assistant’s job at East Mississippi Community College. Holmes led W-M to a 4-6 record. He will coach the defensive line at EMCC, a position he held in 2013 before leaving the school for a job at Bastrop High School.

He said his time in Lake Charles was enjoyable.

“The people welcomed me with open arms, the kids were real receptive to me and the community was behind football at Washington-Marion,” he said.

EMCC won national titles in each of Holmes’ two seasons there and have won the last two titles as well.

“I want to go the to the next level and we had great success there,” Holmes said. “We won a national championship and I coached eight guys that signed scholarships. Six of those were from Power-Five schools and two (Seahawks defensive linemen Jarron Reed Niners and D.J. Jones) are playing in the NFL.”