Zegunis named Kenowa Hills football coach

Former West Ottawa head coach takes over the Knights program just 4 weeks before official practice begins

AsKenowa Hills football coach lessthan fourweeks ago to take an assistantprincipalsipotion at Newaygo MiddleSchool, theKnights were in a tough spot.With just four weeks until theofficial start ofhigh school football throughoutthe state ofMichigan, former West Ottawahead coachRory Zegunis was namde as theschool'snew head football.

"As coacheswe say football is a greatgame for handling adversity andteachinglife lessons and I feel likethat is whatfootball has done for me,"Zegunis said."This is definitely an adversesituation.There is really no blueprint, asI talk tomy coaching friends, about howto handlethis and what to do." Theprocess oadf justing and gettingready for the season is alreadywell underway."We are not going to makeexcuses, no oneis going to feel sorry for us,"Zegunis said."Youh ear that a lot anyways,but it is sotrue now and I am just going todo what I'vealways done and get out thereand work mybutt off and do the best I canand get thekids prepared." The Knights hadbeen running the wing-toffense the last four seasons.Zegunis will begin transitioningthe proagrm to more of spreadteam likeZeeland East where he spent thelast fiveseasons as an assistant coachunderDerek Pennington.

"I havealready gone into it and said itis notgoing to be, a year frmo now,maybe twoyears from now the playbo okwilllook alittle differently," Zegunissaid.

"I got toevaluate thke ids and see whattype of athletes we are going tohave and whattypes of kids we are going tohave andbased off of that get some playstogetherand start getting the kidsemersed intowhat we are doing." Zegunis was26-23 from 2011 to 2015 atWest Ottawa which included threeplayoff appearances.As defensive coordinator withtheChix he helped lead the programto 35 winswhich included reaching thestate semifinals in 2018."I've grown leaps and boundsfrom a speed and strengthstandpoint," Zegunisbounds from a speead nd strengthstandpoint," Zegunis said abouthow he hasimproved as a coach over thelast fiveseasons.

"Just running a team,offensive philosophy and justthe dffierent connections Ihave been able to make." KenowaHills is scheduled to play itsfirst game of the 2021 season onThursdayAugust 26tha t Fruitport.

JasonHutton, FOX Seventeen News.