By BY BRUCE HIXON – SPORTS EDITOR
Former W.S. Neal Blue Eagles football coach Shane Smothers has resigned his coaching post at Walker High School after two seasons at that school.
Smothers compiled a 14-9 record in his two-year stint at W.S. Neal. He guided the Blue Eagles to a 10-3 record and a trip to the Class 3A state quarterfinals in 2003 before his 2004 team slumped to 4-6 and missed the playoffs.
Smothers also coached track and softball during his stay at W.S. Neal and served as athletic director.
Walker went 10-11 under Smothers. The Vikings went 6-5 during his first year at the school in 2005 and qualified for the Class 5A state playoffs. Walker, which graduated 16 starters from that team, went 4-6 this past fall and missed the postseason field.
One item that factored into Smothers' decision was he was not given the athletic director position at Walker.
Smothers graduated from nearby Curry High School in 1992. The chance to move back to his home area was one of the main reasons why he left W.S. Neal.
Smothers was not the only W.S. Neal coach to leave for Walker in 2005. Blue Eagles basketball coach David McCollum followed Smothers' path to that school and took over the head girls coaching post at that school. Things are going much more smoothly for McCollum, whose team is 13-2 so far this season.