Bob Clements will head Eagles football program

Bob Clements, who has been a coach at St. John/Endicott for 20 years, will move up to the head coaching slot for Eagles football this fall. Clements will take over the head job which has been vacated by Coach Joey McCanna.

McCanna, a wildlife biologist for Washington Fish & Wildlife, has been assigned to the office in Spokane Valley. The time constraints of commuting from St. John to Spokane make it impossible for him to coach the Eagles football team.

Clements, who teaches vo-ag at St. John, has been an assistant to McCanna. In fact, he was an assistant to three other Eagles football coaches, Dick Behrens, Frank Watson, and Mark Mansell.

Clements last year also headed the girls basketball program after taking over that job from Don Kemper.

Clements said McCanna over the summer months has provided a lot of support in the transition. He has accompanied the Eagles to football camp at Whitworth this summer so Clements could take his girls hoop team to their summer session.

McCanna headed the Eagles program for six years. He served as an assistant coach for seven years prior to taking a break for one year and then coming back as head coach.

Last season, SJE had just three seniors in the lineup and they wrapped up the league run without a win.

Highlight for McCanna was the 13-1 run in 2006 when the Eagles went all the way to the state eight-man title game and defeated Lummi 12-6. The lone defeat was at the hands of LaCrosse/Washtucna in a league game which featured a fantastic finish.

The 2006 run marked an Eagles first appearance in a state title game in 22 years. They bowed to Wishkah Valley in their only other title appearance in 1984.

McCanna said the support and level of competition in the SE eight-man league was one of the big positive points.

“The level of community support for the kids in all the towns in the league I think was just fantastic,” he noted.

The SJE title win in 2006 was the first ever for the Eagles in eight-man football.

McCanna, who came to St. John when he was assigned to work at the Palouse Rock Lake Conservation office, has been promoted to state upland game bird specialist. He works out of the new WFWD regional office a Mirabeau Park in Spokane Valley.

Clements this year will have several players back with more experience this year, including six seniors and four juniors.

Clements, like McCanna, believes in stressing the fundamentals for players and then charting tactics from that point.

“It’s a matter of taking a look at who you have on the team and finding what things they can do best,” Clements commented.

Steve Schmick will be back as an assistant coach this year.

Clements said the budget squeeze at St. John will limit the staff to just two coaches for the Eagle football program this year.

The Eagles will open the season in a non-league matchup with Highland Christian. The game has been booked for Saturday, Sept. 5, to allow the Highland team travel time from the coast.

Football practice for the Eagles will begin Aug. 19.