Editor
Three new head basketball coaches will be courtside for the 2019-2020 boys’ basketball season on the Southside.
They are Mike Renfro at Beech Grove, Criss Beyers at Franklin Central and Remus Woods at Lutheran.
Renfro was named officially at Beech Grove earlier this month after serving as interim coach for ailing coach Matt English, 45, who died of cancer in December.
Taking over a team that was reeling emotionally, Renfro guided the Hornets to an 18-8 season that featured the program’s first sectional championship since 2008 and reaching the Greencastle regional championship game.
Renfro also is one of three nominees for “coach of the year,” and the Hornets team is up for “team of the year” May 5 at a statewide high school sports awards program at Clowes Memorial Hall at Butler University.
He has served as coach at Beech Grove Middle School and mentored the Hornets’ undefeated JV team in 2017-2018. He holds the BGHS record for most points scored and later played collegiate basketball at Allegany Junior College and for future NCAA championship coach Jay Wright at Hofstra University.
At Franklin Central
Beyers, the Indiana All-Star head coach, moves from Warren Central to Franklin Central, succeeding John Rockey, who mentored the Flashes to four sectional championships.
Beyers coached four seasons at Warren Central after serving as an assistant coach at Bloomington South. Under his mentorship, the Warriors ran the table in 2017-2018 for the IHSAA 4A state championship and a perfect 32-0 season. He was 96-18 in four full seasons with the Warriors.
Rockey was 81-64 in his first six seasons as the Flashes reached the sectional title game each season; however, the Flashes were 7-38 during their last two campaigns. In 2015, the Flashes entered the sectional with a 5-15 record but won the sectional and lost in the Seymour regional championship game.
At Lutheran
Woods, an assistant coach with the Saints, will succeed veteran coach Dick Alter, who has stepped down from the hardwood coaching position. He currently is the Saints baseball coach.
Woods was the JV coach last season after a previous stint at Manual where he also coached football and girls’ track. He has transitioned from community programs and coaching travel teams through Indy Parks to high school coaching.
Woods will inherit a young team after graduating several seniors. Like Alter, he expects the Saints fo work hard during the off-season.
The Saints, under Alter, were two-time runners-up in the Edinburgh holiday tourney and were 13-31.