The Kansas City Chiefs have announced Coach of the Week honors for the eighth week of the season. The awards go to Hogan Prep Academy coach Phil Lascuola and Schlagle's Dwayne Williams.
The 2017 High School Coach of the Week fueled by Gatorade is a joint initiative of the Kansas City Chiefs and the National Football League. This program is designed to recognize and reward Kansas City area high school coaches for superior performance on a weekly basis. The Chiefs Coach of the Week award is intended to honor individuals who are shaping today's youth and tomorrow's leaders.
Hogan Prep beat Oak Grove 60-14 in the first round of the Class 3 district playoffs. The Rams are now 10- 0 on the season as they get ready to play Pleasant Hill in the district semifinals.
"It is always an honor to get an award but especially one that has the Kansas City Chiefs name attached to it," Lascuola said. "This is really not my award but an award to the players and assistant coaches who put in way more time and hard work than I could ever imagine. The players and assistant coaches are the real reason for any success we are fortunate to have. On behalf of the Hogan Rams football program I would like to thank the Kansas City Chiefs for this prestigious award and all they do for high school football."
Schlagle defeated Harmon 58-0 to finish the regular season 9-0. The win also wrapped up an undefeated 5-0 run through the Kansas City Atchison League and secured the No. 1 seed in the Kansas Class 5A East Bracket.
"I would like to thank my coaching staff: Defensive Coordinator Taylor Wallace, Offensive Coordinator Cernyn Macon, Stephon Macintosh, Tony Williams, Prentice Potts, and Nick McGrain," Williams said. "Without their time and dedication none of this happens. This award is an indication of what a hard-working coaching staff can do, and my coaching staff and I thank you for this achievement."
As a result of this honor, both schools will receive a $500 player health and safety grant from the Hunt Family Foundation and each school will receive a Gatorade Sideline Kit, including coolers, bottles and Gatorade products. Additionally, both coaches will be presented congratulatory footballs autographed by Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid and a certificate recognizing their selection. Lascuola is now qualified for the Missouri Coach of the Year Award, while Williams is now qualified for the Eric Driskell Kansas Coach of the Year Award, both of which will be voted on later this fall.
Prior to the 2017 season, the Kansas City Chiefs announced that the Kansas High School Coach of the Year Award would be renamed in memory of Eric Driskell, the former head coach at Blue Valley High School. Driskell was a three-time award recipient during his seven years with the football program and spent 14 years as the head coach of the boys' track and field teams. Driskell suddenly passed away in mid- February.
A member of the Chiefs Community Caring Team will visit the winners this week for a special presentation to honor them at their respective schools. Each state's winner is selected in collaboration with PrepsKC. For more information on this week's winners and the Chiefs Coach of the Week program, visit www.chiefs.com or www.prepskc.com.
