'It was like a whirlwind': Akron North High School has new football and basketball coaches
North High School athletic director Carrie Stewart has been even busier than usual because the Vikings have hired new head coaches for football and boys and girls basketball.
“It was like a whirlwind couple of months,” Stewart said Tuesday during an interview in her office.
Stewart outlined the following changes, all of which have been approved by the Akron Public Schools board:
DeMonte Powell has been hired as football coach. A 2011 North graduate, Powell replaces Doug Miller, who sought another coaching opportunity after one season with the Vikings.
Devin Williams has been hired as boys basketball coach. He takes the reins from Marc Smith, who had been North's coach since 2017 and received a promotion in February from the University of Akron, where he holds the title of associate athletics director — athlete academic services.
Keianna Rice has been hired as girls basketball coach after serving as an assistant last season under Jane Uecker, who resigned in April after two seasons in charge.
“Finally getting my opportunity to be the head football coach, it meant the world to me because I've always felt that these kids needed somebody that understood what it felt like to roam these hallways and to actually live in the North Hill community,” Powell said by phone. “... We really want to preach family. It's a we before me mentality this year.”
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A former St. Vincent-St. Mary and Bowling Green State University hoops player, Uecker said moving on from the North job is difficult partly because it taught her more about the importance of sports for young people and the community. Her Vikings teams were composed of many players from other countries who had no previous basketball experience. After a winless 2021-22 season, North's girls team earned two victories this past season.
“My experience was extremely special and personally rewarding,” said Uecker, who works with Smith at UA in student-athlete academic services. “I've played basketball my whole life, and I feel that there's just other things in my life I want to have the chance to explore.
“When you go your whole life trying to play Division I basketball, there's just this necessary ending that has to happen in order to grow. That's kind of what this was about. These young ladies will always have a special place in my heart.”
Williams and Rice were assistant basketball coaches at Massillon and Waterloo, Stewart said.
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Powell was a football and track and field standout at North. He also played football for a year at Muskingum University. He has been a track coach for eight seasons at North and for one at Ravenna. He has added several former Vikings players to the football staff.
“I'm excited that if there's somebody who can get some renewed interest and some additional bodies out, it's this group of guys,” Stewart said.
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Due to low participation and a roster decimated by injuries, North suspended its 2022 football season with two games left.
Stewart said the Vikings are “on track” to field a football team again in the fall.
“Right now, on paper, we have roughly 35 kids, and that's not including any of the incoming freshmen,” Powell added. "So we're hoping to keep the success with the numbers.”
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron North High School has new football, basketball coaches
