Former Owatonna Coaches Jump Back into the Ring
To say wrestling is in their blood might be the understatement of the year, or decade, or century. Scot Davis and Larry Hovden have been around wrestling their whole lives and despite multiple retirements, they are heading west to take on the role of coaches for Salem-Sugar High School in Idaho this coming season.
Davis has nearly 50 years of coaching experience and over 1,000 victories over those decades. Hovden has been by his side for many of those years as a coach and broadcaster. Davis is excited to be the Diggers new coach, telling the Rexburg Standard Journal, "When you apply for a job where the program's been successful you wonder why someone's leaving and alot of the time they're not leaving you their best, something's happened or they're going downhill. But with seven returning state place winners, it's really not going to go downhill next year."
Davis indicated that he has a connection to the area with his wife Mary's family living nearby. Davis coached in Owatonna from 1986 to 2011, winning many Big Nine and section championships plus state titles in 1998 and 2005. Eight individuals won state titles during Davis' time with the Indians/Huskies.
Sugar-Salem Athletic Director Jay Miller expressed his enthusiasm in the article, "We're excited. We've been so pleased and honored to have Kevin as long as we have but we're looking forward to some really excellent years with (Scot)." Coach Kevin Glider is stepping down to be with his wife who was diagnosed with cancer.
The Diggers are the three-time defending state champs.
In other local wrestling news, Owatonna seniors Cade King and Nick Staska were recognized by the Guillotine as Second Team All-State Academic. King was a state runner-up this past season, while Staska took fifth place.