After Paoli Basketball’s undefeated season, Head Coach Dusty Cole resigned from being the coach at Paoli. Along with Cole, Resource Teacher Alexis Speer, and Junior High Science teacher Jeremy Reynolds would also resign from Paoli. All three teachers decided to leave Paoli after receiving a job offer from North Daviess School Corporation.
Cole accepted the position of Dean of Students, Assistant Athletic Director, and Boys Varsity Basketball Coach. Speer was hired as a Behavior Interventionist, and Reynolds was hired to be a Science Teacher and Assistant Football Coach. Also joining Cole on the basketball staff are former Paoli Assistant coaches Jared Speer and Mike Brown.
Reynolds was originally named the next Head Football Coach, but after accepting the job at North Daviess, both the Head Football and Basketball jobs were open. After the jobs had been posted for a month, the next coaches were announced at the April Board Meeting.
For the Boys Head Basketball Coach, Scott Combs was hired. He was also hired to be the Assistant Athletic Director. After hearing about the job opening, Combs was very interested in the opportunity.
“My sisters, Abby Newkirk and Katie Kumpf, and their families live and work at the school, so living close to family is something that my wife, Ashley, and I said we would try to do when the time was right and an opportunity presented itself. Also, my folks, Dr. Combs and Virginia, loved working and living in Paoli. Watching them engage with the community and live life as they did is something we would like to do,” said Combs.
Combs graduated from Paoli High School in 1994.
“I graduated from Paoli. Some of my best memories are from my time in Paoli. The education I received and the friendships that I have maintained are important to me, and I am looking forward to reconnecting and strengthening those,” said Combs.
Combs has lots of previous coaching experience. From 2000 to 2012, he coached at Austin Peay University. From 2012-2018, he was the Head Basketball Coach and Associate Athletic Director at Martin Methodist. He then moved to Morehead State to be an Associate Head Coach from 2018-2024, then went to James Madison for a year to be an associate coach, and then last season was an Interim and Associate Head Coach at Ball State. Combs is excited to come back to Paoli and help all kids get better at basketball.
“I want to see kids of all ages working hard, having fun, and getting a little better each day. Sharing the ball, rebounding, and making free throws are three things I put a little extra emphasis on,” said Combs.
For the Head Football Coach, Sam Werczynski was hired. Werczynski graduated from Hanover College in 2024 after playing football there. After college, he coached at Bloomington North High School. He was the Defensive Backs Coach, the Assistant Special Teams Coordinator, and co-Defensive Coordinator. Werczynski was also hired to be a Special Education teacher. Werczynski had previous experience coaching. Once the spot was opened, Werczynski heard it would be a good opportunity to take.
“A lot of people in my circle spoke highly of Paoli as a great, supportive community. I also know there’s a rich tradition of football here, and I’m excited for the opportunity to build on that and continue moving the program forward,” said Werczynski.
Werczynski has high hopes as a coach here at Paoli.
“Our goal is to stack moments, days, and weeks to become the best team we can possibly be by the time the playoffs arrive. We want to be playing our best football when it matters most,” said Werczynski.
Werczynski isn’t just focused on making the kids better football players but also helping them become better people.
“I believe in developing players beyond the game. Football is a tool to build discipline, leadership, and character. My goal is for players to leave the program as confident, responsible young men. As a coach, I bring energy, enthusiasm, and passion every day. I focus on building strong relationships with my players and understanding the challenges they face both on and off the field. Success for me is not just measured in wins and losses—it’s about growth, effort, and who our players become,” said Werczynski.
Both coaches will be looking forward to getting to know the players more and getting them ready for their seasons starting in June at Summer Workouts.