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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels October 9, 2004 Search ends � finally By Tim Trower For the Tidings Ashland began searching far and wide last spring for a girls basketball coach. This week, after efforts by two athletic directors over six months, the Grizzlies found their man - just up the road. Veteran coach Ken Lathen of Grants Pass will fill the post vacated by Steve Humann, who resigned after two years at the end of last season. Lathen has coached boys and girls high school ball for more than 30 years, most recently with the Grants Pass girls team. Yet, he hadn't coached since the 2002-03 season, when he finished a three-year run with the Cavers, and he didn't even apply for the Ashland position. Ashland athletic director Karl Kemper, who took over the process from his predecessor, Jim Nagel, was calling to check the references of another candidate and was told, "Why don't you call Ken Lathen." Kemper called Lathen Monday, they met Tuesday, Lathen was interviewed Wednesday and Thursday and accepted the job at the end of the interview. Lathen couldn't be reached Friday for comment. "I really think we couldn't ask for anything better, especially given the situation we were in," said Kemper. Nagel began the first round of interviews in May. Twice, in August and September, the position was offered to coaches who declined to accept. Kemper said one was out of state and couldn't get the move worked out, and the other was unable to make the necessary time commitment. "We kept our standards really high throughout," said Kemper. "We wanted to put the very best person possible in front of the kids in November. But it was getting down to crunch time, and we were fortunate to end up where we did." Prior to coaching the Grants Pass girls - his only stint as a girls coach - Lathen was the school's boys coach for seven years. He also has guided teams at Perrydale, Nestucca, Illinois Valley, Dallas and Hidden Valley. Lathen's 1987 Dallas squad won the Class 3A state championship, one of 11 teams he's taken to the state playoffs. "He's been around," said Kemper. "The main thing with Ken is, his philosophy really fits with ours. He's very positive, and he sees the whole educational picture of coaching kids. He tries to field competitive teams, but he also tries to build the whole kid and make them grow from their experience." Lathen will inherit several returners, including Southern Oregon Conference first-team all-star guard Alysse Carlson and Abeni Hill, who received honorable mention. Both are seniors. Last year, the Grizzlies started three juniors and two sophomores and earned the SOC's No. 3 seed to the state playoffs. They lost at Tigard in the second round, 52-51. However, two key players from that mix won't be back. Hilary Huyett, a first-team all-SOC guard, moved to the Portland area with her family and is spending her senior year at Lincoln High. Whitney Chase, a sophomore post, moved to Oregon City with her family and is expected to play for the defending state champions. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams