Southern Boone hires Mark Ross from Marceline as its next football coach
After promoting Trent Tracy from the sidelines to activities director, Southern Boone has hired a new head football coach.
Mark Ross has been tabbed as the next head coach, the school announced Monday.
Ross comes to Ashland from Marceline, where he was head coach the past four seasons and stoked success at the Class 1 level.
“Coach Ross really impressed the entire selection committee with his views on program development, core values and his philosophy on what the game of football can do for an individual, team and community,” Tracy said in a news release. “His record of success is something that cannot go unnoticed having won 42 games over the last four years."
Prior to his time at Marceline, Ross was a graduate assistant and offensively quality control coach at the University of Kansas for three seasons and spent four seasons as offensive coordinator at Horton High School in Horton, Kansas.
At Marceline, Ross compiled a 42-7 record. He coached Marceline to a berth in the 2021 Class 1 state championship game. He took Marceline to the 2020 Class 1 quarterfinals and 2019 Class 1 semifinals and won four Lewis & Clark Conference titles.
Under Ross, Marceline never had a winning percentage that dipped under 83%.
“I’ve heard so many great things about the students, staff, school district, administration and Southern Boone community," Ross said in a statement. "Coach Tracy has done a phenomenal job with the football program over the years. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to build on Coach Tracy’s success and continue guiding the football program in the right direction.”
Ross' Marceline team averaged 29 points and allowed 18 points per game last year. Marceline won 10 consecutive games in 2021 en route to the Class 1 title game.
Ross won three straight district titles at Marceline; Southern Boone last won a district title in 2018.
Ross will teach physical education at Southern Boone to start the 2022-2023 school year.
”His approach to the game of football will transition very well with our current players and assistant coaches,” Tracy said. “I am really excited to see Coach Ross take the football program to greater success in the future.”
Chris Kwiecinski is the sports editor for the Columbia Daily Tribune, overseeing University of Missouri and Boone County sports coverage. Follow him on Twitter @OchoK_ and contact him at CKwiecinsk@gannett.com or 573-815-1857.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Southern Boone hires Mark Ross as its next football coach
