Washougal High School hired a pair of assistant coaches – including one with extensive playoff background as a prior head coach – to fill its boys and girls basketball coaching vacancies, athletic director Doug Cox announced Tuesday.
AJ LaBree is the Panthers’ new boys basketball coach while Britney Knotts takes over Washougal’s girls basketball program.
LaBree spent the past two seasons as an assistant under Blake Conley at Union. Before that, he spent eight seasons as the head coach at Sehome High School, compiling a 121-77 overall record and making the postseason all eight years at the Bellingham school. His team placed fourth at state his final season in 2014-15.
Knotts, a graduate of Mountain View, spent last season as an assistant for Dave McIntosh and the Thunder. She played collegiately at Chemeketa Community College and The Evergreen State College.
The Washougal girls are coming off back-to-back 2A Greater St. Helens League titles and consecutive trips to the Class 2A state tournament. It placed fourth in 2016. The Washougal boys went 4-16 last season.
