The 4A Greater St. Helens League’s top two girls basketball teams this past winter are now looking for new head coaches.
Camas coach Scott Preuninger and Union’s Mike Cranston have resigned from their posts two months getting their programs to the Class 4A state tournament.
Camas ended Union’s season March 1 following a 53-39 win in the round-of-12. Camas won all three meetings against Union in 2017-18.
At Camas, Preuninger inherited an established program that arguably had its best seasons in school history the past two years.
The Papermakers won back-to-back 4A GSHL titles, including an undefeated run this past season, and reached state in 2017 and ’18. Preuninger’s coaching history includes turning around a number of Oregon boys programs: Umatilla, Dallas and Lakeridge of Lake Oswego before an eight-year run as Camas’ boys coach. He also coached at Heritage in 2014-15.
Preuninger said a number of factors led to what he called one of the toughest decisions he’s made in 23 years as a head coach and a 30-year coaching career.
“Normally, as soon as the season is over,” he said, “I’m ready for the next year.
“I know what it takes and the passion and enthusiasm you need in order to have a successful season,” he added. “I was having a difficult time coming up with the motivation.”
Preuninger said he isn’t closing the door on coaching, but said it has to be the right fit — as a head coach or assistant. Camas’ cupboard isn’t bare either; the team graduates three starters, but expects to return all-leaguers Haley Hanson and Marianna Payne.
“It’s a good group,” Preuninger said. “Not only do we have a youth program set in place, but we do have a really good group of young girls.”
Union named Cranston its girls coach in March 2016, his first head-coaching gig since an 18-year run and more than 200 victories as Mountain View’s boys coach.
Next year, Cranston will have two children playing basketball post-high school: son Cameron, the 2017 4A state player of the year, at Sunnyside Christian Academy (Kansas) and daughter Courtney at San Diego (Calif.) Christian College. That played a major factor in Cranston’s decision to step down, athletic director Rory Rosenbach said.
“He really wanted to go see them (play),” he said.
Union won 17 games last winter, including four out of six in the postseason to reach the Tacoma Dome for the first time.
