Mike Woodward hired by Battle Ground, Will Ephraim by Prairie

The Battle Ground School Board on Monday approved the hiring of new head football coaches at Battle Ground and Prairie high schools.

Woodland coach Mike Woodward takes over at Battle Ground and former Seton Catholic coach Will Ephraim will lead Prairie.

Woodward becomes Battle Ground’s third head coach in three seasons, and takes over a program that last won a game in 2019.

He is a Battle Ground High graduate, and spent five years at 2A Woodland. Prior to that, Woodward coached in California, and also led Mountain View to 4A state semifinal appearances in 2001 and 2002. He also coaches at Hudson’s Bay.

For Ephraim at Prairie, it’s his first head-coaching job since leading 1A Seton Catholic from 2015-18 and more recently, was Heritage’s defensive coordinator.

The former Oregon State defensive back (1991-94) inherits a Prairie program that went 6-4 in the fall 2021 season, and won a league title in 2019.

Woodland joins Heritage, Battle Ground, Prairie and Hudson’s Bay as local schools to have off-season football head-coaching openings.