North Johnston hires Kansas state champion Kyle Schenk to lead football program
North Johnston High School has found its next head football coach.
The school announced on Wednesday morning that Kyle Schenk has been selected to lead the Panthers' football program.
Schenk will arrive at North Johnston from St. Mary's High School in Kansas where he was the head football coach. The Bears were 7-4 last season and advanced to the third round of the 1A playoffs.
Before taking over the position of head coach at St. Mary's in April 2020, Schenk served as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Southern Nazarene University in Oklahoma. He spent three seasons in that role.
"His resume includes extensive college coaching experience at the NAIA college level, as well as being an associate head coach, defensive coordinator, and strength and conditioning coordinator at the Division 2 college level," a press release from North Johnston said.
Schenk has four years of high school coaching experience. In 2022, his team won the Kansas 1A state championship and Schenk was named the 1A coach of the year.
Schenk will move to Johnston County with his wife, Kristen, and their four children.
Last season, North Johnston finished the season with a 4-7 record and a 2-3 mark in the Neuse 2A Conference. The Panthers made the N.C. High School Athletic Association state playoffs, but lost to Northeastern in the first round.
Under Schenk, North Johnston will look for its first winning season since 2016 when the Panthers were 7-5.
Schenk replaces North Johnston coach Michael Barnett who announced his retirement last fall.
