A year after its first playoff berth in 12 years, the Mount View Golden Knights are in search of a new football coach.
In an announcement via social media on Thursday, Larry Thompson announced he was resigning as the head coach at Mount View, a post he held for five seasons.
Thompson finishes his tenure at Mount View with a 20-32 record. The former head coach of the Golden Knights has taken the head-coaching job at Wyoming East High School.
“After lots of careful consideration and prayer, I have decided to resign my head football coach position at this time,” said Thompson in a statement. “I truly can’t say thank you enough to the coaches, staff, parents, fans and all associated with our program (both high school and youth).”
Thompson took the reigns in Welch in 2014 druing a stretch that saw the Golden Knights win just seven games from 2008-2015. During that same span, the Golden Knights finished winless three times.
In 2018, Thompson led the Golden Knights to their first 10-win season since 2003. The Concord University graduate led Mount View to the playoffs for the first time since 2006. Mount View’s 34-14 win over Ritchie County marked the Golden Knight’s first playoff win since 2003.
“It has been an honor to represent both McDowell County and Mount View High School over the past five seasons. I can’t say enough about how much all of your support has meant to me and our program,” Thompson stated. “The privilege of coaching in front of a packed house on Friday nights or looking around at the sea of brown and gold that regularly followed our team are things many high school coaches never get to experience and I never took that for granted.”
Thompson took on a rebuilding process in Welch that saw him go winless in year one before ultimately getting the Golden Knights to the playoffs in year five.
“Most importantly, to all of my players (alumni and current), outside of my immediate family there’s no one I care for more. Together we achieved many goals, learned valuable lessons, created a new culture and brought Mount View football back to its former glory,” said Thompson. “Thank you for your hard work, patience and dedication to our program. Most importantly though, thank you for your heart and thank you for leaving it on the field every Friday night. A coach couldn’t ask for more.”
Larry Thompson becomes the fourth head football coach in the history of Wyoming East High School. Thompson takes over for Donald Jewell. Much like Mount View, Thompson will take the reigns of a program that has not been to the playoffs since 2014 and has not won a playoff game since 2001.
Under the direction of the new ball coach, the Warriors hope to return to the same successes that watched them win a state title in 1999.
I am a graduate of Richlands High School—class of 2014. In May 2018, I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Multimedia Journalism and History with a minor in war and Society from Virginia Tech.
My passions in life are numerous. We don’t have all day. This is not the place to divulge into Hokie Football, so I will shed some light on one of my other favorites.
I was born and raised in the coalfields of southwest Virginia—Richlands to be exact. I remember the first time I ever went to a high school football game (Richlands-Tazewell ’02). Since then, a passion has grown that is stronger than the current in the Clinch River. As a football player in this region, I was able to witness the passion oozing out of the hills firsthand. It was something that when I began college, people had a hard time believing the spectacle that is high school football in the coalfields. Luckily, I was able to go 42-8 in between the white lines on Fridays and Saturdays from 2010-2013. I look forward to having another platform to tell you my stories, your stories and their stories. Here’s to the good times and hoping I don’t leave you like I did Coach Greg Mance numerous times—by saying, “Gosh Durn It!”
Let’s talk, SWVA sports, Hokies, history or maybe even barbecue.
