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Steve Amrine steps down as head football coach at Kelso

Amrine posted a 71-48 record over 12 seasons with the Hilanders

By Tim Martinez, Columbian Assistant Sports Editor
Published: January 17, 2025, 2:18pm

Another of the area’s longest-serving high school football head coaches has resigned.

Steve Amrine has stepped down as Kelso’s football coach after 12 seasons leading the Hilander program, Kelso athletic director Bob Kickner announced Friday.

“Kelso High School will be looking for a new head football coach after Steve Amrine stepped down this week,” Kickner said. “A very positive decision for him and a new challenge for us.”

A 1990 Castle Rock High School graduate, Amrine was hired as Kelso’s head coach in 2013 after two seasons as head coach at Centralia. Amrine took over the Kelso program from Pat Hymes.

The Hilanders went 71-48 under Amrine and reached the postseason every season that playoffs were held.

Kelso shared the 3A Greater St. Helens League title with Prairie in 2019 and won the title outright with an unbeaten league season in 2022.

Amrine’s son Tucker is a senior who played quarterback for his father at Kelso and was an all-state punter. His daughter Maali is a sophomore at Kelso and plays volleyball and basketball.

In addition to coaching football, Amrine is also an assistant baseball coach at Kelso.

Among active football head coaches in Southwest Washington, John Lambert at La Center is the longest-tenured with his current team, leading the Wildcats for 26 seasons.

David Hajek has coached at Washougal for 19 seasons over three different stints, the most recent stint starting in 2014. David Waymire has coached at Stevenson for the past 14 seasons.

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