After two seasons leading the Panther football team, head coach Aaron Papich has resigned.

“It was a decision that was very difficult to make,” Papich said Thursday, “but it’s something that’s best for my family and for my teaching and coaching career.”

He said it’s “been an honor to serve the Powell community in this role.” He thanked his players, their parents, his fellow coaches, school administrators and the community for their support.

Papich has been working as a paraeducator at Powell Middle School, which he called a “great role,” but said his ultimate goal is to teach physical education. And right now, Papich said he and his wife Kallie, who is a special education teacher at Powell High School, have “a couple very promising opportunities” where they could both work as teachers.

“It’s something that we really thought long and hard about and prayed about and we just feel that this is the right move for our household,” he explained.

Papich gave his notice to PHS Activities Director Scott McKenzie on March 18, wanting to give administrators, players and the coaches enough notice so that they can start preparing for the coming season with a new leader.

McKenzie said school officials “are sad to see him go, for sure.”

“They’re just such a great young family and they’re going to be an asset to any community,” McKenzie said of the Papichs. “I wish we had an opening [for a teacher], but we don’t, and we understand.”

Under Papich’s leadership, the Powell High School football team made an improbable run to the Class 3A state championship game last season. The Panthers overcame substantial adversity to reach the title game, as senior quarterback Ethan Asher was severely injured in a vehicle crash shortly after the school year began. However, Asher recovered enough to attend the state championship game in Laramie in November — a triumph that overshadowed the Panthers’ loss to Star Valley that day.

“... Everyone pulling together and being a small part of that was truly something that I’ll always remember, and our kids just stepping up and what they endured and how everyone came together was really great in a tragedy like that,” Papich said.

McKenzie said that the coach “brought some good things to the table and had quite a season with Ethan [Asher]’s injury and keeping that glued together.”

“Although they didn’t win the state championship, the story couldn’t have been written any better for the community, for the state, for the Ashers, for the players,” McKenzie said.

Following the season, Papich was named the Super 25 Coach of the Year by the Casper Star-Tribune while he and his staff — which included assistants Zack Coombs, Joel Hayano, Mike Heny, Chase Kistler and Waleryan Wisniewski — were named the top coaching group in Class 3A West.

Papich took over the Panther football program in mid-2018, after then-coach Chanler Buck became the activities director and assistant principal at Powell Middle School.

Before coming to Powell, Papich spent two seasons as an assistant football coach at Kelly Walsh High School in Casper, two seasons in Burlington and one in Riverton.

“We really wanted to finish out my teaching and coaching career here [in Powell], but sometimes there’s other plans,” Papich said, “and we’re just very optimistic and excited for the future.”

As for what’s next for the Panther football team, “I know that they’re going to be very successful and do good things,” he said, adding that, “I’ll be watching.”

McKenzie said that the search to replace Papich will likely begin sometime after April 6, when PHS classes resume in a remote learning format.

When the search for a new head coach does begin, “we’ll look within first and see if we have any candidates and we’ll go from there,” McKenzie said.

In the meantime, he wished Papich and his family all the best.

“Somewhere, some group of folks are going to be fortunate to get the Papichs,” McKenzie said.