PHELPS, Ky. — Former Phelps head football coach Randy Smith is back at his old position as he was chosen by the administration at the school to replace Andrew West, who resigned earlier this year.
No official announcement has been made by the Phelps Athletic Department about the hire, and calls to the school had not been returned as of press time, but Smith is listed as the head coach on the official KHSAA website.
Smith previously served as the head man of the Hornets from 2013 to 2015, when they did not have a home field due to the construction of the new Phelps Elementary School and had to play all of their home games at Belfry’s Al Vipperman Stadium.
During Smith’s three years at Phelps, the Hornets had a record of 1-30-1.
Smith later came back to help as an assistant coach under former head coach David Jones in 2018, where he helped with the defense on a Hornet team that went 5-5.
It was reported this past week by Mountain Top Sports that Phelps will not play their scheduled game in the Pike County Bowl against East Ridge. The Hornets were replaced by Harlan County, who will now play the Warriors at CAM Stadium at 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26.
This will be the first year since 2014 that the Pike County Bowl is played and does not feature Phelps in one of its games. The PCB was cancelled due to COVID-19 in 2020.
Phelps’ schedule on the KHSAA website currently lists only six games beginning with a contest on Aug. 19 at Pineville.
Below is the current 2022 Phelps football schedule as it is listed by the KHSAA:
Aug. 19: 7:30 p.m. A, Pineville
Sept. 2: 7:30 p.m. H, Prestonsburg
Sept. 9: 7:30 p.m. H, Hurley, Va.
Sept. 23: 7:30 p.m. A, Betsy Layne
Oct. 7: 7:30 p.m. A, Lewis County
Oct. 28: 7:30 p.m. H, Tolsia
HD Media reporter Jarrid McCormick covers sports in Southern West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky.
