Back in April 2019, Sacred Heart High School alum Keenan Thompson returned to Salina to lead the girls basketball program. Before Sacred Heart, Thompson was an assistant girls basketball coach at Hugoton.

Next year, Thompson will be back in that area, except this time as a head coach.

Thompson has been selected as the next head boys basketball coach at Liberal High School. Liberal went 7-14 in 2020-21 under interim head coach Trace Haskell, who announced his resignation after working on the staff for nine years.

Thompson’s decision to leave comes after two short seasons at Sacred Heart. However, the move will bring him closer to his fiancée and kids, who still reside in Hugoton.

Thompson took over a Sacred Heart team that returned its whole roster from 2018-19, coming off its first double-digit win season in 10 years. The Lady Knights finished 14-8 in Thompson’s first season. The COVID-19 pandemic trimmed a few games off Sacred Heart’s schedule in 2020-21. Still, the Lady Knights went 11-8, falling to Moundridge in the sub-state semifinals. In Thompson’s two seasons, the Lady Knights were 25-16.

After graduating from Bethany College, Thompson spent four seasons as the assistant basketball coach for the Hugoton girl’s basketball team. During his time, the Lady Eagles posted a 73-24 record, including three-straight trips to the state tournament, two third place finishes and a state championship.