New WIAA 4A football coaching hires for 2026: Cary Nagel brings old-school flavor to SPSL at Olympia

Bears will do something in the fall that no program in the league does - run in the Power-T offense

Cary Nagel coached six seasons at Tenino, leading the program in 2021 to its first WIAA playoff victory in 35 seasons. (Cary Nagel / Courtesy)

Cary Nagel didn’t think his new head-coaching job search would be so adventurous.

The Shelton High School graduate spent six seasons building Tenino into a wrecking-ball Class 1A program, leading the team to back-to-back WIAA playoff appearances in 2021 and 2022.

But Nagel abruptly resigned following that final playoff run, figuring he could start fresh somewhere else.

He applied for six openings. Nothing.