For the first time in 20 seasons there will be a new man in charge of the Raymore-Peculiar football program. Earlier today Panthers Head Football Coach and Activities Director Tom Kruse announced he was retiring at the end of the school year.
Kruse is Ray-Pec royalty. He played for the Panthers and coached them the last 20 years. During that time his teams amassed a 147-79 record with three state championships, a second-place finish to go with nine district titles.
He said the thought of retirement started before the season as he looked at the options through the Missouri teachers’ retirement program.
“It’s been an awesome, awesome ride,” Kruse said. “I knew that with the rule of 80 was approaching and I could possibly go this year. From a family standpoint this is a good situation that can set us up down the road.”
This past season the Panthers finished 10-3 wining the Class 6 District 4 championship before losing to eventual champion DeSmet in the semifinals. Ray-Pec started the year 3-2 but won seven straight playing its best football of the season.
“That run we went on down the stretch was special,” Kruse said. “We were 3-2 heading into to Blue Springs and we didn’t know what was going to happen. We just went on a roll and it was a great amount of fun.”
