BREAKING: Drew Church resigns as Cape Central basketball head coach

Drew Church talks with his team during a timeout in the championship game of the 2023 Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament.

Tony Capobianco ~ tcapobianco@semoball.com

The Southeast Missourian learned on Friday that longtime Cape Central Tigers head coach Drew Church is resigning following a 19-9 season in 2023-24.

While Church resigns from his role as head basketball coach, he will remain as assistant principal.

Church began his tenure as head coach of the Tigers back in 2006 and racked up 341 wins during his career.

Church was hired in July of 2006 by then-athletic director Mark Ruark, who now serves as principal at Saxony Lutheran High School.

Prior to beginning his career at Cape Central, Church served as an assistant coach at Jackson High School under Darrin Scott and was a student assistant under Gary Garner at Southeast Missouri State University from 2002 through 2004.

During his 18-year run, Church’s Tigers had nine 20-win seasons and he coached Cape Central to five district titles.

Church picked up his first win as a Tiger on Nov. 29, 2006, when they defeated Lutheran South in the Farmington Invitational.

The last win in Church’s illustrious career came on March 2, 2024, when the Tigers defeated Farmington in the Class 5 District 1 semifinals.

During his playing career, Church played for the University of Evansville where he was a member of the 2001 Purple Aces team that went to the NCAA Tournament.

Along the way, Church’s coaching and his own collegiate experience helped send countless players to the college level, most recently, Jaydon Reynolds, who announced his commitment to Southeast Missouri State University prior to the 2023-24 season.

Reynolds is far from the only player Church coached to go to the next level with some others being Cam Williams, Kinyon Hodges, TK Ayers, Chauncey Hughes, Andre Statam, ​​James Lane, Terrence Tisdell, Jr. and Doreante Tucker.