Centennial names new football coach. He’s a member of four halls of fame
Retirement never suited Steve Sosnowski.
Since retiring as Capital’s athletic director in 2020, Sosnowski continued to serve as an assistant coach with the Capital football and track teams, and he’s helped coach the North Star Charter and Star Middle track teams.
But Sosnowski’s next role marks his biggest yet in retirement — rebuilding the Centennial High football program.
The Patriots named the longtime Treasure Valley fixture as their new football coach last week. He replaces Keelan McCaffrey, who led the Patriots for two seasons but will become the school’s athletic director in the fall.
Sosnowski’s hiring is still pending official approval from the West Ada school board next month.
“I’m definitely not a stay-at-home type,” said Sosnowski, 67. “Staying at home drives me crazy. And it drives my wife crazy, which is worse.”
Sosnowski is already a member of four Idaho athletic halls fame. He’s in the Boise State Hall of Fame as a member of the 1980 Division I-AA national championship team. The Idaho Athletic Administrators Association inducted him into its hall of fame in 2023. Capital added him to its hall of fame last year, and Sosnowski will join the Idaho High School Activities Association’s hall in August.
Sosnowski brings a career record of 64-85-1 (.430) as a head football coach to Centennial. He previously served as the head coach at Meridian from 1993 to ‘98, where he snapped a 21-game losing streak in his second season and posted an 11-45 record in six years.
He also was the head coach at Firth from 1982 to ‘84, and he led the football programs at Pacific Grove and Florin high schools in California. He’s coached everything from track to wrestling to softball to boys and girls basketball to cheerleading in the Treasure Valley, and he was Capital’s athletic director for 17 years.
“When you look at his resume, he’s done everything,” McCaffrey said. “He’s been a lifelong teacher, mentor, coach and athletic director. He’s from our valley, and he wants to be around kids and help kids.”
Sosnowski inherits one of the state’s perennial underdogs. The Patriots have not posted a winning record or made the playoffs since 2010, the longest active streak in the 6A classification.
Former Centennial coach Lee Neumann won three state titles at the school and went 168-83 (.669) in 24 seasons. But since he resigned in 2014, Centennial has struggled under coaches Dave Koch (11-43 in six years), Matt Greene (3-21 in three years) and McCaffrey (1-17 in two years).
Sosnowski said he’s looking to bring a consistent structure, build a solid coaching staff and center his program around athletes to start the Patriots’ turnaround. He said he’s excited to put all the lessons he’s learned in more than 40 years of coaching to use.
“As we grow up, we all learn and hopefully improve on what we do from everywhere we go,” Sosnowski said. “I felt this was a good time and a good place.
“I look at Centennial as a lot like Capital. It’s a lot of blue-collar kids who want to work hard and deserve the chance to have success.”
Sosnowski declined to put a time frame on his return to the sideline, saying he planned to coach until he didn’t have anything left to give to the Patriots.
“When you talk to him, he’s pretty excited and he’s fired up,” McCaffrey said. “We’re not going to put a time frame on it. We’re fortunate and lucky to have him.”
CALDWELL NAMES NEW FOOTBALL COACH
Chris Boncz will lead the Cougars for the 2025 season, the school announced on social media. His hire is still pending school board approval.
Boncz served as an assistant coach at Caldwell the past two seasons, including his time as the Cougars’ defensive coordinator last fall. He previously coached at Meridian and multiple schools in California and Washington.
Boncz replaces Kip Crofts, who went 1-17 in two seasons with the Cougars. Caldwell broke a 39-game losing streak in 2023 under Crofts before going 0-9 last fall.
Caldwell Athletic Director Jon Hallock previously confirmed the Cougars will play an independent schedule for the fourth straight season this year. Independence costs Caldwell its playoff eligibility but gives it a chance to create its own schedule as it tries to rebuild the program.
The Cougars have not made the playoffs or finished with a .500 or better record since 2005.
This story was originally published May 14, 2025 at 2:46 PM.
