KARNS CITY — Joe Sherwin knows he has a tough act to follow.

The offensive coordinator at Karns City for 18 years, Sherwin was named the Gremlins' new head football coach at Monday night's school board meeting. He replaces Ed Conto, who resigned from the position last month.

Conto was 167-52 in 18 years as KC head coach. The Gremlins are on a current run of six consecutive District 9 championships.

“Ed did an excellent job,” Sherwin, 47, said. “I learned more about football and coaching from him than I've learned from anybody.

“I just want to continue what he's started. I know they're big shoes to fill. It will be tough.

“But I've been an assistant with this program for a long time. I figure I'm ready,” Sherwin added.

Sherwin has been a math teacher at Karns City for 25 years. His entire career in education has been spent there. He's coached at KC for 22 years overall.

He was a position coach under Conto for a year at A-C Valley besides coaching with him at Karns City.

“I love this program and I really get along with the kids,” Sherwin said. “I've developed great relationships with these kids and I want to continue the tradition of Karns City football.”

KC athletic director Brian Markle said Sherwin was chosen from nine applicants, including several from outside of the district.

“It was very close among the three finalists,” Markle said. “Joe is in-house and one of the other guys was not.

“He (Sherwin) interviewed very well. He had a lot of right answers.”

Unwilling to name his offensive and defensive coordinators for now, Sherwin said that he will not be running the offense himself in 2018.

He said the new defensive coordinator will run a 44 defense instead of the 34 previously run at Karns City.

Superintendent Ed Ritzert described Sherwin as “a longtime employee as a match teacher who has coached for a long time as well.”

Markle is confident Sherwin will keep the program running in the proper direction.

“Joe is very calm, very intelligent,” he said. “He understands the game very well.

“He has a mathematical mind, always thinks things through. He calculates very well and stays a step ahead of the competition.”

Sherwin has already been running the weight room for Gremlin football players this off-season.

“I'm looking forward to the challenge,” he said of becoming a head coach. “There may be some minor changes to the staff, but most of the assistants will likely be returning.”

Karns City has had only one losing season — 4-6 in 2010 — in the past 22 years. Sherwin becomes only the third KC head football coach in the past 24 years.