The Tomah School Board filled two head coaching openings during its regular monthly meeting Thursday at the Robert Kupper Learning Center.

Matt Zieba is the new head baseball coach at Tomah High School, and Joel Sandager will coach the girls tennis squad.

Zieba replaces Matt Dutton, who resigned shortly after the 2009 season. Dutton coached the team for two seasons.

Zieba was encouraged by varsity assistant Tony Vitcenda to apply.

“It came open, and I was ready for the challenge,” Zieba said. “I’ve got a good assistant coach in Tony, and if he says I’m ready, I have to listen to that.”

The Timberwolves are coming off a 1-20 season and an 0-12 mark in the Mississippi Valley Conference. Tomah has won just five games since finishing second in the MVC in 2007.

“Winning is important at the high school level, but you want the kids to improve,” Zieba said. “I can’t guarantee conference championships or anything like that, but they will be better baseball players.”

Zieba was the varsity reserve coach last season and has been with the baseball program since being hired by the school district as physical education and health teacher at the high school in 2006.

He played high school baseball at Park Center, Minn., where he was a shortstop. He played collegiately at UW-La Crosse as an outfielder.

During the summer, Zieba plays for the La Crosse A’s in the Mississippi Valley League. He said he won’t be involved with Tomah’s American Legion baseball program.

Sandager is the Youth Ministries Director at the Bible Evangelical Free Church in Tomah. He takes over for Cathy Brookman, who has coached the team seven of the last eight years.

Sandager inherits a team that was 4-2 in the MVC last year and defeated both La Crosse Central and La Crosse Aquinas in MVC duals for the first time in school history. The Timberwolves were 11-3 overall.

Tomah’s opening 2009 match is Aug. 17 at home against Onalaska Luther.

Sandager was overseas on a church mission last week and was unavailable for comment.