Nooksack Valley coach Bill Kelly, right, and assistant coack Scott Nunamaker find plenty to react to during the 2003 Class 2A boys state tournament, which Kelly's Pioneers won. Kelly, a state coaching legend, retired after Saturday's game.   KIRK HIROTA/Yakima Herald-Republic file

TOURNEYTOWN.COM

After the Nooksack Valley boys’ semifinal loss to Toledo on Friday, Pioneers coach Bill Kelly had a message for his players.

“I told them, you four seniors, I know you didn’t come here to play for third place,” Kelly said, referring to the Pioneers’ impending third-sixth game against Meridian. “But this will be your last game, and I want you to work your butts off this one last time — I said that would really please me, because I’m going to go out with you four seniors.”

And with that, Kelly made official what many had anticipated — that this would be his final season. It ended Saturday night with Nooksack Valley’s 58-38 victory over Meridian.

Kelly’s retirement brings an end to one of the most distinguished coaching careers in Washington prep basketball history. He coached five teams to state championships — four at Cashmere (1975, 1977, 1980, 1986) and one at Nooksack Valley (2003).

Kelly, 63, also finishes with a remarkable 430-150 record — a 74.1 winning percentage — in boys basketball, plus a 60-20 mark in three years as girls coach at Blaine.