A New Chapter for a Local Legend: Rory Rosenbach Leaves Glacier Peak to Helm Eastmont Football

The state champion coach is back in the 4A game after several years away. Eastmont is getting a leader whose character is forged by the peaks of success and the storms of tragedy.

EAST WENATCHEE — Snohomish County is saying goodbye to a local gridiron stalwart. And a new 4A power may be emerging on the banks of the Columbia.

But respectful goodbyes may turn into “Oh it’s you again?” grumbles come early November, as the head coaches at local 4A powers like Lake Stevens and Glacier Peak — could well be seeing an old friend once again.

Rory Rosenbach, the 1994 Snohomish High School graduate and the inaugural football coach at Glacier Peak High School, has been named the new head football coach at Eastmont High School, a 4A program in East Wenatchee.

The 2018 state champion Rosenbach steps in to replace Jay Foster, who resigned in December after back-to-back runner-up finishes in the CBBN.

For J425 readers, Rosenbach’s name is synonymous with local football excellence and tied in many ways to the career arc of Tom Tri.

After playing tight end at the Air Force Academy and the University of Oregon, he cut his teeth coaching in Oregon, winning two state titles at Marist Catholic High School.

He then returned home to build the Glacier Peak program from scratch, serving as its first head coach from 2008 to 2016.

As Rosenbach was opening GP, Tom Tri was installing what was then a highly-innovative spread passing attack. And when Tri looked across the valley, he saw Rosenbach pulling the strings on a similar spread shotgun attack.

At the time, the two future hall of famers were the only 4A offensive coordinators on the west side implementing the no huddle attack.

Both saw considerable success and have evolved their offenses over time, and both men have considerable respect for each other. Rosenbach once wryly told J425