Combs, a 2010 inductee into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, compiled a 213-68-14 record during his 29-year career. He coached the final 19 years in Joplin and won 77 percent of his games here, going 157-39-7 with the Eagles, Bears and Eagles again.
After directing Trenton to a 10-0 record in 1966 and a Class M state championship as voted by the state sports writers, Combs was selected from a pool of 54 applicants to be the new coach at Joplin High School. He replaced Ron Taylor, who left to coach high school ball at Park Forest, Illinois.
In 19 years in Joplin, Combs’ teams won or shared 13 Ozark Conference championships — the first in 1967 in the final year of old Joplin High School and the last in 1985, the first year of the new Joplin High School.
In between, Combs coached the Parkwood Bears to 11 league titles and undefeated state championships in 1975, 1980 and 1983. The 1976 Bears also were unbeaten at 10-0, but the failed to qualify for postseason play under the points system used by the MSHSAA.