By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
April 23, 2004
The 2003-04 school year isn't quite over and yet we know several familiar coaches won't be back where we've come so accustomed to seeing them.
Nowhere is that more apparent than in Neshoba County, where both Philadelphia and Choctaw Central will have new head football coaches next fall.
After one season as head football coach at Philadelphia, Mike Brown has confirmed his plans to leave to become an assistant coach at Ackerman. Philadelphia went 8-3 last fall, winning the Region 5-2A crown. The Tornadoes lost 16-0 to St. John in the first round of the Class 2A state playoffs.
Philadelphia went 5-0 in Region 5-2A and also went 3-0 against 5-3A teams, beating Choctaw Central (21-15), West Lauderdale (7-6), and Class 3A South State runner-up Forest (35-21).
Among those reportedly interested in the PHS job are Wayne County assistant coach Todd Mangum and Meridian assistant coach Brian Anderson.
Brown was an assistant coach at Philadelphia for seven years. He took a similar position at Kosciusko before returning to Neshoba County last fall.
Also in Neshoba County, longtime area football coach Willie "Tennie" Coats has confirmed he's going into retirement for good this time after one season as head coach at Choctaw Central.
The Warriors went 4-6 in 2003. Highlights included beating Cherokee, N.C., 14-7 in the annual Battle of the Nations and a 28-20 victory at Morton. Coats' other stops in the area include Decatur, East Central Community College (both as an assistant and head coach), Quitman, and Newton County Academy.
Tony Stanford will be the head coach at CCHS next fall after serving as an assistant this past season. Stanford returns to head coaching sporting a 94-45 career record with one Class 4A state championship in 11 seasons. He was the head coach at Louisville before heading to Choctaw last fall.
The basketball courts will be missing a pair of familiar faces as well.
Lake girls' coach Bill Ingersoll won't be coaching basketball next year, instead devoting his time to the football team where he has been an assistant as well.
years of no Thanksgiving, no Christmas, and no New Year's, and I just felt like it was a good time to make the move."
Ingersoll led the Lady Hornets to the Big House in 1998, 2001, and 2003, with the 2001 team defeating Myrtle for the Class 1A state championship. In his eight seasons with the Lady Hornets, they won five division championships and three Scott County Tournaments. In all, his Lady Hornets won 170 games and lost 64.
Ingersoll had previously coached at Aberdeen and Greenwood and has a 249-225 career record.
Current Lake boys' basketball coach Victor Gilstrap will coach both the boys and girls next year.
Union will have a different girls' basketball coach as Brandi Reeves steps down after four years with the Lady Jackets. During that span, Union won 47 games and lost 71.
The high-water mark came in the 2002-03 season when Union finished 17-12 for its only winning season in girls' basketball since Reeves' senior year of high school (1992-93).
10 years two years ago.
under the age of six. I definitely plan on getting back in it one day."
Brandi and her husband, Todd, are expecting their third child in June.