2016 Combined

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Area coaches receive MAC coach ofyear honors

By Drew Kerekes dkere1

"This is quite an honor to be chosen by my peers," Bond said. "It was unexpected, out ofthe blue, and I can't take credit. As with all coaches, your players are the ones who make you look good." Bond also credited his former assistant coach, Cory Edwards, and his wife, Jennifer, who "puts up with all of (his) long hours." •Neshoba Central High School Trae Embry received the slow-pitch softball coach ofthe year award. Embry led the Lady Rockets to their

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A handful ofarea coaches were pre sented with various awards Tuesday by the Mississippi Association of Coaches: •Newton County High School tennis coach Chad Bond was named the MAC. tennis coach of the year. The Newton County tennis team had its girls doubles duo of Josie Hurst and Alison Walker win the MHSAA Class 4A state fourth-consecutive slow-pitch title last fall. He also Jed Neshoba Central to its fo~-consecutive fast-pitch title this past spnng. "It's always special and an honor to receive that," Embry said. "It's something a l~t of coaches never get, and it's just a spe cial honor that other people recognized the hard work we do here at Neshoba Central " •A trio ofEast Central Community coi lege coaches were named coach of the year See MAC, page 82

Meridian Community College tennis coach Wanda McPhail was given two awards by the M1ssiss1ppi Asso ciation of Coaches. championship. Ethan McMullen and Joel Hill also competed for state in boys doubles, while Brandon Huddleston and Kennedy Rodriguez went to state in mixed doubles.

'' They keep me young. I love what I do.

in their respective sports: baseball coach Neil Hol liman, women's basketball coach Crandal Porter and football coach Ken Karcher. "It makes it more spe cial knowing that the other coaches are making the decision," said Porter, who led the Lady Warriors to a 24-3 record and an MAC]C championship. "They actu ally know what's going on and know how hard of a job it is. It kind of validates it a little more when the other coaches select you. My players deserve a lot of credit, as well as my relatives and family and the administration at East Central." Holliman Jed the War riors to a 38-17 record, an MACJC state champion-

Karcher oversaw a War riors team that finished 8-3 - ECCC's best season in football inn 16 years - and a top-10 finish in the NJCAA Top 20 Football Poll. The Warriors won the C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl 35-21 over Kil gore College. He could not be reached for comment. •Meridian Commu nity College tennis coach Wanda McPhail was named both the 30-year service award recipient and the community college men's and women's tennis coach of the year. "It's humbling; it means a lot to me," McPhail said. "It's always a joy to get one (award), but to get two makes you feel really humble and special. I have

a lot of good players to thank for it, and my peers as well (for voting for me)." McPhail just finished her 30th year ofcoaching this past spring, in which both the men's and the women's tennis teams won the MACJC and Region 23 championships, with both finishing in the top 17 nationally. She said she's already looking forward to year 31. "It's just being able to hopefully have an impact on the young people you work with (that keeps me coaching)," McPhail said. "I love to watch them grow - and mature and turn into people who will give back - to society. We have a lot of t fun, too, and they keep me - young. I love what I do."

- Wanda McPhail ,,

ship and a runner-up finish in NJCAA Region 23 Tournament. He said the individual accolades are a reflection of bis players' and coaches' hard work and what resulted from that. "It's more an award for what your team did and what they accomplished," Holliman said.