By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

GULFPORT — After 14 seasons, including two trips to the Class 6A state finals in the past seven years, veteran Gulfport head coach Jamie McMahon is stepping down.

McMahon, the Admirals head coach since the 2011 season, announced his decision on Monday.

“It’s been on my mind to do it,” McMahon said, in an exclusive interview with SouthMiss6 Sports. “The administration has me set up for long term here to allow me to retire in December and stay at the school.”

McMahon led Gulfport to numerous Class 6A South State playoff berths during his time and to the second round of the first-ever Class 7A South State playoffs this past year.

His 2017 squad went 33-6 overall, including starting the season off 31-3. That team tangled with Tupelo in the Class 6A state finals before falling in three games to the Golden Wave.

Last year, in 2023,, in the final one for the Admirals in Class 6A before moving up due to expansion, McMahon led Gulfport back to the title tilt before falling to Saltillo.

“It’s been a great 14 years here,” McMahon added. “I told them when I took it I would probably retire here and I was able to do that. I think we were able to give the program some stability.”

McMahon arrived in Gulfport after one season. as an assistant coach on the collegiate level at Nicholls State.

He went to Thibodaux, La., from Pearl River Community College after a five season stint at the helm of the Wildcats. He went 154-109 in those five seasons at PRCC.

McMahon is a 1993 graduate of Oak Grove High.He played junior college ball at Meridian Community College under future Southern Miss head coaches Corky Palmer and Scott Berry. The then transferred to William Carey and played two more seasons under legendary Crusaders head coach Bobby Halford.

He sent on to serve as a student assistant under Halford, before spending two campaigns as an assistant back at Meridian CC. He spent the 2001 season as an assistant at Mount San Antonio College in. Walnut, Cal., before returning to South Mississippi as an assistant at PRCC under Jim Nightengale and then he served five seasons as an assistant under PRCC head coach Jay Artigues.

McMahon assumed control of the Wildcat program in 2006 when Artigues moved on to Hammond, La., to become the head coach at Southeastern Louisiana University.

And now, after 14 seasons at head coach at Gulfport, his journey has come to an end at least for now.

“ I Coached a lot good players through those years here at Gulfport,” McMahon concluded. “.No plans to get back into coaching right now. I’m gonna enjoy more time with my kids.”

Vancleave’s Justin Edwards is replacing McMahon.