By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

A trio of prep head baseball coaches in the “Southern Six” have stepped down recently.

Including the longest-tenured mentor in the area.

Sources close to the situation indicated to SouthMiss6 Sports that veteran Hancock High head coach Anthony DeWitt has left the Hawk program after 18 seasons. No details were available at the time this story was published.

A message to Hancock Athletics Director Jamie Sisco was not returned.

DeWitt took over as head coach at Hancock in the 2008 season. The open position was listed on the open jobs section on the MHSAA website late Wednesday.

Hancock finished this season at 12-14 overall, and in fifth place in Region 4-6A, and did not qualify for the state playoffs. The Hawks lost their final four regular season games, including the last three to defending Class 6A state champion George County, to drop out of state playoff contention.

DeWitt was elevated from his assistant spot in 2008 to take over for Andy Perniciaro. He went on to guide the Hawks to almost 190 wins since then, but Hancock hasn’t had a winning record since 2015.

In addition to DeWitt, yet another Hancock County head baseball coach has stepped down as well at St. Stanislaus as Brad Corley has retired to go into the private business sector.

Corley just concluded a five-season tenure leading the Rock-A-Chaws.

He posted a 99-57 overall record, including a 33-13 mark in region action. He guided SSC to the Class 3A state championship series in 2013 before the Rocks fell to Amory.

He succeeded longtime coach Mark Logan, who led the program for 17 years. Corley joined the Saint Stanislaus staff in 2015 as an assistant.

“Saint Stanislaus community is grateful for Coach Corley’s leadership and commitment during his chapter with the Rock-A-Chaws, both on the field and in the classroom, and wishes him continued success in all his future pursuits.” the school said in announcement on social media.

All three prep head baseball coaches in Hancock County, including B.J. Coor at Bay High, have left their posts since the beginning of the season.

In addition, Stone head coach Sean Miller recently resigned his post with the Tomcats after seven seasons in charge on the diamond in Wiggins.

He came to Stone to begin the 2018 season after serving as an assistant coach at Ocean Springs.

Miller led the Tomcats to a 95-84 record during his tenure, including his best season at Stone in 2021 when his squad went 25-8 and fell to perennial state power Sumrall in the Class 4A South State finals.

He is headed to Biloxi to be an assistant coach with the Indians.

“Stone will always hold a special place in my heart,” Miller said. “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have served as head coach of the Stone baseball program. Over the past eight years, the experience has helped me grow both as a coach and as a person. I’ve had the privilege of working alongside outstanding coaches and dedicated administrators, and I will always value the relationships and memories we built together.”