A couple of big changes came to the athletic department on Central Parkway in Southaven on Wednesday, with the departure of DeSoto Central’s athletic director and head baseball coach.
The first big announcement came from Magnolia Heights School that athletic director Jake Long would become the school’s new athletic director.
We are excited to announce Jake Long as our new Athletic Director. Long comes to MHS with many years experience as a coach and athletic administrator. We look forward to the future of MHS Athletics! pic.twitter.com/M32Kh2WSsN
Boys’ basketball coach Bubba Skelton will now concentrate solely on coaching, as he was also serving as athletic director, which Head of School Cliff Johnston confirmed to DeSoto County News Wednesday evening.
Long had been at DeSoto Central since July 2020 and came there from Mississippi State University, where he was Athletic Academic Counselor for a few months after serving in a similar position at Northwest Mississippi Community College. Long had also been a volunteer assistant baseball coach at Mercer University and was assistant baseball coach and recruiting coordinator at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
The second news of the day came later Wednesday, when DeSoto Central announced that long-time baseball coach Mark Monghan was leaving the school.
At DeSoto Central, Monaghan coached baseball for 11 years and won three MHSAA 6A state championships. Among the many college and professional players who went through his program is Austin Riley, third-baseman for the World Champion Atlanta Braves.
No word as yet from DeSoto Central on who will be the next athletic director and baseball coach for the Jaguars.
