GALLMAN – In two years at Copiah Academy, Colonel head baseballcoach Scooter Prince has watched his team grow and improve. Thisseason, Copiah went all the way to the MPSA State AA BaseballChampionship Playoffs.

For his accomplishments, Prince has been named the 2009 DAILYLEADER All-Area Baseball Coach of the Year.

Prince’s Colonels lost to Clarksdale-Lee in the best-of-threeseries for the State AA Championship, after winning the first game15-0.

“It’s been a great season,” said Prince. “It’s great to berecognized by your peers. But the guys (players) made it possible.I’d like to thank my family and my wife. A lot of people havehelped me achieve this award.”

The Colonels finished the season with a 29-5 record. They lost2-0 and 6-5 to Lee in the finals.

“It was an unbelievable season,” said Prince. “We had a bunch ofguys grow up and become men instead of boys. Our team was like afamily. They acted like brothers.”

In the State Finals, Prince said the lopsided win in the firstgame was not beneficial to his Colonels.

“That was the worst thing that could have happened,” statedPrince. “We got overconfident the last two games. Clarksdale-Leedid the things you have to do to win.”

Prince said the most memorable game or games of the season wereagainst four-time defending AA state champ Central Private ofBaker, La., in the South State finals.

“We competed against this kind of talent with just threepitchers,” said Prince. “They hadn’t lost a playoff game in thelast four years. We handed them their first loss in four seasons.We shut them out and held them to a 1-hitter.”

Prince said his Colonel team proved they were good enough to bethere and could have won the state title.

“We’re going to try to keep it (level) up there,” added Prince.”This is something to look forward to.”

Prince loses only pitcher Scotty Reese to graduation. Reese isthe Most Valuable Defensive Player on the DL’s 2009 All-AreaTeam.

Returning starters for the 2010 campaign include catcher HunterRenfroe, pitcher/infielder Ben Boone, outfielder Bryce Guess,pitcher/ outfielder Russ Singleton, third baseman/pitcher TrevorBlocker, second baseman/pitcher Mitch Little, outfielder JeremyNewman, first baseman B.J. Newman.

Prince grew up in Brandon and is a graduate of UniversityChristian Academy. At UCA, he played wide receiver in football,shortstop in baseball and ran the 800-meter dash and mile intrack.

For the next 13 years, Prince worked as a policeman for MadisonCounty. He went through Harrison County Law Enforcement Academy

Then, he was looking for a change in his lifestyle.

“Baseball has always been a part of my life,” explained Princewho began playing youth league baseball and was coached by hisstep-father Don Douglas. “He began coaching me at a young age.”

In high school, the UCA baseball coach, Sam Pearson, was a biginfluence on Prince. “He showed me the work ethic.”

Prince attended Jackson State University and graduated in 2005with a major in health and a minor in biology.

His first coaching job was as an assistant at Jackson Wingfield.In 2006, he was head coach at McAdams. Prince took over the Copiahhead job in 2007.

Prince shared his success this year with his assistant coachTerry Bauer.

“Terry works with the pitchers,” stated Prince. “I work with thedefense. He is my right hand man.”

Prince, who commutes from Pearl, teaches biology. He and hiswife Alisha have 3 children, Dustin, 16, Zack, 12 and Jade, 8.