New Brookhaven Academy head baseball coach Casey Edwards wasintroduced Friday morning, meeting with players and staff at theschool following the resignation of former BA head coach StephenCooksey who has taken the head baseball coaching job at Oak ForestAcademy in Amite, La.

Edwards, a Franklin County native, comes to BA after servingfour years as an assistant baseball coach at Clinton. He inherits atalented team and one of the best baseball facilities in thestate.

“I’m excited about the opportunity,” said Edwards. “It’s a greatschool and a good program. I’m just ready to get started.”

Cooksey leaves BA after serving six years as head baseballcoach. The Cougars reached the playoffs five of his six seasons,and went a combined 75-27 the last four seasons. BA went 12-10 thisseason before being eliminated by Copiah Academy in the firstround.

“Its an opportunity for me to move up a level from AA to AAA inAcademy ball,” said Cooksey about his transition from BA to OakForest. “It’s been a memorable time here at BA. I know the schoolis getting a good coach in Edwards and that assistant coach RobertYoung will stand by him and continue to help the team as well.”

Young will stay on as assistant baseball coach under Edwards. Heserved under Cooksey the last two seasons.

“It’s not going to be the same without coach Cooksey around,”said former BA standout Corey Dickerson, who is a freshmencenterfielder on the nationally ranked Meridian Community Collegeteam and a projected Top-15 round MLB draft prospect. “He’s helpedme a lot over the years and has always been there for me and theguys when we needed him. He’s a great coach.”

During his tenure at Brookhaven Academy, the Cougars had 7players sign baseball scholarships and have had several MajorLeague baseball players in and out of the facility to help speak toplayers and help with kids’ camps. Last year the N.Y. Mets held apre-draft workout at the facility.

Senior catcher Kolby Byrd signed with Mississippi State inNovember to headline a class of signees over the last six yearsthat have played under Cooksey.

“We’ve had some really good ones throughout the years here,”added Cooksey. “I really would like to thank the people that havehelped me along the way and my players too. They have always playedhard for me.”

Edwards, a 1995 Franklin High graduate played baseball at Co-Linand Mississippi College. He has coached at Gulfport and Clinton thelast five seasons.

“The facilities here are great and I’m getting to know a lot ofpeople I didn’t know before,” said Edwards. “I just can’t wait toget started.”

Brookhaven Academy interim headmaster Herbert Davis also thinksEdwards will keep the Cougars baseball program moving in the rightdirection.

“We are happy to have him (Edwards),” adds Davis. “He brings alot of enthusiasm. He could be a 5A head coach anywhere and knowswhat it takes to be a champion.”

The Cougars have lost to the defending state champion three oftheir last five years in the playoffs. BA finished South Staterunner-up in 2006.

“It was a good run,” said Cooksey. “I worked hard to build thefacility and we made the effort to really make this place one ofthe top programs in the state.”