Hernando coach honored by MAC
Desoto County just wasn’t going to be shut out when it came to representation on the Mississippi Association of Coaches’ list of 2019-20 Coaches of the Year.
Making sure of it was Hernando’s Logan Clark, who was named the Girls’ Cross Country Coach of the Year after guiding the Tigers to the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A state title.
“It’s definitely a proud moment,” said Clark, a 2006 Hernando High graduate. “It is pretty cool as well. This will be my seventh year coaching cross country in Desoto County, so I’m very fortunate to have this type of success this early in my career.”
After a stint at Southaven, Clark went and made an immediate impact with the Tigers. Hernando came in fourth place at state in his first year, before finishing state runner-up the following season.
“It’s been a good progression these last three years,” he said. “(Laura Brady) has been a fantastic assistant coach. She’s helped me kind of maneuver, been somebody to bounce ideas off of, talk to about workouts and where we want to go with the program.”
The Tigers were just itching to return to the championship site — Clinton’s Choctaw Trails — after losing the 2018 team title to Pearl by one point. Ocean Springs (67 points) was the closest competitor to Hernando (62) for the 2019 crown.
“Our program is very much founded on a family atmosphere and accountability for everybody,” Clark said. “We run together every morning. I think it’s a culture of everybody does their job. We don’t have any drama or distractions.”
Said Hernando principal Duane Case: “We are excited as a school and a district that one of our coaches is recognized as coach of the year. He works hard all summer with the athletes in preparing them. He runs with them and is a great role model for them.”
Success is also measured, according to Clark, by the fact that everybody encourages each other.
“We have everybody from Day 1 runners to competitors for the state championship,” he said. “I think that’s very important, especially for this type of sport, because we have a place for everybody out there.”
Youth is a definite strength for the Tigers, as they attempt to go back-to-back this fall.
“We are super fortunate. Three of our scoring seven were in middle school last year,” said Clark, 32. “And, three of our seven were freshmen and sophomores, with only one junior — so we’re fully loaded. They’re hungry for it.”
Bluff City accolades
Five members of the University of Memphis women’s tennis team have been chosen as Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar Athletes. Senior Josephine Cao, juniors Laura Bente and Lina Hohnhold and freshmen Aran Teixido Garcia and Monique Woog helped the Tigers post a 3.64 GPA for the 2019-20 academic year. … Recent Briarcrest graduate and soccer standout Sydney Ham was honored by Top Drawer Soccer as a secondteam All-american. She was also named to the Mid-east All-region Team and selected as a Tennessee State All-star along with Saints’ teammates Skylar Garner, Tara Lea, Allison Luckhardt and Sarah Strong. … Three members of the UT Martin men’s golf team with Memphis ties — Peyton Dix (Briarcrest), Ross Redmont (MUS) and Luke Smith (Covington) — helped the Skyhawks land a spot on the Golf Coaches Association of America’s Presidents Special Recognition list. … U of M senior kicker Riley Patterson booted his way onto the Lou Groza Award Watch List. The FBS active leader (351 career points) was a semifinalist for the award last season.
Summertime on the links
Braedyn Blake aced the 133-yard No. 9 using a 7-iron at The Links at Audubon.
Joe Edmondson aced the 142-yard No. 17 (West) using a driver at Windyke Country Club.
Marty Grusin aced the 173-yard No. 3 (East) using a 3-wood at Windyke Country Club.
Scott Mcswain aced the 98-yard No. 9 (Executive) using a gap wedge at Windyke Country Club.
Sunday Sports Brunch is a weekly look at movers, shakers and newsmakers on the Memphis sports scene, from youth level to the pros. If you have an item of interest, please contact Chris Van Tuyl at christopher.vantuyl@commercialappeal.com