Trojans welcome McMullen

By By Austin Bishop/EMG regional sports director
June 19, 2004
Monty McMullen is coming home.
The 1994 graduate of Lamar School was named the new head baseball coach at Northeast Lauderdale High School on Thursday night.
McMullen spent last season as an assistant coach at Florence High School after being head coach at Raymond High School the previous two seasons.
McMullen replaces Steve Nelson, who led the Trojans deep into the MHSAA Class 4A playoffs in his one season as head coach.
McMullen will not be the only new head coach at Northeast this season. Earlier this summer, Frederick Liddell was hired to take over for longtime girls head basketball coach Dan Stegall.
Liddell served as an assistant boys coach to Ronnie Boles at Clarkdale High School last season, and also coached track and junior high football. He coached two years at Clarkdale and before that the Belzoni native spent one season at Humphrey County High School.
McMullen, 28, had a 28-17 record in his two years at Class 4A Raymond High School, including a 19-5 mark in his first season at the Hinds County School.
McMullen said he is familiar with the returning players at Northeast Lauderdale.
McMullen said he had no problem taking over a program a year after it has had some success.
Liddell said he enjoyed watching the Lady Trojans placed year.
He said the team played well at the MCC/Rush Classic last week and looks for another strong performance in the State Games of Mississippi next week.