A familiar name is coming “home” to coach the Kosciusko High School girls’ basketball team.
Attala County native and McAdams graduate Cory Guyton, who spent the previous year coaching at nearby Choctaw County High School, has been named the new head coach for the Kosciusko girls.
Guyton said he is excited about the opportunity to advance his career in his home county.
“I thought (Kosciusko) had a good nucleus of players last year and I’m excited about the youth that is coming in,” Guyton said. “They’re very quick. They won the divisional track championship, so they’re fast.
“They’ve got a little bit of experience, too, and I’m just excited about the opportunity. It’s home and when there’s a chance for you to be at home and do what you love … it’s a chance I just couldn’t pass up.”
Guyton, a 1991 McAdams graduate, spent the previous four seasons at his alma mater and said he has been around Attala County the bulk of his life.
“It’ll be intriguing to coach some of the players I already know and build those relationships in the community, as well,” he said. “We want to try to bring a championship home to Kosciusko.”
Last year, the Lady Whippets went just 5-22, but did finish fourth in the Region 4-4A Tournament to earn a berth in the state playoffs. Kosy girls were beaten by eventual Class 4A state runnerup Byhalia in the first round of the postseason.
Meanwhile, Guyton’s team at Choctaw County made it all the way to the MHSAA Class 3A State Tournament and finished with a 23-11 record – losing to Jefferson Davis County in the state quarterfinals.
“They had gone 10-17 the previous year and we were 23-11 this past season,” Guyton said. “We won the division tournament and made the first appearance in the state tournament for the school since consolidation, so that was a great accomplishment. That was a big turnaround for the program.”
Choctaw County consolidated six years ago.
Prior to his one-year stint as the head coach of the Lady Chargers, Guyton was an assistant coach for the girls’ and boys’ teams at McAdams for four seasons. The Lady Bulldogs advanced to the Class 1A State Tournament each of those four years, and the Bulldogs also made it to the 1A boys state tourney once.
Guyton was also the junior high coach while he was at McAdams, compiling a 43-15 record with those teams during his four years.
“I’ve been around a good while and I’m already familiar with the program,” Guyton said. “I’m looking forward to getting started.”
