Sam Temple is a head baseball coach once again.

The coach who guided Warren Central to the 2001 Class 5A state championship, was hired on Friday to replace longtime Hinds coach Rick Clarke, who resigned after 22 years at the Raymond school.

I want to thank all the people in Warren County whop have supported me and have had an impact on my life,” Temple said. “Many people have supported me through the years and I think I have come full circle coming back to Hinds. It’s a very special place to me, as is Warren County.”

After leaving Warren Central after the state championship season, Temple spent a short time as the head coach at Clinton High before becoming an assistant coach at Mississippi College.

“We’re excited about Sam becoming our new baseball coach,” Hinds athletic director Gene Murphy said. “He has done an excellent job at every school where he has coached. … Sam certainly comes in to a solid situation that he can continue to build on.”

In Clarke’s 22 seasons, he tallied 565 wins, won four Region 23 championships and played in four junior college world series. The 1989 team was the first Mississippi team to play in the JUCO World Series.

The 1999 team finished fourth in the World Series.