Flashes finalize hoops staff with Majors|[8/29/06]

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, August 29, 2006

CLINTON – For the third time in the past six years, Clinton’s Penn Majors steps into a boys varsity basketball position.

St. Aloysius can only hope that Majors can bring the same type of success he enjoyed in 2003 when he led Hillcrest Christian to the MPSA Overall state championship.

Majors was hired to coach at St. Al on Monday.

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&#8220I’ve become the guy people call when they need a coach really bad,” said Majors, who operates Arrow Printing in Clinton.

Majors started after college as a teacher/coach, landing the head boys varsity job at Clinton High School in 1973. He coached the Arrows for four years, having winning seasons in his final two years, including a squad that was state ranked.

In 1977, he got out of both coaching and teaching to start Arrow Printing.

&#8220I have a pretty flexible schedule and I’ve been wanting to start coaching again. In the mid-80s I was an assistant under Bob Garrison at Hinds (Community College) for two years.

&#8220Bob was an expert coach and I learned a lot from him. A lot of things I’ve done at East Rankin and Hillcrest came from him,” Majors said.

In 1999, Majors filled an emergency vacancy at East Rankin Academy in Pelahatchie. He led the Patriots to a 29-7 record and a third-place finish in the Academy-AA state tournament. Then in the Overall, East Rankin upset Jackson Prep in the first round.

Three years later, Majors was leading Hillcrest Christian to success. The Cougars went 28-9 and won the Overall MPSA title.

&#8220We beat Jackson Prep in the final in front of 3,000 fans at Mississippi College. A great moment, especially since we had lost to them in the AAA final the week before,” Majors said.

Majors stepped away from Hillcrest after that season and spent the next year coaching the boys at Clinton Junior High.

The St. Aloysius job will be the first time he’s coached in Vicksburg and in the Mississippi High School Activities Association since 1978.

&#8220It seems to be a pretty good situation,” he said of St. Al.

The Flashes were 21-7 last season, winning the District 7-1A title under coach Drew McBrayer, who left for an assistant’s position at his alma mater at New Hope.

The Flashes return four starters including All-Warren County center Chase Smith, who averaged 18 points a game last season. Forward J.R. Burnett and guards Chip Donald and Marsh Willis also return.

&#8220I don’t know anything about the school or their personnel other than when I met Jim (Taylor) and Michelle (Townsend) last week. I guess I’ll find out on Oct. 2,” Majors said of the date when MHSAA schools can officially start practice.

Majors said he’ll bring the same type of philosophy that worked so well at East Rankin and Hillcrest.

&#8220I prefer to pressure the other team, but since I haven’t seen this team, I do try to coach to my personnel,” he said.