Blackman baseball coach Justin Entrekin resigns
Cecil JoyceJust two weeks after leading his squad to the Class AAA state baseball tournament, Blackman baseball coach Justin Entrekin has resigned.
Entrekin informed players during a meeting Wednesday morning.
"It was just time to take a new direction," Entrekin told The Daily News Journal.
Entrekin guided the Blaze to a 29-12 record and a trip to the state tournament this past season, where the Blaze won a game before being eliminated.
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Blackman principal Leisa Justus said it will be tough to replace Entrekin but the search will begin immediately for a new head coach.
"I know we will find someone...we have great assistant coaches on staff that have done a lot," Justus said. "They're here today, already working. The kids are in good hands."
Assistant coach Barry Vetter, who previously was a head coach at Smyrna, will be in charge of the daily operations of the team while the search for a new head coach ensues.
Justus and Blackman athletic director Scott Lawless both said Entrekin's resignation was voluntary.
"He did come in and resign...I'm not sure what his specific reasoning was," said Lawless. "He met with the team this morning. We met with assistant coaches to try to keep continuity moving forward. We'll look and see who we can find.
"He voluntarily resigned his post. We appreciate everything he's done."
Both Entrekin and Lawless confirmed that Entrekin, for now, will continue to stay on as a personal finance teacher.
Blackman won the District 7-AAA regular-season title and captured the Region 4-AAA crown before advancing to the state. It was the team's first state tournament appearance since 2009.
Entrekin took over the Blaze program in 2013. He went 103-76 in five seasons on the field, although the 2015 squad was forced to forfeit all 16 of its victories after using an ineligible player who had not submitted to a physical.
Reach Cecil Joyce at cjoyce@dnj.com or 615-278-5168 and on Twitter @Cecil_Joyce.