GCHS will bid farewell to Ainsworth and McCann prior to Friday scrimmage

By RUSSELL TURNER
Herald Editor
Greene County football fans and supporters will have the unique opportunity this Friday night to bid farewell to two longtime coaches, while welcoming the Wildcats’ new coaching staff.
GCHS will hold a spring intrasquad scrimmage at Leakesville Jr. High School, beginning at 5 p.m. on March 5. It will be the first chance for Wildcat fans to get a glimpse of what the future holds for Wildcat football under new coach Mike King. Prior to the scrimmage, GCHS will host a farewell to longtime head coach Johnny Ainsworth and assistant coach Fred McCann.
All former players and students are encouraged to attend and congratulate Coach Ainsworth on his retirement and wish Coach McCann luck in his future endeavors.  The sendoff festivities will begin at 4:45 p.m. with a presentation to the coaches.  The presentation will follow with the passing of the torch to Coach King in the spring scrimmage.
“Bring your lawn chairs and come help us celebrate these men who have made a lasting impact on Greene County,” a GCHS spokesperson said.
Ainsworth announced his retirement earlier this spring. He spent 36 years in coaching, with 23 as a head coach. He led the GCHS program for 20 seasons and compiled a 145-95 record at the school. He led the team to a state championship in 2003 and a return trip to Jackson as the South State Champions in 2013.
King, who was named as Ainsworth’s successor in mid-march, served as the Wildcats’ offensive coordinator for four seasons under Ainsworth (2010-2013). He held the same position at his alma mater George County through this past fall and accepted the Greene County job over a chance to take a high-profile position at Denham Springs (La.) High School under former St. Stanislaus coach Bill Conides.
King said Monday he was very pleased with the progress his new team has made thus far this spring.
“For us, this spring is about evaluating each player in various positions and determining where they can best help the team,” King said. “We’ve made good strides with the installation of the new offensive and defensive schemes. But, most importantly, I have been pleased with the eagerness the players have shown to learn and to get to work on a daily basis.”
King said he was excited about the remainder of spring practice and looking forward to an energetic summer, leading into fall practice in August.