By By Matthew Nascone
Another Escambia County High School coach has joined head boys' basketball coach Jerome Antone on the bus out of Atmore.
Head baseball coach Keith Nall said he will not be returning to coach the Blue Devils in the fall. He will be a coach at Pollard-McCall Jr. High School in Brewton.
"Keith applied for the vacant P.E. and coach position when the position came open due to the retirement of Bob Zahn," Escambia County Superintendent Billy Hines said. "So we are at least keeping Keith in the county."
ECHS athletic director Kyle Davis had only good things to say about Nall.
"Coach Nall has been the baseball coach here for a long time and it is sad to see him go," Davis said. "He has been a top assistant offensive coach for me in my two years here. He has always been a good presence in the press box on Fridays."
Antone announced he was leaving the Blue Devils April 17 at the annual banquet for the boys' and girls' basketball teams. He said he was considering two offers at the time. At that banquet he had a few words for the athletes and their parents.
"It has been a great run," Antone said. "The good times have definitely outweighed the bad times."
And Antone said the past two years have been irreplaceable in his heart.
"In my first year here we went 24-5 and were ranked No. 3 in the state at one time," he said. "And we had five guys get scholarships. And that is the No. 1 thing because everything I have done here I have done so that these kids move on and go to college."
And he had one final word for the parents.
"Thank you for letting me coach your boys," Antone said. "I enjoyed coaching them and I enjoyed you on the sidelines."
The search for a new boys' basketball coach and baseball coach will begin soon, Davis said.