This Summer has been one of rapid movement for local prep basketball coaches.

When school starts locally this week, of the eight prep head coaching positions in this coverage area six will be filled by new coaches.

The latest moves came this week, when Pearl River Central boy’s coach Austin Alexander left to take over as the head boy’s coach at Oak Grove High.

Alexander had been at the helm of the Blue Devils the past four seasons, and never led PRC to the state playoffs.

He replaces Jay Ladner at Oak Grove, who took over as the head men’s coach at Jones Junior College. Ronnie Bowens will replace Alexander at PRC. Bowens has been the head boy’s coach at Ocean Springs the past two seasons.

The Lady Devils of PRC will also have a new head coach this season. Danielle Wittman, who was an assistant coach at West Harrison, takes over for Kevin Harris who resigned just after the season was over. Also, Picayune High will have two new head coaches as well.

Scott Stevens replaces Jason Kennedy at the helm of the Maroon Tide. Stevens was an assistant coach at Madison Central High School before heading south, where he replaces Jason Kennedy who was asked to resign after this past season or else his contract would not be renewed by the Picayune School Board.

Also, former Lady Tide head coach Dennis Peterson is coming out of retirement for another shot as the Picayune girls head coach. Peterson replaces Lacey Kennedy, who left Picayune to become the new head coach at Pearl High School.

In Poplarville, Chareck Cable replaces Bill Porter at the helm of the boy’s team. Porter left to return to his home state of Alabama last month. Cable was most recently the head coach at Warren Central High School.

At Hancock High, Charles Moore will take over as head coach of the boy’s team. Moore comes to the Kiln from Franklin County High, where he was the head girls coach for the past several seasons.

These moves leave just two girls head coaches, Poplarville’s Nicki Smith and Hancock’s Pam Slayton, still in their posts from last season.