Klages close to filling vacancies

By Andy Brown

Published: June 16, 2008

Eufaula High School Athletics Director Dan Klages is inching closer to filling the void left by the departure of former head softball coach Brent Easton.

“I should have some answers by midweek,” Klages said in an e-mail to The Tribune.

Easton resigned as head coach of the Eufaula program at the end of the school year to accept the same position at Class 6A Alma Bryant in Irvington, a city in the Mobile area.

During his three years at the helm of the Eufaula softball program, Easton led the Lady Tigers to a 71-43 mark including two area championships and three trips to the postseason while playing mostly underclassmen.

In 2006, Easton and the Lady Tigers posted a 28-17 record and advanced to the final eight of the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 5A state tournament. In 2007 the Lady Tigers were eliminated from the postseason in the second round of sub-state play by eventual state champion Gulf Shores.

Eufaula was bounced from the playoffs this season in the first round of sub-state play by St. Paul’s.

In 2006, Easton inherited a Eufaula program that was 7-18 the previous season.

Easton also served as the head coach for the freshman football team at Eufaula.

Klages must also replace longtime assistant football coach Pat Vinson.

Vinson – who spent eight years as an assistant coach at Eufaula, including four as defensive coordinator – left the Eufaula program to become defensive coordinator at Class 4A North Jackson in Stevenson.

Vinson was a standout quarterback at North Jackson from 1988-90.