Caledonia head coach Tony Seals has retired after nearly four decades of coaching between Mississippi and Alabama.

That left a big spot to fill for the Cavaliers, and on Friday, news broke that assistant head coach Jonathan Comer was named the new head coach for the program.

A Caledonia native and 2014 CHS graduate, coming back to the program as an assistant meant a lot, he said. To take over the reins of the program means that much more.

“I was extremely blessed and honored,” Comer said. “… When I got into the coaching profession four years ago, this was ultimately the goal for me.”

With Seals having been with the program for a few years, it continued a trend that Comer has seen since graduating of short coaching stints for the boys team.

His pitch and goal in becoming head coach was to be the long-term solution for the program, and at the age of 27, taking over for the Cavs, there’s plenty of coaching ahead for him.

“A big thing for them and for me was looking for someone who wanted to stay and build upon the tradition that we’ve had in the past,” Comer said. “You know that saying, it’s kind of cliché, but there’s no place like home. Caledonia is home and winning at home means more.”

Comer inherits a program that lost in the first round of the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 4A playoffs this past season to eventual state champions Yazoo City.

The Cavaliers made a run for it in the district tournament, but came up short at Itawamba Community College.

Returning a cast of players, next year’s team looks to be a senior-heavy squad, but it is one that will set the tone for Comer’s head coaching tenure at Caledonia.

“I’m returning eight incoming seniors,” Comer said. “The expectation for basketball at Caledonia is really high for next year. I expect us to compete for a district championship. That’s my goal for the upcoming year. That’s really big for us.”