NATCHEZ — Cathedral head coach Craig Beesley earned his second straight All-Metro Coach of the Year Award for taking a Green Wave squad that started six freshmen and sophomores to the state championship game.

After winning the South State title against Stringer High School and falling to Smithville High School 6-1 and 6-2 to lose the state championship earlier this month, one of the youngest teams in the state produced a 23-8 season.

Looking back, Beesley had his share of doubts, and he certainly didn’t predict his second state championship appearance as Cathedral head coach in the early goings.

In the first district game of the season in March, the Green Wave struggled against Pelahatchie, and despite coming back to win 9-5, Beesley began to fear the outcome of district play.

“I knew our district was tough this season,” Beesley said. “St. Aloysius was tough, and we had probably one of the toughest pitchers in our district in Brock Roberts from Bogue Chitto in there, as well. At that point and time, I wasn’t sure how good we could be.”

Beesley was unsure because this Cathedral club was unlike teams Beesley’s grown accustomed to coaching. Past clubs featured quality veteran hitters that allowed the Green Wave to sit back and await one big inning eruption with multiple scores. Beesley changed his tactics this season by playing small ball.

“We were deep on the mound. I had four players I trusted going out there,” Beesley said. “We were more of a line drive; stealing bases and bunt ‘em around team throughout the season.”

Beesley gave credit to assistant coach Brett Hinson for developing the pitching staff, which became the cornerstone for the team.

“Coach Hinson did a great job for us this year,” Beesley said. “He had complete control of the pitchers.”

Cathedral picked up momentum in the middle of the season, but ran into a brick wall in the form of St. Aloysius in April, who handed Cathedral an 8-1 beatdown at home with the district championship on the line. Beesley met his team in the outfield, preaching and scolding his team that showed a lack of excitement to play. Everything changed after that.

“Ever since that game, we played with a lot more chemistry and leadership,” Beesley said. “Usually it’s a win that turns a season around, but I feel that night, after that loss, we turned everything around.”

The Green Wave steamrolled its early postseason opponents, winning the first four games 10-0.

In the following series against French Camp Academy, freshman Craig Bradley captured what Beesley called one of the best moments of the season with a walkoff single to give Cathedral a 3-2 victory and south state championship berth.

It took Cathedral three games to close the book on Stringer’s impressive postseason run, which involved knocking off St. Aloysius in the playoffs.

The third game of the South State Championship Series was the epitome of a nail biter.

Bradley was the hero once again with a sixth inning RBI single and Thomas Garrity’s second straight shutout propelled the Green Wave to the state championship, where Cathedral would fall to Smithville High School 6-1 and 6-2 to lose the series.

“We went through an eight-day span where we played four games that were decided by two runs or left,” Beesley said. “I think if we had a few more days of rest in between State and South State, we would’ve put on a better showing.”

Despite boasting a young Green Wave lineup, the 2014 baseball season brought Beesley some of the most fun he’s had in his 11 years of coaching the Green Wave.

Beesley credited Cathedral’s youth for that sentiment, proudly reminiscing about how easy it was to keep his team’s attention and focus.

“It’s actually fun, because you know they’re learning the whole time,” Beesley said. “Next year it could be a little harder to get them to focus, but there’s no way the exposure they got in the last month and a half won’t benefit them.”