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Doherty awarded Melrose baseball position

Melrose promoted from within Monday, giving Jim Doherty coaching duties for the Buffalo baseball squad.

Doherty, who came to Melrose from Des Moines last year, finished his first season as boys basketball coach.

"Coach Doherty is an outstanding coach and has a background in baseball and basketball," Melrose Schools Superintendent Jamie Widner said. "He played high school baseball and college basketball and he has been a coach for many years. I think we are very fortunate at Melrose to have such a high quality coach willing to add to his duties in taking over the baseball program."

Doherty takes over a Melrose squad coming off back-to-back winning seasons, which happen to be the programs only two winning seasons.

Doherty replaces Drooper Greenwalt, who had coached the team on a contract basis for five seasons.

The Buffaloes went 16-8 this spring, losing to District 3-1A rival Floyd 7-4 in the state semifinals. The team was young with a number of eighth-graders getting regular playing time.

Greenwalt said he was asked to resign the position May 18. Widner didn't give specifics on the situation, and said the school chose to go in a different direction.