Milton High baseball coach Brendan Morrissey steps down to take Milton Academy job

If the Milton High baseball team three-peats as state champions this spring, the Wildcats will do it under new leadership.

Brendan Morrissey, who led Milton to back-to-back Division 2 crowns in 2022 and 2023, has stepped down to take the head-coaching job at nearby Milton Academy. He'll take over the Mustangs' program from Matt Petherick, who had guided the Independent School League squad for 15 seasons.

Morrissey's switch was first reported on X, formerly known as Twitter, by Matt Feld, of the Boston Herald and the New England Baseball Journal.

"I love the kids at Milton High, I love the program," Morrissey said Friday afternoon. "We've done special things. This was just an opportunity for me and my family that I couldn't pass on."

Morrissey, 34, called it a "very difficult (decision), for sure" to leave his alma mater. He graduated from Milton High in 2007.

"It's really just a different opportunity, right?" he said of switching to the ISL. "It's prep school baseball. They're vastly different high school programs. The ability to recruit was intriguing to me as a coach for kind of the next step in my professional growth."

Morrissey said his own playing career with the Wildcats was enjoyable but came without the postseason glory he found as a coach. Before taking the Milton High job he had previously served as an assistant at Catholic Memorial and had guided various club and American Legion teams.

"We were great," he said of his playing days. "We didn't win in the playoffs; that was part of the reason I wanted to come back and win (as a coach). We had really good records. We had an awesome coach in Ted Curley. I was not a good player. I was a better coach than a player. But (baseball) was something I always loved. I think we were 15-5, 16-4 my junior and senior season. We were good but just never got it done in the playoffs. That was something we always regretted."

There were no regrets when he returned to the dugout as coach. This would have been his seventh year guiding the Wildcats and he leaves on the highest of high notes.

Milton won the 2022 Div. 2 state title, capping off a 22-3 season by beating King Philip, 4-2, in the title game at Holy Cross. It was the first-ever state crown for the Wildcats, secured in their first trip to a final since 1974. It also eased the sting of losing in the Div. 2 South championship game in 2021.

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Despite losing co-aces Charlie Walker (Northeastern) and Brian Foley (UMass-Lowell) to graduation, Milton repeated as champs last spring. Back in Worcester for the final (this time at Polar Park), the Wildcats again denied King Philip (this time by a 6-2 score) with Owen McHugh dazzling on the mound to complete another 22-3 campaign.

The Wildcats were the first South Shore baseball team to go back-to-back since Braintree won consecutive Super 8 crowns in 2015 and 2016. Cohasset won in Division 4 in 2010 and 2011, and BC High did it in Division 1 in 2008 and 2009.

"The double champs, man! That's what it's all about," Morrissey told the media after the postgame celebration had died down. "It's an amazing accomplishment. Truly special. I can't really believe that we're here, but we are. Back-to-back champs. I'm so proud of the kids. Couldn't be happier for them."

"It was the best time of my life," Morrissey said Friday, looking back at the last two seasons. "It was awesome. The smiles on the kids' faces, the winning. A lot of awesome things happened and a lot of hard work (went into it). The kids were just terrific players. I have nothing but great memories. Being able to look back and smile about Milton High baseball for the rest of my life is something that I'm really happy about."

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Morrissey said he doesn't know if he's taking any Milton High assistants with him to Milton Academy. His MHS staff included legendary former BC High coach Norm Walsh, who served as a volunteer assistant the last two years after winning 622 games and three state titles over four decades with the Eagles.

Whoever follows in his footsteps with the Wildcats is set up for success, Morrissey said.

"I think it's an awesome job," he said. "I think the next coach is going to come into an unbelievable group of kids. (There's) a great culture, a winning culture, and kids who are just hungry to compete and win. It's going to be a great job, and I don't think they're going to have any trouble finding the right guy."

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Two-time champ leaves Milton High baseball job for Milton Academy