A familiar face will be leading the Sumner High baseball team this spring.

Former coach Casey Adcox has been hired to replace John Welker, who recently resigned and moved out of state.

Adcox was the Spartans’ coach from 2003-05.

Prior to taking over at Sumner, Adcox played three seasons for Central Washington University and spent time as an assistant coach at a variety of high schools and Green River Community College.

During his first stint with the Spartans, he posted a 32-31 win-loss record.

Adcox stepped away from coaching to start a family. With his children now 6 and almost 2, he’s ready to return to the field. In the interim, he’s been working with Baseball Northwest, a local showcase organization for high school players and with the Northwest Timberjacks select program.

“I’ve really missed being involved with my school and baseball,” said Adcox, who came to Sumner from Thomas Jefferson to teach and coach. “I had a strong vision for this program when I came here, and would like to complete that vision.”

He said Welker, who is a friend through the Timberjacks, did a fantastic job keeping the program running with a high level of success.

Under Welker this spring, the Spartans made an appearance in the Class 3A state tournament.

“My main goal is to make a very positive experience for kids through hard work and team building functions,” Adcox said. “On the field, we expect to be successful. Our goals are very high. The baseball team made the state tournament in 3A last year with the majority of those players returning, especially with pitching. Our nonleague schedule is full of 3A and 4A competition, Enumclaw, Peninsula, Selah, Wenatchee, Bonney Lake. I think that will be good preparation for us going into league.”

This fall, Adcox coached the Sumner High boys golf team to its first league title since 1976 and will take two golfers, with the potential to take two more, to the Class 2A state match in the spring.

Adcox is getting the ball rolling by hosting a Sumner baseball community meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Sumner High band room.