Great Bridge turns to son of local coaching legend

The search to replace one veteran high school baseball coach is over, while another is just beginning.

Sean Townsend has been hired as Great Bridge's new coach, replacing Wiley Lee, who he led the Wildcats to 11 Southeastern District titles and two Group AAA state championships in 14 seasons.

Townsend's father, Marvin "Towny" Townsend, was a revered local AAU and high school coach who died in 2007 after a battle with cancer.

Meanwhile, Landstown's Mike Mungin resigned this week after accepting a promotion with Virginia Beach Schools. Mungin has coached the Eagles since the school opened in 2001.

At Great Bridge in Chesapeake, Townsend, 29, takes over a program that won its latest state crown last month. Townsend, a former third baseman and pitcher at Great Bridge and Mary Washington, has been the Wildcats' junior varsity coach since 2003.

Great Bridge's JV squad was 50-4 for the past three seasons.

"I'm grateful to have coached under coach Lee," Townsend said. "Without him, I'm not sure I'd be getting this opportunity."

Lee, a former standout at Old Dominion, guided the Wildcats to four Eastern Region championships and to state titles in 2003 and this past season. He resigned to pursue other coaching opportunities.

Townsend, an algebra teacher at Great Bridge, played for both his father and for Lee.

"My dad always told me if you surround yourself with good kids, welcome them into your family and show them you care, the winning part would take care of itself," Townsend said. "Coach Lee did it that way as well."

At Landstown, Mungin accepted a year-round position with Virginia Beach Schools as a transportation area supervisor, meaning he no longer will coach or teach.

Mungin, 46, will get to spend more time watching his son Evan play.

"He's 11, and baseball at Landstown has been my whole life for 10 years," said Mungin, who previously coached at Green Run. "Now I can put a lot of time into watching him grow up. I want to be with him when he's playing baseball."

Jami Frankenberry, (757) 446-2376, jami.frankenberry@pilotonline.com