With just four seniors on the roster for first year Brookhaven Academy head coach Randy Spring, the team knew it would need to rely on senior Avery Griffin, a Copiah-Lincoln CC signee who played infield and pitched for the Cougars (16-16).

Playing in a MAIS District 3-5A that was loaded with talent, Griffin led BA with 41 hits in 2024. For his outstanding work at the plate, Griffin has been named The Daily Leader All-Area Offensive Player of the Year.

Griffin finished the season with a team-high .436 batting average. He drove in a team high 34 runs while splitting time between shortstop and the pitcher’s mound. Griffin scored 38 runs himself while hitting seven doubles and five triples. His 13 strikeouts at the plate were the fewest among the starters at BA and he had 12 games with two or more hits.

On the mound, Griffin was second on the team with 35.2 innings thrown. He led the pitching staff in strikeouts with 62.

His older brother Judson was the All-Area MVP last year and played as a freshman in 2024 at Co-Lin.

Judson was the unquestioned leader of BA baseball in 2023 and with his departure, his little brother took stepping into that role with seriousness. Griffin, Matt Newman, Samuel Evans and Sam Stevens made up the four seniors on the roster this season for Spring and his staff.

When you talk with Spring or Co-Lin coach Adam Chamblee about Griffin, they see a guy who’s worked very hard to improve over his career and who still has his best baseball ahead of him if his hard work continues.

Griffin was his best when the Cougars needed him the most in an MAIS 5A first round matchup with the Cathedral Green Wave. Cathedral was already a 20-win ball club and had won their district, while BA battled until the final week to lock up the fourth seed in their district.

Batting leadoff, Griffin had two hits and two RBIs in a 13-3 win for the Cougars to start the three-game series. Cathedral bounced back later in the week to beat BA 10-0, a game Griffin pitched and lost for the Cougars.

That set up a winner-take all matchup immediately after game two to decide the series.

Griffin made sure his team lived to play another day, as he hit a triple, a double, and a single while driving in two runs in an eventual 11-0 win for BA.

Like his older brother Judson, Avery was a varsity call-up for former BA coaches Tyler Parvin and Caleb Upton when he was still of junior high age.

You would  be hard pressed to find two brothers who have played more combined varsity innings for BA baseball in program history than Judson and Avery Griffin.