Carey Ash is leaving the Cedar Rapids Jefferson boys basketball program after 22 years to become an assistant coach at Mount Vernon High School.

Ash, 48, spent two years as a freshman coach with the J-Hawks, 11 years as a sophomore coach and nine years as an assistant coach with the varsity, helping Jefferson make three trips to the state tournament along the way.

"I will miss the wonderful student-athletes at Jefferson and the relationships that I have formed over the years, friendships that I hope will last a lifetime," he said.

Ash said he needed a change "to recharge my batteries." He said he's joining a wonderful staff at Mount Vernon and looking forward to the challenge. The Mustangs and head coach Ed Timm won the Class 2A state title this year.

Ash works at Wilson school in southwest Cedar Rapids as the athletic director and a physical education teacher. His wife, Jean, is a teacher at Taft Middle School. Their daughter, Emily, is a junior at Jefferson and their son, Austin, is a seventh grader at Taft.