LYNN – Derek Dana is back in the fold.The St. Mary’s High graduate who played on two state title teams during his days as a Spartan is back, only this time he’s the guy running the show. Monday was the first official day of practice for high school spring sports teams and it was Dana’s first day as the St. Mary’s baseball head coach.”Things went very well,” Dana said “I’m very excited to be back.”Dana, who had been serving as an assistant varsity coach under Jim Tgettis at Classical for the last five years, was hired to replace Bill Norcross.Dana’s coaching staff is also comprised primarily of former St. Mary’s players. Tim Fila and Tom Donahue (who coached junior varsity at Classical last year) are his varsity assistants. Brian Mulvey is back as the freshman coach and Jason Bullock will work with the junior high team. The only coach who didn’t wear the blue and gold for the Spartans is Jason Sport, a Gov. Dummer Academy graduate who is finishing up at Boston College this year. Sport is coaching the junior varsity.”I’m very happy coming back,” Dana said. “I spent some time coaching at Classical and enjoyed it, but I’m from St. Mary’s. Getting a chance to coach is, it’s a unique experience. It’s nice to be back to where it started.”Dana graduated from St. Mary’s in 1988. During his tenure there, the Spartans won the Division 3 state title in 1987 and 1988 under then-coach Tgettis. Dana was a pitcher and catcher in high school, but focused on catching at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He was drafted by the San Francisco Giants and played three years in the Giants’ minor-league system. He played another couple of years of independent baseball in Texas.Dana is inheriting a team that finished 10-8 in the regular season in 2007. The Spartans had a nice run in the Division 3 North sectionals, defeating Amesbury, 6-3, in the preliminary round, Savio Prep, 25-1, in the first round and Greater Lawrence, 3-1, in the quarterfinals. The Spartans saw their ride come to an end with a 6-4 loss to North Reading in the semifinals.If numbers are any indication, Dana should be in good shape this year. He had 75 players come out for the four teams (junior high, freshman, junior varsity and varsity). That number includes a solid core of returnees. Nick Conti, a senior pitcher and shortstop, is back, as is Anthony Struppa, a junior outfielder. Senior first baseman/catcher/pitcher Chris Kefalas is back, as is senior catcher A.J. Capano. The junior class also includes shortstop/second baseman Joe Kasabuski and third baseman Yano Petruzelli, both members of the Saugus American Little League baseball team that played in the 2003 Little League World Series. The returning contingent also features a sophomore, Mike Scanlon, who turned some heads as a freshman on the mound last year, and Ryan Beliveau, a junior pitcher and utility player.Dana also got a transfer from Malden Catholic, and like Kasabuski and Petruzzelli, his name is a familiar one. Craig Cole, who also played on that Saugus American Little League team, is at St. Mary’s this year. There are four players from that renowned Little League team playing baseball for the Spartans, the other one being Anthony DiSciscio. Tyler Grillo, who was also on that team, is at St. Mary’s, but he’s concentrating on basketball.Dana said he has also been impressed by some of the younger players coming up in the system.”The numbers are very good (overall),” he said. “I’m going to have to make some tough decisions, but I liked what I saw today. They’re good decisions to make when you have the numbers to pick from.”Dana has scrimmages lined up with English, Classical and Swampscott, weather permitting. The Spartans’ regular-season schedule will include non-league games with Everett, Beverly and Marblehead.