ThisWeek Community Newspapers Westerville
March 17, 2011
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Boys Basketball
Warriors expecting to return strong squad By SCOTT HENNEN ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Losing in a Division I district semifinal ended the season for the Westerville North High School boys basketball team, but it didn’t dash the team’s expectations. The Warriors finished 17-6 overall, losing to Gahanna 65-63 in overtime March 5 at the Fairgrounds Coliseum. The Warriors expect to return four starters, all of whom averaged in double figures or close to it, so the future
looks bright. Gahanna coach Tony Staib even took notice. “We had a lot of seniors who have led us all year, but Westerville North has a lot of good underclassmen,” Staib said. “(The Warriors) will be really good next year.” Those four returning starters are sophomore guards Adrian Cook (5foot-9) and Jack Gibbs (5-11) and junior forwards Matt Rhodes (6-5) and Taivion Thomas (6-5). Gibbs was second-team all-district and first-team all-OCC-Cardinal Divi-
At a glance BOYS •Record: 17-6 overall, 10-4 (tied for second) in OCC-Cardinal •Seniors lost: Tucker Arthurs, Drake Jackson, Garrett Lieb •Top returnees: Adrian Cook, Jack Gibbs, Matt Rhodes and Taivion Thomas
sion, leading the team in scoring (18.1 points), assists (4.5) and steals (3.7) per game. Rhodes was third-team all-district and first-team all-league, averag-
ing 15.8 points and 4.4 rebounds while making a team-high 52 3-pointers. Thomas was second-team all-league and averaged 12 points, a team-high seven rebounds and 2.2 steals. Cook was honorable mention all-league, scoring 9.7 points per contest with 3.4 assists and 1.3 steals. “I think (the district semifinal loss) is something we can build on,” said coach Kevin Thuman, who finished his 16th season leading the program. “They probably don’t want to go through this feeling again. If they make
the right decisions in the offseason, they can do even better next year.” The Warriors finished 10-4 in the OCC-Cardinal to tie Olentangy Liberty and Westerville Central for second behind Westerville South (13-1). Dublin Jerome and Dublin Scioto tied for fifth at 4-10 followed by Olentangy (3-11) and Marysville (2-12). North had three seniors in 6-2 forward Tucker Arthurs, 6-5 center Drake Jackson (4.5 points) and 6-3 forward See NORTH, page D2
Commentary
‘Old Barn’ remains Young at heart We are in the final days of one of my favorite times of the year — the district and regional boys basketball tournaments in the Fairgrounds Coliseum. Over the 16 years that I have written for ThisWeek Community Newspapers and the 43 years that I have been part of the media covering these exciting games, I have talked about these special days that LARRY those of us who love LARSON these events get to spend together for three or four weeks. It is a homecoming for a group of individuals who work very hard to make these games enjoyable for the teams, coaches and fans. Of these individuals, none has worked harder for the past two decades than tournament director Ralph Young, who is retiring after the games this weekend. He has dedicated his life to the betterment of the world of education and has been a wonderful, soft-spoken leader for all of us who work this tournament. “I can honestly state that I have enjoyed coming to this tournament every day,” said Young, who was business manager for seven years before beginning his 12-year stint as tournament director, following the late Bill Alspach. “When I am asked about what I will remember most about this experience, it is real simple. It is the people that I have enjoyed most and I thank God that I can remember most of them. “It is the coaches, the officials, the kids, the workers and the fans that have made this so memorable. I have really loved every phase of the job I have been assigned to do and one of the main things I have learned along the way is that every person that works with you is unique and if you just stand back and let them do their job, what a job they will do. We haven’t really changed much over the years, but I feel that if the wheel isn’t broke, you don’t need to fix it.” Reflecting on his tenure at the Fairgrounds, Young said, “This has been such a great staff to work with and I learned so much from Bill Alspach. He taught me the importance of being a good listener. He taught me to let people talk and express their views and he told me about how much you can learn from that. It was so great to work with Bill and I miss his friendship, but my wife, Nancy, and I still have Bill’s wife, Polly, to share stories with and that is a treasure to us. “Polly is just as much a fixture at the (Fairgrounds) that Bill was and we love having her with us at the games. I also am so blessed to have had Nancy right by my side through all these years. She has been such a help to me. She has shared her honest opinion on things involving the tournament and has been so great in helping me remember
By Adam Cairns/ThisWeek
South players rub the head of assistant coach Brad Burris after the Wildcats won a Division I district championship with a 69-54 victory over New Albany on March 11 in the Fairgrounds Coliseum. South plays Liberty Township Lakota East in a regional semifinal Thursday, March 17. Follow the Wildcats at ThisWeekSPORTS.com
Boys Basketball
Wildcats advance to regional By JEREMY STEWART ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Despite having several highly talented rosters over the years, the Westerville South High School boys basketball team hasn’t always fared well in the Division I district tournament. But the top-seeded Wildcats made sure this wasn’t one of those years, as they beat eighth-seeded New Albany 69-54 in a district final March 11 in the Fairgrounds Coliseum to capture their first district championship since 2008 and their third overall. The victory pushed the win total for 24th-year coach Ed Calo to 333.
“We’d like to have 20 district titles,” Calo said. “But we only have three. We’ve had some great teams in the past. I think that we’ve had great seasons, but something always seems to happen down here (at the Fairgrounds). I’m happy for our kids that they worked so hard to get this one.” South, which improved to 23-1, advanced to play Liberty Township Lakota East in a regional semifinal at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 17, at the Fairgrounds. The winner plays Gahanna or Northland in a regional final at 7:30 pm. Saturday, March 19, at the Fairgrounds. The regional champion advances to a state semifinal at 8:30 p.m. March 25
at Ohio State. Lakota East defeated Cincinnati Princeton 48-36 in a district final March 12 to improve to 23-1. The Thunderhawks are making their first trip to regional since the school opened in 1997. Their lone setback was a 66-65 loss to Middletown in their regular-season finale Feb. 18. Lakota East is led by 5-foot-11 senior guard Michael Boyd, who is averaging 12.7 points and 4.2 assists. His scoring totals have fallen off in the postseason, however, as he was held to six points against Princeton and seven points in a 45-32 win over Cincinnati St. Xavier in a district semifinal March 5.
As teams have focused on stopping Boyd, other players for Lakota East have stepped up, including 6-0 senior forward Jalen Goodwin, who averages a team-high 5.4 rebounds and had 12 points against Princeton. South has dealt with similar issues as opponents have focused on stopping guard Traevon Jackson, who averaged 18.3 points during the regular season but had 13 points against New Albany. Jackson had only seven points before making six free throws during the final 1 minute, 15 seconds. South led New Albany 16-11 after See SOUTH, page D2
Boys Basketball
Coach: Central made strides this season By FRANK DiRENNA ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Chances are Westerville Central High School boys basketball coach Todd Minney and his team won’t forget this season anytime soon. Faced with an 8-6 record and coming off back-to-back losses to Westerville South 73-53 on Jan. 21 and Westerville North 7770 on Jan. 25, the Warhawks reassessed their season and began what they called “the journey.” That journey included a ninegame winning streak and a berth in a Division I district final, where the Warhawks provided Northland — ranked second in the final state poll — a test before losing 65-62 on March 11 in the Fairgrounds Coliseum. Central, which lost to Northland 61-42 in a district final last season, finished 17-7 overall. “We’ve talked a lot about the journey,” Minney said. “The journey is just beginning, whether it’s basketball or a life journey. It’s learning from all the hard work that you put in and you reap what you sow. These kids are going to be, if not already, great See LARSON, page D5 people. I’m so proud to be a part
At a glance •Record: 17-7 overall, 10-4 (tied for second) in OCC-Cardinal •Seniors lost: Kamorin Harris, Quentin Henderson, Darius Johnson, Devin Mills, Orlando Shaw and Nick Vannett •Key returnees: Jared Edens, Christian Graves, Max Shawver and Tre Stennett
guard Tre Stennett hit two free throws and assisted on guard Jared Edens’ layup to give the Warhawks a 60-59 lead with 50 seconds remaining. With his team trailing 62-61, Burke made two free throws with 8.1 seconds left to put Northland ahead for good. The Vikings’ Lavonte Justice followed with a steal and was fouled, adding two free throws to help secure the title. By Lorrie Cecil/ThisWeek Point guard Quentin Henderson and Harris, seniors who Nick Vannett (left), Joleon Merchant, Kamorin Harris and Darius Johnson of Central struggle transferred from Northland folwith their emotions after a 65-62 loss to Northland in a Division I district final March 11 in the lowing their sophomore years, Fairgrounds Coliseum. led Central with 15 and 13 of them and I’m feeling lucky to its first district title. The After Northland guard and points, respectively. Guard Max have experienced the best chem- Warhawks led 55-54 after two Michigan recruit Trey Burke, the Shawver added 12 points. “I don’t feel like we were an istry team that I’ve ever had, and free throws by forward Kamor- district Player of the Year, folthey’re great, great kids.” in Harris with 2 minutes, 30 sec- lowed with a three-point play to See CENTRAL, page D3 put the Vikings ahead 57-55, Central fell short in its bid for onds remaining.