Not off the Press: Winter sports in Highland County end, along with a variety of other opinions
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The conclusion of the 75th Annual OHSAA State Wrestling Championships on Saturday also concluded the winter sports season for all of Highland County, as the final basketball team was eliminated on Wednesday.
The final event of the winter season was a celebration of five Hillsboro wrestlers with sophomore Kordell Ford wrestling his way to a fourth-place finish in the 160-pound weight class in Division II, along with junior Brandon Carter winning one match and junior Conner Johnston, sophomore Dillon Hunick and senior Kaleb West all wrestling two matches at the state level.
Watching Kordell Ford wrestle his way to a fourth-place finish was a great way to end the winter season. It was also interesting to interview all five wrestlers on Monday, a few days before the actual state championship matches took place … getting to know what was going through their minds before the most important wrestling matches of their lives.
I want to thank all five wrestlers and coach Nathan Horne for speaking with me before the event and want to congratulate all five of the wrestlers for their accomplishments this season.
Job well done.
• The end of a streak
This is the first time since I've been covering high school basketball in Highland County that I won't travel to the Convocation Center at Ohio University in Athens for district basketball tournament games.
In saying that, out of all 10 teams (boys and girls), only the McClain Lady Tigers reached a district tournament game, losing in the district semifinals at Southeastern High School.
Though the tournament season ended a bit earlier than usual, it still was a productive basketball season for Highland County, with Hillsboro winning the South Central Ohio League boys basketball championship and, as mentioned, MHS girls basketball reaching the district semifinals.
Also did you know in boys basketball, the McClain Tigers were the only team to win a tournament game this postseason from the SCOL when they defeated SCOL counterpart Miami Trace?
But this is the first time since 2007 I haven't covered at least one game in Athens for the district tournament, and it just seems so strange.
• Quick Basketball Tournament Thoughts
- One of my favorite parts was eating chicken that is served from a gas station in Lucasville. (The only problem was their restroom had no soap.)
- The winner for best hospitality room goes to the defending champion Southeastern High School.
- The best tournament game I attended was Fairfield and Manchester on Tuesday, Feb. 28 for the fact it was the closest-played game I saw this postseason. The game had a great tournament atmosphere.
- I still believe the team with the higher seed should host sectional games.
- I think the best shooter I watched the entire postseason was Jake Kretzer of Waverly.
- Another player who was fun to watch play basketball was South Webster's Austin Loop.
- I can't forget the best postseason performance was Travis Combs of Manchester's 31 points against Fairfield. He was tough to stop that night at Valley High School.
- The strangest quarter of basketball of not only the postseason, but possibly all season came when McClain and Waverly (boys basketball) were tied at 5-5 after eight minutes. That rarely happens. The only other quarter that comes to mind is, again, McClain and Hillsboro at MHS where HHS led the Tigers 6-4 after eight minutes.
• New teams coming to the SCOL?
I really like the South Central Ohio League looking for new teams, as in the Chillicothe Gazette they wrote about Wilmington and Chillicothe wanting into the league.
I was told later this week a decision would be made, but as always, I have an opinion on the league as well.
Originally, I wanted Blanchester and Wilmington voted into the league, but Chillicothe is a good fit for the SCOL for the simple fact it is close to every team in terms of travel, and they would be very competitive in all sports in the SCOL.
It would hurt East Clinton since they will be the smallest school in the league, but in terms of overall for the league … I like both joining.
Now if Wilmington is rejected for the second time in three years, well … I will never understand it, but I will try my best to find out why, since I have a few weeks with not much going on.
Neither team will dominate the league, and even if they did, what is wrong with good, healthy competition? Playing better teams (if they are better) only can help the league and its student-athletes overall in the grand scheme of things.
If I had a vote … I'd put both Wilmington and Chillicothe in the SCOL because it makes a lot of sense for the overall health of the league, and that's what is most important, right?
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• Facebook madness!
If anyone looked at the Highland County Press Facebook this weekend, well, we updated a lot on the state wrestling championship for the fact that it is a big deal for the wrestlers and community of Hillsboro and for Highland County.
To those who enjoyed the updates, thank you; to those we bothered for a total of six hours in two days … well, I'm sorry, but if I've learned anything in this business, I've learned I can't please everyone all at the same time.
I do want all to know I appreciate all opinions … sometimes I need to know what I'm doing isn't up to expectations ... it's called constructive criticism.
Also, to the reader who said "you know there is more than one paper in this town," my response is this … I know, I worked there for three years and decided to leave on my own. Also, did you know The Highland County Press is the only locally owned and operated newspaper in Highland County?
And for the people who said I don't care about my readers … I simply say you have no idea how much the readers of this paper mean to me. I don't work 12-plus hours a day getting scores, writing columns, writing game stories, making phone calls, etc. for my own ego. Maybe the hour nap I took at my desk at 2 a.m. the other night while working on basketball tournament articles was selfish. All I can say is, thanks for reading.
Please, don't question how much the readers of The Highland County Press mean to me because that is personal.
• Quote of the Week
"It was a different experience, but I liked it. I'm ready to come back next year. It was a good season, the best wrestling season I had in my career, and I've wrestled for seven years. I came in this tournament with 40 wins … it's really, really hard to make it here and place. I'm proud, my parents are proud, the fans are proud and that's all that matters." — Kordell Ford, HHS sophomore 160-pound wrestler after placing fourth in Division II in the State Wrestling Championships.
• (A second) Quote of the Week
"This is huge psychology to know they've overcome that step, that they are no longer looking to be a state qualifier. They know what it is like; now they are looking to be a state placer. It make a tremendous difference for kids who have already been here the second time around. It's huge for their motivation and huge for their experience." — Nathan Horne, HHS wrestling head coach talking about how advancing five wrestlers to the state tournament helps the future of the program.
• (A third) Quote of the Week
"I hurt for them now because I wanted them to get to the Convo, but they know … we've talked about this a few times this year, how high school basketball is a small portion of their life they are going to remember forever. They are going to take a lot of things they learned here and will be successful people in the real world. They come from great families and are great people. I wish them all the best." — Matt Carson, Fairfield boys basketball head coach, following their tournament loss to Manchester, talking about his departing senior class.
• Stat of the Week
In the 75th Annual OHSAA State Wrestling Championships, Kordell Ford went 4-2 in three days, including winning four matches in a row.
• One last item of business
I want to thank everyone for all their opinions this winter, along with a big thank you to the coaches, stat keepers and anyone who sent in any type of stats for game articles this past winter sports season. I couldn't do this without them, and they make my job a lot easier. Highland County athletics is full of great, quality people with all the work they do behind the scenes. Again, thank you.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow Stephen on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.
The final event of the winter season was a celebration of five Hillsboro wrestlers with sophomore Kordell Ford wrestling his way to a fourth-place finish in the 160-pound weight class in Division II, along with junior Brandon Carter winning one match and junior Conner Johnston, sophomore Dillon Hunick and senior Kaleb West all wrestling two matches at the state level.
Watching Kordell Ford wrestle his way to a fourth-place finish was a great way to end the winter season. It was also interesting to interview all five wrestlers on Monday, a few days before the actual state championship matches took place … getting to know what was going through their minds before the most important wrestling matches of their lives.
I want to thank all five wrestlers and coach Nathan Horne for speaking with me before the event and want to congratulate all five of the wrestlers for their accomplishments this season.
Job well done.
• The end of a streak
This is the first time since I've been covering high school basketball in Highland County that I won't travel to the Convocation Center at Ohio University in Athens for district basketball tournament games.
In saying that, out of all 10 teams (boys and girls), only the McClain Lady Tigers reached a district tournament game, losing in the district semifinals at Southeastern High School.
Though the tournament season ended a bit earlier than usual, it still was a productive basketball season for Highland County, with Hillsboro winning the South Central Ohio League boys basketball championship and, as mentioned, MHS girls basketball reaching the district semifinals.
Also did you know in boys basketball, the McClain Tigers were the only team to win a tournament game this postseason from the SCOL when they defeated SCOL counterpart Miami Trace?
But this is the first time since 2007 I haven't covered at least one game in Athens for the district tournament, and it just seems so strange.
• Quick Basketball Tournament Thoughts
- One of my favorite parts was eating chicken that is served from a gas station in Lucasville. (The only problem was their restroom had no soap.)
- The winner for best hospitality room goes to the defending champion Southeastern High School.
- The best tournament game I attended was Fairfield and Manchester on Tuesday, Feb. 28 for the fact it was the closest-played game I saw this postseason. The game had a great tournament atmosphere.
- I still believe the team with the higher seed should host sectional games.
- I think the best shooter I watched the entire postseason was Jake Kretzer of Waverly.
- Another player who was fun to watch play basketball was South Webster's Austin Loop.
- I can't forget the best postseason performance was Travis Combs of Manchester's 31 points against Fairfield. He was tough to stop that night at Valley High School.
- The strangest quarter of basketball of not only the postseason, but possibly all season came when McClain and Waverly (boys basketball) were tied at 5-5 after eight minutes. That rarely happens. The only other quarter that comes to mind is, again, McClain and Hillsboro at MHS where HHS led the Tigers 6-4 after eight minutes.
• New teams coming to the SCOL?
I really like the South Central Ohio League looking for new teams, as in the Chillicothe Gazette they wrote about Wilmington and Chillicothe wanting into the league.
I was told later this week a decision would be made, but as always, I have an opinion on the league as well.
Originally, I wanted Blanchester and Wilmington voted into the league, but Chillicothe is a good fit for the SCOL for the simple fact it is close to every team in terms of travel, and they would be very competitive in all sports in the SCOL.
It would hurt East Clinton since they will be the smallest school in the league, but in terms of overall for the league … I like both joining.
Now if Wilmington is rejected for the second time in three years, well … I will never understand it, but I will try my best to find out why, since I have a few weeks with not much going on.
Neither team will dominate the league, and even if they did, what is wrong with good, healthy competition? Playing better teams (if they are better) only can help the league and its student-athletes overall in the grand scheme of things.
If I had a vote … I'd put both Wilmington and Chillicothe in the SCOL because it makes a lot of sense for the overall health of the league, and that's what is most important, right?
[[In-content Ad]]
• Facebook madness!
If anyone looked at the Highland County Press Facebook this weekend, well, we updated a lot on the state wrestling championship for the fact that it is a big deal for the wrestlers and community of Hillsboro and for Highland County.
To those who enjoyed the updates, thank you; to those we bothered for a total of six hours in two days … well, I'm sorry, but if I've learned anything in this business, I've learned I can't please everyone all at the same time.
I do want all to know I appreciate all opinions … sometimes I need to know what I'm doing isn't up to expectations ... it's called constructive criticism.
Also, to the reader who said "you know there is more than one paper in this town," my response is this … I know, I worked there for three years and decided to leave on my own. Also, did you know The Highland County Press is the only locally owned and operated newspaper in Highland County?
And for the people who said I don't care about my readers … I simply say you have no idea how much the readers of this paper mean to me. I don't work 12-plus hours a day getting scores, writing columns, writing game stories, making phone calls, etc. for my own ego. Maybe the hour nap I took at my desk at 2 a.m. the other night while working on basketball tournament articles was selfish. All I can say is, thanks for reading.
Please, don't question how much the readers of The Highland County Press mean to me because that is personal.
• Quote of the Week
"It was a different experience, but I liked it. I'm ready to come back next year. It was a good season, the best wrestling season I had in my career, and I've wrestled for seven years. I came in this tournament with 40 wins … it's really, really hard to make it here and place. I'm proud, my parents are proud, the fans are proud and that's all that matters." — Kordell Ford, HHS sophomore 160-pound wrestler after placing fourth in Division II in the State Wrestling Championships.
• (A second) Quote of the Week
"This is huge psychology to know they've overcome that step, that they are no longer looking to be a state qualifier. They know what it is like; now they are looking to be a state placer. It make a tremendous difference for kids who have already been here the second time around. It's huge for their motivation and huge for their experience." — Nathan Horne, HHS wrestling head coach talking about how advancing five wrestlers to the state tournament helps the future of the program.
• (A third) Quote of the Week
"I hurt for them now because I wanted them to get to the Convo, but they know … we've talked about this a few times this year, how high school basketball is a small portion of their life they are going to remember forever. They are going to take a lot of things they learned here and will be successful people in the real world. They come from great families and are great people. I wish them all the best." — Matt Carson, Fairfield boys basketball head coach, following their tournament loss to Manchester, talking about his departing senior class.
• Stat of the Week
In the 75th Annual OHSAA State Wrestling Championships, Kordell Ford went 4-2 in three days, including winning four matches in a row.
• One last item of business
I want to thank everyone for all their opinions this winter, along with a big thank you to the coaches, stat keepers and anyone who sent in any type of stats for game articles this past winter sports season. I couldn't do this without them, and they make my job a lot easier. Highland County athletics is full of great, quality people with all the work they do behind the scenes. Again, thank you.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow Stephen on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.