The next six weeks are my favorite time of year and it has nothing to do with snow, although I do like that a lot, sweeps month, shamrock shakes or even the Olympics.
It boils down to five words: The High School Basketball Tournament.
It all started for me in March of 1979 when I was in attendance for a Clear Fork versus Willard district tournament game at what was then a new Lexington High School gym. An exuberant Clear Fork fan stole a Willard flag and started running around the gym with it.
Game on.
I just love the raw emotion of the tournament. Somebody told me once that if it isn’t worth crying about then it isn’t worth doing. I have seen my share of tears, and shed a few myself, over the years. I have been inside locker rooms after a tough loss.
Yes, I have even rushed the court a few times.
In 1985, after Clear Fork’s Jim Jackson was not fouled, but mugged, for no call leading to a double overtime loss to Colonel Crawford in a tournament game at Galion I found myself on the floor. I was asked by an officer of the law if I would like to spend the night cooling my heels in the old grey bar hotel. After thinking “Why don’t you arrest the officials who stood there while a young man was violated?” I instead said “Ahhh… no,” and was assisted from the gym by other fans.
I am sure that many fans of schools in Richland County have similar tales to tell about games their teams have won or loss.
Over the years there have been so many classic games at Ashland University in division two or three district action Willard and Upper Sandusky, Jimmy Langhurst versus Jon Diebler, comes to mind. Its was 101-98 Willard in double overtime. A win by Mansfield Malabar over Bellevue on a last second shot by Terence “Punchy” Carmichael.
As recent as the last two years in the epic super sectional finals between Mansfield Senior and Norwalk, each school winning one.
The Mansfield St. Peter’s Lady Spartans have made more tournament runs over the last 15 years than any school, either gender, in the Mansfield area.
I have matured a lot since 1979, in fact, I have friends that are officials, and their efforts are a key part of any tournament game. Considering the abuse they tend to receive, I don’t know why anyone wants the job to tell you the truth.
One thing that hasn’t changed is my love for tournament basketball. It has been enriched by my relationship with my former coach, and mentor, Pat Durham, currently the head coach at Mansfield St. Peter’s. We have attended countless sectional, district and regional games together, and this year we will watch all 12 boys’ state tournament games for the 26th straight year. Every time I watch a game with him I learn more about the game.
So, this week the “Trail of Tears” begins for high school girls’ teams in the Mansfield area, the boys start next week.
There are a number of schools that have a chance to earn some success on the tournament floor. Clear Fork and Mansfield Senior girls or boys’ teams from Ontario, Mansfield Senior, Lexington, Plymouth, Mansfield Christian or Mansfield St. Peter’s.
There are many of you, who like me, consider attending games something you have always done. However, if you never have, why not give it a try?
However, I stress to you to be careful, because it can become catching.
After years of toil and sweat behind radio station microphones, longtime broadcaster, Jeff Swank joined the new generation of sports followers on the web.
Swank launched his internet radio station with nothing more than some wire, a box with some knobs and switches, and an itch to do much more than just scratch the surface of everything sports.
Richland Source is proud to introduce Jeff as a writer focused on high school sports. He will contribute a weekly column and analysis of a featured game of the week from one of our area high schools.
In addition to his work at Richland Source, Jeff provides complete high school sports coverage for over 70 Ohio schools at his web site, http://www.swankonsports.net76.net/.
