Hometown Heroes
basketball, education, licking county, newark high school, recreation, sports,
The Newark High School Wildcats boys basketball players are at the top of their game – literally. In March 2008, the team won the Division I State Championship, bringing the title back to Newark for the first time since 1943.
“I was very excited, being a guy who grew up here and the coach,” says Newark High School boys basketball coach Jeff Quackenbush. “It was great for the whole community. A lot of people came and showed their support. It seemed like the whole town of Newark was there. And there were lots of celebrations afterward.”
The team was welcomed home from the state championship in a big way.
“Our buses were escorted back into town with police cars and fire trucks, and they even shut down the highway,” Quackenbush recalls. “The guys really enjoyed it.”
The week following the championship, Newark High School held a pep rally in the gym where a film showed the highlights of the big game. The Wildcats ended their 24-4 season with a 65-52 win over Lakewood’s St. Edward High School.
“The community also sponsored a dinner for the team with guest speakers,” Quackenbush says. “It was a very nice function. All the kids and coaches wore tuxes.”
Even though he knew he had a great team, Quackenbush didn’t fully expect to win the state championship.
“It’s definitely tough to win,” he says. “Even with a good team, you’ve got to have a little luck on your side.” Luck, and some highly skilled players.
“We had returned some kids from the previous season, so we had some experienced guys on the team,” he says.
Newark’s boys basketball team has won the state championship four times in the school’s history, capturing the title in 1936, 1938 and 1943. The team has made eight trips to the state tournament, and 2008 was the first trip since 1981.
As for the 2009 state championship, Quackenbush says it’s still too soon to tell if the Wildcats’ lucky streak will continue.
“At this point, were’ just trying to win every game,” he says.
The best part about Quackenbush’s job? That’s easy.
“I love working with these kids,” he says. “All the coaches on our staff are from Newark, and we all played here. So we really relate to the kids in that way.”
Story by Jessica Mozo
