Talk about exciting.
What many peopled dreamed about back in November is now a weekend away from coming true.
Lima Senior and Lima Central Catholic high schools both won regional titles Saturday, putting them in the final four of the boys’ high school state tournament — just two wins away from state championships. LCC begins play Thursday while Lima Senior starts on Friday.
It’s only the third time the Lima metro area has put two teams in the final four in the same year.
The first time was 1992 when Lima Senior and LCC did the two-step. Fans saw some thrilling basketball in Columbus. Lima Senior, coached by Paul Whitney, won its semifinal game by beating Canton McKinley in double overtime, 91-88. The Spartans played another overtime in the championship game, getting nipped by Lakota, 88-86. LCC also had a close game, losing to Columbus Wehrle, 64-62, in the semifinals.
In 2000, Shawnee and LCC made the trip. Both lost in the semifinals, LCC getting nipped by Jamestown Greenview, 51-50, and Shawnee falling 81-70 to Warrensville Heights.
The Lima News will have special tournament packages Wednesday and Thursday of both teams’ quest for a title. Here’s some Lima tournament trivia to offer as a “pregame warmup”:
•Lima Central Catholic won the first state title in the city’s history in 2010 when Coach Bob Seggerson’s team held off a late run by Orrville to win, 60-57, ending the year with a 23-4 record. It was long coming for Seggerson, who experienced heartbreak in five other trips to the final four before the title. All five were lost by two points or less.
•Lima Senior not only has a chance to win its first state title, but it also would become the first Lima team to go undefeated.
•The first Lima team to make it to the final four was Lima Central High School in 1931. It lost to Canton McKinley, 21-15, in the semifinals.
•In both of Lima Senior’s final four seasons, it beat Canton McKinley. That’s saying something given McKinley has more wins and more trips to the state tournament than any other school in Ohio.
•LCC will be making its third straight trip to the final four and has a 77-8 record during that stretch. Four of LCC’s starters on this year’s team played in the previous final four games: Dantez Walton, Tre Cobbs, Ethan O’Connor and Nick Taflinger.
•Lima Senior’s Xavier Simpson has a chance to pull off a rarity — winning a state title while playing on two different teams. Simpson started for LCC’s championship team in 2014 and left the following year when his father, Quincey, was hired to coach Lima Senior.
•Frank Kill won a state title as LCC’s coach in 2014, as an assistant coach in 2010, and as a player for Lincolnview in 1997. He was the Division IV tournament player of the year.
•LCC could play Cleveland Villa-Angela St. Joseph in the finals for the third straight year, providing both teams win their semifinal games. If that happens, it would be the first time in tournament history that the same two teams met three years in a row. LCC won in 2014 and Villa in 2o15.
•Six Lima high schools have made 21 trips to the final four.
•Lima Central Catholic has the most state appearances among Lima teams, this year marking its ninth appearance. Other years were 2015, 2014, 2010, 2000, 1994, 1993, 1992 and 1989.
•Lima Senior is making its fifth state appearance, previously appearing in 1992, 1982, 1968 and 1962.
•Other appearances by Lima high schools: Lima Central (1943, 1935, 1931), Shawnee (2000, 1965), St. Rose (1948) and St. John’s (1944).
ROSES AND THORNS: A grandmother’s plea echoes in the rose garden.
Rose: To Sabrina Florence, a Lima grandmother, who urges youth to “put down the guns, and pick up a Bible.” Last week, Florence’s second grandson was shot to death, just 14 months after she lost her first grandson to gun fire.
Rose: To Tracy Sanchez, owner of Lima Pallet Co., for making her company available for Ohio governor and presidential hopeful John Kasich’s town hall meeting. “I’ve had a long relationship with Lima, from the standpoint of aggressively campaigning here during my first campaign and having a great rally here during the second,” Kasich said. “I picked Lima because it had a special place in my heart when I held the State of the State here.”
Thorn: To Allen East Superintendent Mel Rentschler. The “educator” refused to talk to students about their grievances, telling The Lima News, “We’re talking about adult decisions, therefore, I’m not going to sit with a child and discuss an adult decision.” After all, the students may learn something.
Thorn: To the Ohio High School Athletic Association. Ottawa-Glandorf fans had to choose between watching their boys or girls team play because the OHSAA was unable to adjust Thursday’s schedule to allow them to attend both games.
PARTING SHOT: Why do we drive on parkways and park on driveways?
Jim Krumel
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Jim Krumel
By Jim Krumel
jkrumel@civitasmedia.com
Jim Krumel is the editor of The Lima News. Contact him at 567-242-0391 or at The Lima News, 3515 Elida Road, Lima, Ohio 45807.