Rank the Coaches...

[seopsfan]

Jeff Caldwell from Southern is doing a good job........He did well at Beaver as well.

[qualified101]

All of these coaches are top notch. I would like to add Blain Maddox from Warren. I have watched his teams , since 2002, and have been impressed with his ability to get the most out his players. Most of his teams are undersizesed, but always seem to compete. We are very lucky to have such a great coach but more fortunate to have such a great teacher, leader, and father figure.

i second this.

[Jake Roberts]

Combs is from Unioto I think....he went to Wilmington I believe......his roomate his freshman year as I recall was a kid named Jeff Miller....also from the Chillicothe area....and yours truely, well that would be me.

I watched VC @ Jackson but wasn't looking for Miller so I don't know if it is the same person....but my story if true sure makes a lot of sense.....or I could be completely wrong and just be chaotically stupid....which also makes sense.

Same guy, 92. Jeff is Matt's assistant and does a great job. Miller's put on a little weight since those days, however.

Not sure who "yours truly" is or about the living situations at Wilmington. I just know that the Vinton County Vikings have exectuted offensively a lot better the last two years that he has been Combs' head assistant.

Very true. It was such a blessing when Combs fired his former assistant and got Jeff Miller to help him out.

[Fonzie]

Jeff Caldwell from Southern is doing a good job........He did well at Beaver as well.

I agree very much, Jeff is only in his second year with the Tornadoes and any one can see the difference he has made. With the possibility of a league championship this year with the Tornadoes he will have done something no other coach has done since Southern entered the TVC. I see nothing but good things in the future with his program. Not only is he a great coach, but he is a class act guy as well. I believe he has or can earn the respect of any person he speaks with.

[Ironman92]

Pat Hines does not coach at Whiteoak anymore pfloyd.....During his time he was definately on the upper end of the lists. I believe he is assissting Doug Williams (former Eastern Pike and Piketon all-state player) at Western Brown.....a team that is about 9-1

[avalanche]

To be ranked I feel like you need to have accomplished a considerable amount in your career.

Barrick is an obvious, Oz, Norm, but I am not going to include young coaches untill they accomplish something substantial. Nothing against anyone's rankings, but there is a difference in a young coach like Persin's Son in Law (drawing a blank), who won a state title, or even Lafon who has been to the Regionals, and then adding young Coaches like Davis and Evans. Going to the district semi-finals is not a huge accomplishment IMO.

Maybe we could make a Vet list and then an up and coming list...

[boilermaker]

Matt Combs given his youth, the best is yet to come.

[Out of Bounds]

I'm more sold on Jordan now that I've seen what he can do.....though he's been on this list for 15 or so years.

Larry Jordan, Dave Young, Tom Barrick, Doug Stiverson, Mark LaFon are a top my list with Jeff Lisath, Norm Persin, Rob Buecler, Matt Combs, Jim Osborne, Blaine Maddox, Rick Van Matre and Gary Kellough being right there behind them but also top of the district.


There are many I've never witnessed.....but those guys all seem to get the best out of their kids more years than others.

Trying to figure out where Lisath comes into to this list. What has he done??

[FLASH-G]

Vikings......what does Jeff Miller do?


Is this the same guy that used to be a rooomate of Combs while at Wilmington?......diagonally across the hall.....from yours truely.

He carries Coach Combs clipboard and cleans Hawkeye Perice underware.

[Kosmo K]

Rick Van Meter was mentioned on TV the other day during the Xavier game!!, but his record hasnt carried since Dante left!!

Combs has carried at least 5 years still after losing Kent, Albright, Guthrie, Bethel, and Ousley. (+) others) Think of all that talent we have lost to graduation and he continues to win!!!

Must be doing something right!! you dont always win with talent look at VC from 95-99 Proof and point!!!

[Kosmo K]

I gues i spelled the name wrong!! However no one I mean no one ever wanted to go to Greenfield and play with those guys at home. They have always been a tuff team!!!!

[Tartanblue]

One coach that deserves to be on here and gets the most out of every team he has no matter the talent level is Travis Bradford at East

[beaverlover]

One coach that deserves to be on here and gets the most out of every team he has no matter the talent level is Travis Bradford at East

I agree.......I have watched him coach ever since he went to East.No matter what the talent level is....He usally has them competitive.

[Ironman92]

Lisath has not had tremendous tournament success at Piketon, but he made my list for how he coaches. I've only seen him a few times, but I was impressed.

Up and coming maybe a mention of Matt Carson of Leesburg Fairfield.....he was hired at age 21 to take over a 1-20 team......his first year they won 9 games I believe and this year they should reach 12-14 wins. Also Tom Wessner of Whiteoak in his first full year has done a good job of keeping them in most games, it won't be long for they staart winning the close ones.

[gymratt]

1. Kellough-Chillicothe
Over 350 wins, defending state champs. Turned Chilli from a sleeping giant to the class of SEO and a premeir program in the State of Ohio.

2. Barrick- Wheelersburg
Goes to state and regionals all the time. IMO The best program in SEO over the last 10 years.

3. VanMatre- McClain
Wins with relatively little talent every year. Just edged out slightly by Wheelersburg for the best program of the last 10 years.

4. Jordan- Southeastern
Wins, wins, wins. Even has Jackson looking respectable late in the season. Who would have thought that was possible last year or at the beginning of this year?

5. Probably someone I'm forgetting but IMO the top 4 are much better then the rest.

[Peake]

No way anyone doesn't have Norm Persin in the top 5. The man has won waht 500-600 games in his career. He won 11 straight OVC titles at Chesapeake, 17 overall, and took Chesapeake to the Regionals 7 or 8 times. No way in the world this guy is not on the list. He never had a Donte Jackson, or a Burlson, or a Gaigi.

McClain is not the top program in the area either in the last 10 years. I would put it like this:

1. Wheelersbug
1a. Ironton
2. Chesapeake

That is my opinion.

[bucknut 23]

I agree with the assessment of Travis Bradford at East. He has done a quality job there and practically every year has them competing for an SOC I Championship or right near the top. He has a great mind and passion for the game and goes the extra mile as far as breaking down tape and putting in solid game plans to give his kids the best chance to win.

[boilermaker]

Peake, I agree with you on this , but I would add Vinton County on that list along with their coach Matt Combs.He has built a nice program there.

[Ironman92]

Peake....North Adams, Whiteoak and not as consistent...but South Webster would have to rival Peake in the last 10 years if we broke it down...Eastern Meigs as well.

[trojandave]

Van Matre has had only 1 losing season at McClain in 27 years to go along with 7 district titles and 3 regional runnerups. Remarkable with so little true basketball talent that he has had over those years.