Special Olympics team ready for state
The area's high school basketball seasons have come to an end.
But there still is a chance for a state hoops championship in Ashland County.
Ashland County Special Olympics school-age team will take part in the 2008 Special Olympics Ohio State Basketball Tournament Finals and Individual Skills Contest Friday and March 29 in Bowling Green.
Linda Pervier, local Special Olympics coordinator for Ashland County, had the opportunity to present the school-age team with its regional championship trophy Thursday night at Park Street Brethren Church, following a scrimmage against kids from St. Edward's.
"It was awesome," she said. "I had chills."
The Ashland County school-age team, which has lost just one game this season, has nine players -- Jonathan Light, David Pervier, Jordan Brown, Nicola Light, Eddie Plant, Justin Ambler, Chris Bartish, Joe Cable and Ryan Clark.
"I'm really excited," Pervier said. "They've worked really hard for this."
Ashland County's school-age team's coach is Todd Brown.
"Todd's worked really hard with them. I've seen a big improvement in the team in the last couple weeks," Pervier said.
The Ashland County squad was unable to play in last year's tournament because of what both Pervier and Brown called "a glitch in Columbus."
"The state scheduled us to play in Cincinnati on an early Friday evening, and only gave us like a week's notice ... then we would have had to play the next day down there," Brown said. "We just couldn't afford it. No time, money -- there was just no way we could do it.
"I'm tickled to death. The fact that they didn't get to go last year, and this year, they make it to the Final Four, that's huge. And they have worked so hard. I couldn't be prouder of them."
Brown said the team is running three different offenses (compared to one last year), two or three different defenses and can run a full-court press.
"We they've learned this year, and accomplished, has been huge. I love coaching them (and) I love watching them play."
Plant, the team's starting point guard and a three-year member of the team, is excited about the opportunity.
"It feels great," Plant said about getting the regional trophy. "It's the first time I've ever felt something like that.
"It was a big part of the reason why we're going to state, because of the great determination of our entire team. We're ready. I think we're ready."
The state tournament features semifinal and final rounds in nine divisions. Consolation rounds determine third- and fourth-place status. The 32 teams competing in the state tournament are from an original field of 142 teams from throughout the state, and advanced through north, east, south and west section tournaments.
Ashland County won the western section in Division I.
State semifinal games are played Friday at 4, 6 and 8 p.m. Championship and consolation games are March 29 with starting times of 9 and 11 a.m. and 1 and 3 p.m.
More than 600 Special Olympics Ohio athletes are expected are the events in BG. The state tournament features 32 teams representing 24 Ohio counties: Allen, Ashland, Auglaize, Coshocton, Cuyahoga, Darke, Franklin, Geauga, Hamilton, Xavier Henry, Logan, Lucas, Madison, Mahoning, Marion, Montgomery, Muskingum, Putnam, Richland, Sandusky, Stark, Summit, Tuscarawas and Wayne.
The individual skills contest features almost 300 athletes representing 18 Ohio counties: Allen, Ashland, Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Erie, Franklin, Gallia, Greene, Hancock, Knox, Licking, Lorain, Lucas, Pickaway, Perry, Stark, Van Wert and Wood.
The individual skills contest is March 29 at 9 a.m., and involves individual competition in basketball-related skills, such as dribbling, passing and free-throw shooting.
Venues playing host to Special Olympics activities are the City of Bowling Green's Training and Community and Recreation Center and Bowling Green State University's Anderson Arena and Perry Field House.
All Special Olympics Ohio events are free and open to the public.
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