20 YEARS of WINNING...commitment, competence, & competitiveness

[hawkeyepierce]

I would like to indulge the preps community with something that I have come across in effort to keep our record book updated. Also, I am not sure that Coach Combs would like for me to indulge you, he tends to be a humble man, and will be the first to tell you that he has been extremely fortunate throughout the years; however, I am me, and I do want I want. What is he going to do? Fired me? I do not think so. I think he likes me. So, there is that.

Since 2000-2001, Coach Combs’ first year at Vinton County, the Vikings Boys’ Varsity Basketball has had, and continues to do so, an unprecedented level success that I am not sure that has been duplicated in the same time span, and I would be interested in hearing from other schools’ vanguards of their history for examples of their success in different time periods.

Coach Combs entered Vinton County High School in 2000 and since that day, he has done nothing but worked his butt off, first as a lover of the game and as a competitor. Over the years, he came to love the community and the young men that don a Viking uniform, and now, I am not sure, but I would guess, as he is older, the love and passion for the discipline of coaching. He is a coach’s coach.

As I stated earlier, he is a humble man. He does not care about records, accolades, and/or personal glory. For him, it is the day-to-day practice, teaching, and the fact, he is doing it with his friends. Well…except for Coach Kight. No one likes Coach Kight.

Of course, I’m kidding. Maybe.

But, in Coach Combs’ first year at Vinton County his team finished 9-12. However, since 2001-2002, Coach Combs coached teams, for the next TWENTY seasons, have finished with a WINNING RECORD.

2001-02 * 12-10
2002-03 * 14-7
2003-04 * 20-4
2004-05 * 14-7
2005-06 * 13-9
2006-07 * 22-1
2007-08 * 22-2
2008-09 * 18-4
2009-10 * 16-6
2010-11 * 16-5
2011-12 * 14-7
2012-13 * 19-5
2013-14 * 12-8
2014-15 * 14-8
2015-16 * 21-5
2016-17 * 24-3
2017-18 * 16-8
2018-19 * 12-11
2019-20 * 14-7
2020-21 * so far – 13-6

Out of those twenty seasons, Coach Combs have had just two seasons with double digit losses.

And, just another note, there are only two other schools in Southeast District Division II, in that same time span, that have more district titles than the Vikings: Chillicothe, five, and Logan Elm four. The Vikings have played in five district championships, winning three.

I make this post for two reasons, one, to tout Coach Combs’ accomplishments, because he will not; the other, I would be interested to hear if there are other schools out there with similar success.

Post them…

[Ironman92]

Rob Buecler of Eastern Brown comes to mind first.

Maddox at Warren a couple years short? Hoops at Unioto is a handful of years away but nothing is certain. Stiverson not far off I imagine.

Ater and Speed en route

Coach Morrow is off the exit ramp and heading that direction but it’s a long trip.

Coach Combs has been perfect for Vinton County...his teams are always prepared...every game every year.

[Whs95fan]

Coach Maddox's record at Warren. Before Maddox Warren's basketball program was virtually none existent.
1999-00 12 10
2000-01 17 7
2001-02 15 8
2002-03 8 14
2003-04 8 13
2004-05 19 4
2005-06 18 4
2006-07 12 10
2007-08 15 7
2008-09 12 10
2009-10 19 5
2010-11 20 4
2011-12 19 3
2012-13 26 2
2013-14 21 4
2014-15 22 3
2015-16 18 6
2016-17 19 4
2017-18 17 7
2018-19 15 8
2019-20 16 10
2020-21 16 3
Total 364 146

[danicalifornia]

Coach Combs has done a phenomenal job at Vinton County. You know that you are always going to face a prepared team whenever you face the Vikings.

Coach Hoops at Unioto had a rocky start, going 16-47 in his first 3 seasons. Thankfully, our administration stuck with him and it’s more than paid off in success over the years.

10/11 - 14-8
11/12 - 14-7
12/13 - 15-9
13/14 - 20-4
14/15 - 26-1
15/16 - 23-2
16/17 - 19-6
17/18 - 22-3
18/19 - 10-13
19/20 - 20-4
20/21 - 14-5

2 District titles along with several league titles and it appears that things will continue on the upswing with some talent groups in the lower classes. 213-109 at Unioto, which is really good, but when you consider that it’s been 199-62 over the past 11 seasons, that’s the big difference.

[FIDO]

[Raider6309]

Maddox, Stiverson, and Combs are all great coaches. We lost to all three a lot

[bman]

Logan Elm has won five district champions under Coach Stiverson


Regional Champions
2009

District Champions
2006, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2020

District Runner-Up
2005, 2008 (one-point loss to state champion Chillicothe)

Mid-State League Buckeye Division Champions
2004, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2021

Coach Stiverson is blessed to have a great staff. Fantastic varsity assistant in Coach Holbert, although he is a bandwagon Scrubbies' fan and needs to work on that , and a very good JV coach in Coach Dropsey. Stability and kids willing to work hard are the ingredients to a quality program. Logan Elm is very fortunate.

[Bozo]

Anybody can win with talent or recruits.
Good coaches win year in and year out with the kids that they develop which is what the coaches above do.
Good programs very seldom have a bad season and they are always competitive.

[trojandave]

Coach Eugene Collins of Portsmouth has averaged 15 wins a year in 12 years despite currently having 3 straight losing seasons. Portsmouth is a school with very little competitive balance numbers and transfers and that is evident by the present situation. Collins record since taking over in 2009-2010:

2009-2010: 12-7 Lost in the sectional final to Lucasville Valley 63-62
2010-2011: 21-5 State Final 4 lost in the semifinals to Cleveland Central Catholic 58-47
2011-2012: 24-3 State Final 4 lost in the state championship game to Cincinnati Summit Country Day 53-37
2012-2013: 10-13 Lost in the sectional final to Wheelersburg 45-42
2013-2014: 19-5 Lost in the district championship to 24-3 Lucasville Valley 58-55
2014-2015: 20-7 Lost in the regional final to Columbus Eastmoor 49-45
2015-2016: 16-8 Lost in the sectional final to Eastern Brown 72-58
2016-2017: 17-8 Lost in the district semifinal to South Point 59-42
2017-2018: 16-8 Lost in the sectional final to Lynchburg Clay 47-42
2018-2019: 8-16 Lost in the sectional to Adena 57-54
2019-2020: 10-13 Lost in the sectional final to Eastern Brown 64-32
2020-2021: 8-12 Lost in the sectional final to Fairland 85-47

Totals: 181-105, 5 sectional titles, 3 district titles, 2 regional titles, 2 Final 4's, 1 state runnerup, 2 SEOAL titles, 1 OVC title, 5-1 regional tournament record. His 12 year tenure is the 2nd longest in Portsmouth history.

Portsmouth is the last SE district school to have won a game in the Final 4, that being in 2012 listed above.

One note that stands out about Collins is that he took over the Trojans in the 2010 season after PHS had 7 straight losing seasons, and he immediately turned the program around with a 12-7 record.

A salute to all the coaches who have persevered through a lot of stress and long hours/years doing something that they love to do.

[avalanche]

Norm Persin at Chesapeake averaged 20+ wins a season for 20 years. Also had two undefeated 20-0 regular seasons.

Totally respect coach Combs accomplishment