Page 9 - Dresden Buzz 08-09-24

AUGUST 9 - 22, 2024 SPORTS | PAGE 9
jokes, “he scored 10 points a game for
us his senior year; but it was his hustle,
rebounding and defense that helped us
win ballgames,” stated Longaberger.
“I always put Jim on the best offen-
sive player of any team we were play-
ing,” said Longaberger. And more often
than not, Jim would not only hold the
player below his average, but somehow
outscore him as well.”
Conrad led the team in rebounding
his senior year – with Tom Miller – aver-
aging 14 rebounds a game, and is also
in the TV Basketball history books as
the school’s first Most Valuable Player in
basketball.

Mark Williams Four of his best teams were perhaps numerous Sectional and District titles
a pair of ‘back-to-backers’ so to speak, and the school’s only Regional cham-
And it did for Williams, who led the as the 1968-69 and 1969-70 teams, pionship and Final Four appearance in
newly formed Scottie hoopsters in scor- and 1979-80 and 1980-81 teams en- 1981. Longaberger is quick to acknowl-
ing his senior year during the 1966-67 joyed notable success with boatloads of edge how fortunate his life on the hard-
inaugural season for Tri-Valley basket- talent. “Those were some great Tri-Val- wood has been.
ball, scoring a team-high 218 points, ley teams,” stated the coach. Longaberger is a charter member of
while averaging nearly 12 points a Longaberger is an admitted dino- the TVHS Athletic Hall of Fame, a mem-
game, and making the most foul shots saur when it comes to basketball these ber of the TVHS Hall of Distinction, and
at the highest percentage as well for days. “I don’t watch much basketball an OHSAA Coaches Basketball Hall of
the Scotties, clad in their new colors these days; the game hasn’t passed me Fame member as well.
….black-and-gold! by, but it’s just changed so much,” he “First and foremost, I was blessed
“I’ll admit, says Williams, “although says. with a wonderful wife – Jo Anne – and
we all tried to make the best of every- “I can remember a few teams I had three great daughters, Holly, Heather,
thing, it was a learning process chang- over the years, that I felt it necessary to and Heidi,” states Longaberger.
ing from our old Jefferson school colors not even have a basketball in the gym “But my good luck continued when I
orange and black, to the new Tri-Valley the first week of practice,” he stated. was fortunate enough to start my teach-
black and gold.” Jim Conrad “We would just work on fundamentals ing and coaching career with two of the
Williams also had a historic first for – footwork, pics, screens and cuts, mov- best administrators I’ve ever met, Nor-
Tri-Valley boys basketball, according to And speaking of history, Conrad ing without the ball, blocking out, and bert Kurtz and Jack Anderson.
Scottie hoops guru – and 1971 gradu- also excelled in another sport at TVHS DEFENSE. Those days are gone,” Longa- And for the Tri-Valley Scottie basket-
ate – Randy Lincicome, whose most ac- – Track and Field, where he is in the berger said. ball program, their decades long run of
curately archived records indicate that history books as well as Tri-Valley High The decorated Hall of Fame coach’s successes have been due - in no small
Mark scored the first official basket for School’s first Muskingum Valley League 22-year stint as Jayhawk and Scottie part - to the firm foundation formed by
Tri-Valley boys basketball, with a two- individual champion in any sport, win- hoops skipper includes a 1964 Class A the early Scotties and a coach who was
pointer in TV’s first official game – a 56- ning the two-mile run at the 1967 MVL state title with the Jefferson Jayhawks, a a teacher of the game.
54 win over Philo. Meet, and setting seven stadium re- career mark of 342 wins, six MVL titles,
Williams (who was also Tri-Valley’s cords along the way at meets his senior
first Homecoming King in the fall of season.
1966, escorting TVHS’s first Homecom- For his accomplishments – on the
ing Queen Sally Baker) also made an basketball court and track – Conrad was
‘about face’ after high school into the inducted into the TVHS Athletic Hall of
military, serving in the U.S. Army as an Fame in 2016.
infantryman in the heat of the Vietnam The modest Conrad, known for his
War from 1969-71. His most noted mili- hustle, discipline, and quiet manner
tary tour, along the Cambodian border, (and for also diving off the playing floor
saw Williams injured from enemy fire into the orchestra pit at Secrest Audito-
twice (Two Purple Hearts) and also saw rium for loose balls) sums up his playing
the 1967 TVHS graduate awarded with days best when he simply states, “I just
three Bronze Stars with valor. did my job.”
Of note in recent years – most recent Any talk of TVHS – and Jefferson
in fact – were the efforts of Williams, Jayhawk – basketball would be incom-
and his wife Jeanne, to secure (with pub- plete without mention of of the original
lic donations) a large U.S. American Flag leader of the band, Coach Rich Longa-
that is affixed near the ceiling of the berger.
TVHS gymnasium, and lowered for the Longaberger, now 87 years old,
playing of the national anthem, at home still has that gleam in his eye when he
volleyball, and boys and girls basketball speaks of former teams and former
games during their respective games. players.
“We raised over $11,000 in donations
from the public, and that’s a testament
to our local community, and the pride
they have in our school district, and
community,” states Williams.
A third member of the select ‘Last
Jayhawk-First Scottie’ fraternity is 1967
TVHS graduate Jim Conrad. Conrad was
the ‘right player at the right time’ for
both the 1965-66 Jefferson Jayhawk
and first TVHS Scottie basketball team
of 1966-67, according to head coach
Rich Longaberger.
“Jim was one of the best defensive
players and rebounders I ever coached,”
said the legendary and Hall of Fame
Coach Longaberger.
Conrad was one of the original TV
Scottie ‘garbage men’ in basketball
terms, and that’s a compliment.
“Jim would do what others wouldn’t,”
explained Longaberger. “He wasn’t a
natural shooter, but would hustle and
scrap for everything he could get,” says Rich Longaberger
Longaberger. “Somehow,” Longaberger