By Mark Carpenter
People’s Defender
The legend of Coach Dave Young continued recently as Coach Young was posthumously inducted into the District 14 Basketball Coaches Hall of fame. The presentation took place on March 22 at the District 14 All-Star Games in Waverly, with Coach Young’s wife Nancy accepting the award, presented by District 14 Basketball Director Josh Arey.
A press release from Arey stated that, “It is my great honor and privilege to welcome Coach Young into an elite circle of his peers that includes many of his contemporaries during his time as the head boys’ basketball coach at North Adams High School. This is a well-deserved and long overdue honor that not only celebrates Coach Young’s achievements on the basketball court but most importantly the lasting impact he had on his former players and the community of Seaman.”
The late Dave Young coached varsity basketball for 27 seasons, 24 of them at North Adams High School. During this time his teams had amazing success which includes: Over 400 varsity wins, Two 20-0 Regular Seasons, 10 SHAC League Titles, 17 Sectional Championships, three Southeast District Championships and one Regional Title in (1996).
Dave was selected as Coach of the Year nine times in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference, was four- time District 14 Coach of the Year, and two-time Southeast District Coach of the Year. He was also selected as the 2009 Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association Division III Coach of the Year. Dave is also a member of the North Adams athletic Hall of Fame. Sadly Coach Young passed away. in 2012.
Also honored at the District 14 All Star Games were the inaugural recipients of the Southeast District Official of the Year and the honorees were familiar faces to Adams County basketball fans- Keith Throckmorton and Rod Nichols.
Throckmorton, or “Throck” as he is known, is a graduate of Northwest High School. Keith has officiated basketball for 24 years. He has worked over 170 tournament games at the Sectional and District level for both boys and girls. Keith has received a regional assignment for 14 straight years (11 boys and 3 girls) and has officiated two State Championship games for boys and girls basketball. Additionally, he has been selected to work three North-South All Star games, and is currently assigned in nine leagues that include the Cincinnati and Dayton areas.
A Piketon alumnus, Rod Nichols has officiated basketball for 35 years. During this time at the girls level he has worked 45 Sectional games, 40 at the District level, three regionals, and one state final. His boys basketball resume includes 85 Sectional games, 90 District level contests, 25 straight regional appearances, six state semi-finals, and three boys state championships. Additionally, Rod has worked two North/South and Ohio-Kentucky All Star games, and four District All Star games. As is his partner Throckmorton, Nichols is also currently assigned in nine different leagues that reach to the Cincinnati and Dayton areas.