SoutheasternOhioPreps.com

Waverly's Downtown Arena (Hawhee's Palace) by far the best in the SOC 2. As nice as the "new gyms" are, even Waverly's, none compare to this classic.

there is no contest the Northwest Mohawks and the Mohawk Maniacs have the best gym in Scioto County!

Incognito wrote:When I was in high school at Minford, for a few games we were allowed to have the cheerblock on the stage directly behind one of the rims. Everything was fine until I believe one of the opposing coaches complained and we had to move. Werent allowed back on the stage after that....

Those were the good days....lol....Anyway, best gym in the S.O.C. goes to Minford. And, if we are talking overall size, not seating capacity, Minford has the largest gym in Scioto County according to Wikipedia. But, best gym non-SOC to me goes to Portsmouth.

I have to go with Eastern. Newer facilities, great atmosphere, and it's hard to win there. Western also has a very nice gym. It's one of my favorite places to go and watch a game.

1. Northwest-biggest and best
2. Valley-slightly smaller version of NW, louder
3. Waverly-horrible locker rooms.
4. Webster-vistors side is lacking
5. Minford-see #4
6. Oak Hill-nothing fancy, just ok
7. West-see #4 & 5, no atmosphere at all.
8. Wheelersburg, yes I know its new.

Waverly is by far the nicest gym in the league. Everyone has tried to copy what is there but no one will ever have one nicer.

SOC II
Based on lighting:
Wheelersburg
Northwest
South Webster (when they turn on all the lights)
Valley (it seems like they changed their type of bulbs they used--used to be much better)
West
Waverly (old Gym)
Oak Hill
Minford
Waverly (new gym)

Honestly, I have not been to all the SOC I gyms. Notre Dame was the best of those that I have been to. Green, New Boston and Clay I have found to be very dark places during games. Green still had more lights they could have turned on though--over the bleachers--and that would have helped. Same case exists for Minford and Waverly (new gym)--they never seem to turn on all their lights.

the_claw wrote:I have to go with Eastern. Newer facilities, great atmosphere, and it's hard to win there. Western also has a very nice gym. It's one of my favorite places to go and watch a game.

i have to disagree with you about eastern. have you even SEEN the amount of stands that they give their opposing fans?!? then most of the time, instead of staying on there own side, the eagle fans come and take up OUR side. pretty rude id have say. i WILL agree with ya about whs!

the eagle fans come and take up OUR side.

Do you pay taxes in the Eastern district?

jumpman,
no i sure dont. but i think if you asked anyone on here theyd say its just common courtesy to give the opposing team plenty of seating. especially if it was a brand new gym. now i can understand if it was an smaller, older school, but its not. if im going to go out and build a new school, im gonna make sure i have plenty funds to at least give the gym decent seating. everyone from pike county knows that eastern and western's top sport is boys basketball, so why not use some of that revenue to make your place better? oh, and i didnt mean "OUR" side like WE own it or anything. maybe i should have said the "visitors" side. that make it better?

thecinderellapick wrote:jumpman,
no i sure dont. but i think if you asked anyone on here theyd say its just common courtesy to give the opposing team plenty of seating. especially if it was a brand new gym. now i can understand if it was an smaller, older school, but its not. if im going to go out and build a new school, im gonna make sure i have plenty funds to at least give the gym decent seating. everyone from pike county knows that eastern and western's top sport is boys basketball, so why not use some of that revenue to make your place better? oh, and i didnt mean "OUR" side like WE own it or anything. maybe i should have said the "visitors" side. that make it better?

THE WORKERS THAT BUILT AND DESIGNED OUR SCHOOL KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING...
they gave enough room for our visititing teams fans..
ive only seen a cuople times when there wasnt enough room..
and that would be homecoming and huge games like the year b4 last when we BEAT western to tie the s.o.c. but our fans honestly have an average amount of space..

One thing great about Waverly's downtown arena that the others do not have is equal seating on both sides (and plenty of it) - Great for tournaments, one reason the OHSAA picks Waverly to hold Boys D3 Sectionals and Girls D3 Districts.

The locker rooms are not terrible, just aged. Remember, it was built in the early 70's. The facility could use some refurbishing but it is still the best around.

Ive been to all the gyms in both soc's except for Wheelersburg's new gym and the answer to the question is Waverly's old gym hands down. Good atmosphere and Great for tournament games.

J-Bird wrote:Ive been to all the gyms in both soc's except for Wheelersburg's new gym and the answer to the question is Waverly's old gym hands down. Good atmosphere and Great for tournament games.

I agree J-bird. Waverly's old gym is top notch, at least the floor and seating.

As to the comments about eagles fans invading the visitor side to sit, I have always questioned that practice as well (regardless of their tax dollars)? I always thought they should be unified on the home team side so that they can help route our team on!

I KNOW MOST OF YOU WILL NEVER SEE IT....THEY'RE NOT IN THE SOC....HELL, THEY'RE NOT EVEN IN OHIO...BUT IF YOU GET A CHANCE, YOU NEED TO CHECK OUT RACELAND HIGH SCHOOLS GYM......ITS EMACULATE....UNREAL.......THE BEST I'VE BEEN IN AROUND HERE.

Don't think Wheelersburg's new gym is anything special..home side bleachers don't impress me much figured it would be much larger.. the one thing they have going for them is bleachers behind backboard, other than that nothing special.

burggrad1986 wrote:I KNOW MOST OF YOU WILL NEVER SEE IT....THEY'RE NOT IN THE SOC....HELL, THEY'RE NOT EVEN IN OHIO...BUT IF YOU GET A CHANCE, YOU NEED TO CHECK OUT RACELAND HIGH SCHOOLS GYM......ITS EMACULATE....UNREAL.......THE BEST I'VE BEEN IN AROUND HERE.

yeah it is I have been there and played there in a scrimmage and it is great

burggrad1986 wrote:I KNOW MOST OF YOU WILL NEVER SEE IT....THEY'RE NOT IN THE SOC....HELL, THEY'RE NOT EVEN IN OHIO...BUT IF YOU GET A CHANCE, YOU NEED TO CHECK OUT RACELAND HIGH SCHOOLS GYM......ITS EMACULATE....UNREAL.......THE BEST I'VE BEEN IN AROUND HERE.

do u have a link or anything to it???
i wouldnt mind seeing it if its that good.

When you take everything in consideration (seating, atmosphere, concession area, location, etc.....) I would think Waverly's downtown gym is the best.

all-time athlete wrote:

yabbadabbadoo wrote:Wheelersburg's new gym will be unique in that it will have a student sectiuon behind one of the baskets. Should be interesting to see how that plays out during a game. If it is done right, it could play a factor in the game. Kids at this level are not used to playing with a distraction right behind the basket like that.

personally i don't think at the high school level neither the students or the players are mature enough for a student section behind the baskets because the comments will come in crystal clear to the opposing team when they're taking the ball out or shooting free throws instead of muffled from the side...and im not saying all maybe even just or few or maybe it wont happen at all but i have a feeling that a wheelersburg student is going say something personal to an opposing team player and we could have an incident on our hands like northwest at webster a few years back!!

What you have just described has been going on for the past umpteen years...seriously there is always something that goes wrong and despite what people say the opposing cheerblocks will always cheer against the other team