Coach Lafon and The Fighting Tigers

[Gus]

Would like to thank Coach Lafon and the young men of The Ironton Fighting Tigers Basketball Team. Coach and student athletes it has been a pleasure to watch you young men every Tuesday and Friday nights this past year. Some it has been a extreme pleasure to watch you the past four years!!!! This is a special group of fine men. I know we came up short but you are all still CHAMPIONS!!!! I know this is not the way you wanted this to end. But keep those heads up and be proud of your accomplishments!
Coach Lafon thank you for taking the time to lead these young men and do what you do for the community. You are a great coach and a great leader.
For the Seniors Good Luck and I hope you all succeed at your goals.
Under class men, lets get working and keep the tradition going! We will lose a great deal of talent. But beleive these young men are willing to step up and take over. They have had the privilege of playing with some of the best basketball players in the state of Ohio! Lets Get It!!!!!!

[Tjhtygeverve]

It was awesome to listen here in orlando!
Thank-you coach, team, fans, parents, cheerleaders, & pep band!!!

[scarlettandgreyhillboy]

Good to see Coach Lafon carrying on what Coach Zornes started.

[Eaglesnest]

Congrats on making it to the State!

[pembrook burrows III]

I have been hesitant to post anything since last Thursday just to let my feelings sort themselves out. Like most Ironton fans, it was a heartbreaking morning in Columbus. I have decided there may be no way I can ever figure this game out in my mind. Like the purpose of life, the essence of love, or the meaning of the universe, the outcome of Thursday's game may just have to remain shrouded in mystery to me forever. Maybe it's better that way.

One thing I do know, after watching these Ironton seniors perform over the past four years, they have left me with many wonderful memories. For that, I would like to thank each of them and Coach Lafon. You players grew up in a very public way, on a court with people screaming at you, with adult referees judging your actions, and with opposing peers trying to defeat you at every step. That can't be easy. Doing it as teenagers, which is a tough enough phase of life for anyone, made your growth all the more remarkable.

At times early on we saw you at your worst. In the end, though, we saw you at your best. That's when it counts. In the end. And you made us all proud to be from Ironton.

There are a lot of things I could say about the individual players I have watched on this team. Seniors Jalen Schweikart, Darrius Boykin, Josh Glover, Aaron Stephens, Trevor White, Trey Fletcher, and Zac Carter all shined when given the opportunity. We will never forget you, and we look forward to the day when you all come back to a game at the Conley Center to be introduced at halftime. Hopefully, each of you will be there watching some kid now in second grade carry on the tradition you helped fortify. Most of last Thursday's hurt will long be forgotten by then. It will be all smiles. A banner on the wall will symbolize our pride in you.

Before that day comes, I am certain that I will wake up some morning from a dream in which Zac has just blown past everyone on the court to make a layup with speed that just took everyone's breath away. Or I will be waiting in an airport for a late flight, but just can't get Trey's explosive spin move and soft left-handed basket out of my mind's eye. Or when a work deadline is looming, I'll think back to when Trev took the bulls by the horn again to bail us out of hot water with his toughness in the paint. Or I will be sitting on my deck one late summer evening, and could have sworn that I just heard Coach Lafon on the radio bragging, not about the Tigers' big win, but about how the players had matured and how the team's grade point avaerage had gone up to a 3.4!

Those memories will always be with me. Because they are all true. And they are all good.

Thanks, guys.

[ohbuckeye2]

Pembrook burrows III

WOW....What a great post, couldn't have said it better.

[86Tiger]

[quote="pembrook burrows III"]I have been hesitant to post anything since last Thursday just to let my feelings sort themselves out. Like most Ironton fans, it was a heartbreaking morning in Columbus. I have decided there may be no way I can ever figure this game out in my mind. Like the purpose of life, the essence of love, or the meaning of the universe, the outcome of Thursday's game may just have to remain shrouded in mystery to me forever. Maybe it's better that way.

One thing I do know, after watching these Ironton seniors perform over the past four years, they have left me with many wonderful memories. For that, I would like to thank each of them and Coach Lafon. You players grew up in a very public way, on a court with people screaming at you, with adult referees judging your actions, and with opposing peers trying to defeat you at every step. That can't be easy. Doing it as teenagers, which is a tough enough phase of life for anyone, made your growth all the more remarkable.

At times early on we saw you at your worst. In the end, though, we saw you at your best. That's when it counts. In the end. And you made us all proud to be from Ironton.

There are a lot of things I could say about the individual players I have watched on this team. Seniors Jalen Schweikart, Darrius Boykin, Josh Glover, Aaron Stephens, Trevor White, Trey Fletcher, and Zac Carter all shined when given the opportunity. We will never forget you, and we look forward to the day when you all come back to a game at the Conley Center to be introduced at halftime. Hopefully, each of you will be there watching some kid now in second grade carry on the tradition you helped fortify. Most of last Thursday's hurt will long be forgotten by then. It will be all smiles. A banner on the wall will symbolize our pride in you.

Before that day comes, I am certain that I will wake up some morning from a dream in which Zac has just blown past everyone on the court to make a layup with speed that just took everyone's breath away. Or I will be waiting in an airport for a late flight, but just can't get Trey's explosive spin move and soft left-handed basket out of my mind's eye. Or when a work deadline is looming, I'll think back to when Trev took the bulls by the horn again to bail us out of hot water with his toughness in the paint. Or I will be sitting on my deck one late summer evening, and could have sworn that I just heard Coach Lafon on the radio bragging, not about the Tigers' big win, but about how the players had matured and how the team's grade point avaerage had gone up to a 3.4!

Those memories will always be with me. Because they are all true. And they are all good.

Thanks, guys.[/quote]


WOW Pembrook you just made this Tiger Momma cry!! Thanks for your awesome post!!

[wildcards]

from what I was hearing in the stands there was a couple other parents crying .

[86Tiger]

[quote="Uncle Si"]from what I was hearing in the stands there was a couple other parents crying .[/quote]

I'm sure there was this has been an emotional ride for all of us. As Pembrook said we have a lot of good memories.

[ballrmom]

This IRONTON team is one of the best teams that i have seen in many years at IRONTON.And yes it is hard to let go when you have followed this team for years.It has been an awesome ride and this team has made us so proud and the memories we have will last a lifetime.To all the seniors we wish you the very best you are truly a class act and we will miss you on and off the court.THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES FROM ONE OF YOUR BIGGEST FANS BALLRMOM.

[Pocket Aces]

from what I was hearing in the stands there was a couple other parents crying .

Are you seriously going to passive-aggressively judge a parent/fan for showing emotion for their loved one/team when they are at the end of their season/possibly career?

Somebody needs to go listen to some Jimmy V (start at the 2:30 mark if you're pressed for time)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zE1TVwqiTYU

Congrats to Ironton on a great season and the seniors on fantastic careers. Hope to see you guys keep playing at the next level.

[sparky]

where are the ironton seniors playing next season?

[wildcards]

from what I was hearing in the stands there was a couple other parents crying .

Are you seriously going to passive-aggressively judge a parent/fan for showing emotion for their loved one/team when they are at the end of their season/possibly career?

Somebody needs to go listen to some Jimmy V (start at the 2:30 mark if you're pressed for time)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zE1TVwqiTYU

Congrats to Ironton on a great season and the seniors on fantastic careers. Hope to see you guys keep playing at the next level.

why dont YOU get a clue JACK!!

I was talking about the parents that was upset because their kids was forced to the stands to make room for some added coaches with big eggos .

GOOD NIP!!

[wildcards]

Good to see Coach Lafon carrying on what Coach Zornes started.

for carrying on?? he has carried anything yet this is all still a product of coache Zornes now what he does after this year will tell the tale of what kind of coach he really is.

[scarlettandgreyhillboy]

What are you talking about Uncle Si? Zornes made players sit in the stands? LOL, hard to coach them up there. You're silly

[ballrmom]

Come on people this is not about coach Zornes.It's about coaching staff and players at IRONTON that had an outstanding year.

[ohbuckeye2]

Good to see Coach Lafon carrying on what Coach Zornes started.

for carrying on?? he has carried anything yet this is all still a product of coache Zornes now what he does after this year will tell the tale of what kind of coach he really is.

If I'm not mistaken these Seniors were in the 5th grade or so when Coach Zornes left Ironton.

Congrats to Coach Lafon and Zac Carter, I see Coach Lafon was selected to Coach in the North/South All Star game and Zac Carter was selected to play in it.

http://www.irontontribune.com/2013/03/2 ... al-awards/

Ironton’s Carter, LaFon earn additional awards

Published 1:31am Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Comments
Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com


It has been an award-winning year for the Ironton Fighting Tigers Zac Carter and coach Mark LaFon.

And even though the season is over, the awards just keep coming.

Carter — a 5-foot-9 senior guard — added to his list of award by being voted the Ohio National Guard JJHuddle boys’ Division III Player of the Year during a three-week online voting window.

LaFon was the Associated Press Southeast District and Coaches’ District 13 Coach of the Year and named as coach for the annual North/South All-Star Game.

The Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association bestowed another honor by naming LaFon their Division III state Coach of the Year after guiding Ironton to a 23-3 record, a No. 3 ranking in the Associated Press poll and a berth in the state tournament Final Four.

Carter was the Southeast District Division III Player of the Year and a first team All-Ohio selection by the Associated Press. He was also the Coaches’ District 13 Div. III Player of the Year and selected to play in the North/South Game.

In online voting conducted by the Ohio National Guard and JJHuddle, Carter amassed 40,365 votes. Runner-up Doug Rasch of Bellbrook had 15,559 votes and Andrew Benontendi of Cincinnati Maderia was third with 12,824 votes.

Earlier this season, Carter was also voted the National Guard state Player of the Week when he scored 37 points in an 84-56 win over Spring Valley, W.Va., to give him 1,598 career points and break the old school record of 1,596 held by Dennis Gagai.

Ironton lost in the state semifinals 61-60 in overtime to Ottawa-Glandorf who went on to win the state championship by 21 points over Versailles.

[scarlettandgreyhillboy]

Well, that Uncle Si is talking crazy...acting like Zornes was so much better that he could coach kids who weren't even on the bench! that's crazy..he must be a trouble maker or kin to him?!

[wildcards]

Well, that Uncle Si is talking crazy...acting like Zornes was so much better that he could coach kids who weren't even on the bench! that's crazy..he must be a trouble maker or kin to him?!

no you are wrong only coach Lafoon can coach kids on the team that was not on the bench.

[scarlettandgreyhillboy]

what?! how did he do that?!