TVC State History 2006-2014
Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2021 7:39 pm
TVC History
Did you know for two-and-a-half decades after Nelsonville-York won a football state championship in 1981, the TVC did not have much to brag about in terms of success at the state level? But that all changed in 2006 when the Alexander volleyball team made a run to the state tournament before losing to eventual state champion Anna in the semi-finals. The Alexander Spartans girls basketball team then made the state tournament that winter and fell to Delphos St. John in the D3 semi-finals. Since the 2006/2007 season the league has enjoyed incredible success at both the state and regional level, which is still going strong today after the Vinton County and Waterford girls basketball teams punched their ticket to the 2021 state tournament last week.
After the girls hoops team made it to Columbus in ‘07, the Alexander volleyball team took it one step further in the fall by finishing as state runner-up when they lost to Lima Central Catholic in the DIII state championship game. The heartbreaking loss served as a great learning experience, however, as Alexander stormed though the competition in 2008 and won the TVC’s first state championship in 26 years by dominating Gilmour Academy in 3 sets in the finals. Before the 2010 season the TVC-Hocking invited Wahama into the league and the White Falcons didn’t disappoint by going (13-0) on the gridiron before losing to Wheeling Central Catholic in the Class A West Virginia state championship game. In the fall of 2011 a Howie Caldwell led Eastern volleyball team qualified for the state tournament and went an impressive (27-0) before losing in 4 sets to Tuscarawas Central Catholic in the DIV semi-finals. One year later in 2012 the Wahama football team capped off a (30-0) regular season run with the school’s first ever state championship by defeating Madonna 43-42 in one of the state’s most thrilling title games ever. Trailing 42-41 in overtime, legendary coach Ed Cromley opted to go for the two point conversion and got it when 3-year starter Trenton Gibbs faked a handoff and waltzed into the end zone for the Class A title. Just a few months later the Eastern Lady Eagles made their first basketball state tournament appearance, but lost in the 2013 DIV semi-finals to Berlin Hiland.
In the fall of 2013 the Trimble Tomcats shocked a lot of football fans up north by defeating Western Reserve in the state semi-finals, which earned them a trip the DVII state championship game where they’d fall to Marion Local at Paul Brown Stadium in Massillon. That same school year, Jenna Burdette and the Eastern Eagles made their return trip to the girls basketball state tournament, only this time they’d capture the hardware by beating Rosecrans 49-38 in the 2014 DIV state championship. There is no doubt this time frame between 2012-2014 was just an incredible time to be a fan of high school sports and fans of teams in the TVC. In the fall of 2014, after two straight regional final losses in football, the Athens Bulldogs finally broke through and defeated state power ASVSM in the state semi-finals to earn a trip to the DIII state championship game at the Horseshoe in Columbus, The Bulldogs, which scored the most points in Ohio high school football history, eventually suffered a heart wrenching 56-52 loss to Toledo Central Catholic. Trimble also played in a state semi-final that same season losing to Norwalk St. Paul at Mt. Vernon High School.
Just months after the Bulldogs state championship loss, the Waterford Wildcats began their miraculous run in girls basketball when they lost to Fort Loramie in the 2015 DIV state championship. The Lady Cats were just getting started though and made it back to the finals the following year and defeated St. Wendelin 29-27 to win the 2016 DIV girls basketball state championship. It would be the third overall state championship for the TVC-Hocking in just 5 years. Waterford returned to Columbus in 2017 and lost in the finals to Berlin Hiland – and again in 2018 where they’d lose to Minster in the semi-finals. The loss in 2018 ended a six-year streak of having a TVC-Hocking team at the state tournament girls basketball. Also during the remarkable stretch, the Waterford volleyball team made the state tournament in 2015, but lost in the semi-finals.
During Waterford’s 4 straight trips to the girls basketball state finals, the Wahama baseball team won two more state championships for the TVC by winning back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2016. 36 years after winning a state championship in football, the Nelsonville-York football team made its way back to the state-semifinals before losing to Kirtland in 2017. One year later the Trimble Tomcats made their 2nd appearance in a state championship where they’d lose to McComb in the 2018 DVII title game at Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton. In 2020 the Alexander soccer team lost in the DII state semi-finals to Tipp City.
This week at UD Arena in Dayton, the Vinton County Lady Vikings and Waterford Lady Wildcats will have their opportunity to add their names to the growing list of state champions or state runner up’s when the 2021 girls basketball state tournament get underway on Thursday.
All told, the TVC has won SIX state championships and finished runner-up SEVEN times in the last 14 years.
Master list:
2007: Alexander girls basketball – state semi-finalist
2007: Alexander volleyball – state runner-up
2008: Alexander volleyball – state champion
2010: Wahama football – state runner-up
2011: Eastern volleyball – state semi-finalist
2012: Wahama football – state champion
2013: Eastern girls basketball – state semi-finalist
2013: Trimble football – state runner-up
2014: Eastern girls basketball – state champion
2014: Athens football – state runner-up
2014: Trimble football – state semi-finalist
2015: Wahama baseball – state champion
2015: Waterford volleyball – state semi-finalist
2015: Waterford girls basketball – state runner-up
2016: Wahama baseball – state champion
2016: Waterford girls basketball – state champion
2017: Waterford girls basketball – state runner-up
2017: Nelsonville-York football – state semi-finalist
2018: Trimble football – state runner up
2018: Waterford girls basketball – state semi-finalist
2020: Alexander soccer – state semi-finalist
2021: Waterford girls basketball –
2021: Vinton County gils basketball
Did you know for two-and-a-half decades after Nelsonville-York won a football state championship in 1981, the TVC did not have much to brag about in terms of success at the state level? But that all changed in 2006 when the Alexander volleyball team made a run to the state tournament before losing to eventual state champion Anna in the semi-finals. The Alexander Spartans girls basketball team then made the state tournament that winter and fell to Delphos St. John in the D3 semi-finals. Since the 2006/2007 season the league has enjoyed incredible success at both the state and regional level, which is still going strong today after the Vinton County and Waterford girls basketball teams punched their ticket to the 2021 state tournament last week.
After the girls hoops team made it to Columbus in ‘07, the Alexander volleyball team took it one step further in the fall by finishing as state runner-up when they lost to Lima Central Catholic in the DIII state championship game. The heartbreaking loss served as a great learning experience, however, as Alexander stormed though the competition in 2008 and won the TVC’s first state championship in 26 years by dominating Gilmour Academy in 3 sets in the finals. Before the 2010 season the TVC-Hocking invited Wahama into the league and the White Falcons didn’t disappoint by going (13-0) on the gridiron before losing to Wheeling Central Catholic in the Class A West Virginia state championship game. In the fall of 2011 a Howie Caldwell led Eastern volleyball team qualified for the state tournament and went an impressive (27-0) before losing in 4 sets to Tuscarawas Central Catholic in the DIV semi-finals. One year later in 2012 the Wahama football team capped off a (30-0) regular season run with the school’s first ever state championship by defeating Madonna 43-42 in one of the state’s most thrilling title games ever. Trailing 42-41 in overtime, legendary coach Ed Cromley opted to go for the two point conversion and got it when 3-year starter Trenton Gibbs faked a handoff and waltzed into the end zone for the Class A title. Just a few months later the Eastern Lady Eagles made their first basketball state tournament appearance, but lost in the 2013 DIV semi-finals to Berlin Hiland.
In the fall of 2013 the Trimble Tomcats shocked a lot of football fans up north by defeating Western Reserve in the state semi-finals, which earned them a trip the DVII state championship game where they’d fall to Marion Local at Paul Brown Stadium in Massillon. That same school year, Jenna Burdette and the Eastern Eagles made their return trip to the girls basketball state tournament, only this time they’d capture the hardware by beating Rosecrans 49-38 in the 2014 DIV state championship. There is no doubt this time frame between 2012-2014 was just an incredible time to be a fan of high school sports and fans of teams in the TVC. In the fall of 2014, after two straight regional final losses in football, the Athens Bulldogs finally broke through and defeated state power ASVSM in the state semi-finals to earn a trip to the DIII state championship game at the Horseshoe in Columbus, The Bulldogs, which scored the most points in Ohio high school football history, eventually suffered a heart wrenching 56-52 loss to Toledo Central Catholic. Trimble also played in a state semi-final that same season losing to Norwalk St. Paul at Mt. Vernon High School.
Just months after the Bulldogs state championship loss, the Waterford Wildcats began their miraculous run in girls basketball when they lost to Fort Loramie in the 2015 DIV state championship. The Lady Cats were just getting started though and made it back to the finals the following year and defeated St. Wendelin 29-27 to win the 2016 DIV girls basketball state championship. It would be the third overall state championship for the TVC-Hocking in just 5 years. Waterford returned to Columbus in 2017 and lost in the finals to Berlin Hiland – and again in 2018 where they’d lose to Minster in the semi-finals. The loss in 2018 ended a six-year streak of having a TVC-Hocking team at the state tournament girls basketball. Also during the remarkable stretch, the Waterford volleyball team made the state tournament in 2015, but lost in the semi-finals.
During Waterford’s 4 straight trips to the girls basketball state finals, the Wahama baseball team won two more state championships for the TVC by winning back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2016. 36 years after winning a state championship in football, the Nelsonville-York football team made its way back to the state-semifinals before losing to Kirtland in 2017. One year later the Trimble Tomcats made their 2nd appearance in a state championship where they’d lose to McComb in the 2018 DVII title game at Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton. In 2020 the Alexander soccer team lost in the DII state semi-finals to Tipp City.
This week at UD Arena in Dayton, the Vinton County Lady Vikings and Waterford Lady Wildcats will have their opportunity to add their names to the growing list of state champions or state runner up’s when the 2021 girls basketball state tournament get underway on Thursday.
All told, the TVC has won SIX state championships and finished runner-up SEVEN times in the last 14 years.
Master list:
2007: Alexander girls basketball – state semi-finalist
2007: Alexander volleyball – state runner-up
2008: Alexander volleyball – state champion
2010: Wahama football – state runner-up
2011: Eastern volleyball – state semi-finalist
2012: Wahama football – state champion
2013: Eastern girls basketball – state semi-finalist
2013: Trimble football – state runner-up
2014: Eastern girls basketball – state champion
2014: Athens football – state runner-up
2014: Trimble football – state semi-finalist
2015: Wahama baseball – state champion
2015: Waterford volleyball – state semi-finalist
2015: Waterford girls basketball – state runner-up
2016: Wahama baseball – state champion
2016: Waterford girls basketball – state champion
2017: Waterford girls basketball – state runner-up
2017: Nelsonville-York football – state semi-finalist
2018: Trimble football – state runner up
2018: Waterford girls basketball – state semi-finalist
2020: Alexander soccer – state semi-finalist
2021: Waterford girls basketball –
2021: Vinton County gils basketball