The Highland boys’ basketball basketball will open their season Friday at home with Fredericktown in what is called the Highland Boys’ Basketball Throwback Game.

Head coach Christian Toombs was looking for a way to honor the rich history of the Highland Local School District. The decision was made to hold an annual throwback basketball game to honor each of the three former high schools that currently make up the Highland school system.

“It’s an honor to be able to celebrate the rich tradition of Highland basketball by paying respect to the schools that started it all,” said Toombs. “Our community is so generous in giving anything and everything that the schools need that the least we can do is pay honor to each school district that now makes up Highland Local Schools.”

In honor of the three school districts — Marengo, Sparta and Chesterville — the first home game of each year, the basketball team will wear specially designed uniforms to commemorate those schools.

This year, the Fighting Scots will wear replica Sparta High School uniforms. Next year will be Marengo High School and in 2023, the Scots will wear replica Chesterville High School uniforms in their home opener. Along with the replica jerseys, the game will be played in the middle school gymnasium, which served as the home court of the Scots from 1962-2012. In the fall of 2012, Highland High School moved into the new building which currently hosts grades 9-12.

“Our players have really bought into our IOD (It’s Our Duty) mantra to honor our past,” said Toombs. “We had a tremendous summer where we held an alumni league that brought back former players which were teamed up with our younger guys. The relationships that were formed by the past players with the current players is something that will always be there now. Everything we have is because of the players and coaches that were here before us.”

Highland seniors (l-r): Kadin Murta, Jordan Bellamy, Garrett Fitzpatrick and Rider Minnick show off the replica Sparta basketball jerseys that the boys’ basketball team will wear Friday when they have their home opener against Fredericktown.
https://www.morrowcountysentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2021/11/web1_Pic-4.jpgHighland seniors (l-r): Kadin Murta, Jordan Bellamy, Garrett Fitzpatrick and Rider Minnick show off the replica Sparta basketball jerseys that the boys’ basketball team will wear Friday when they have their home opener against Fredericktown. Courtesy Photo

Information received from Christian Toombs.