Fall is special for several reasons, but for student athletes, there is nothing more exciting than the return of fall sports. And because Pickerington North and Central high schools house nine fall sports programs each, Tiger and Panther pride was abundant.
Fall is highlighted by high school football and no community embraces the spirit of neighborhood rivalries quite like Pickerington. With a pair of head-to-head match-ups this season, one in the regular season followed by a postseason rematch, fans got double the action on a year that saw Central pull off back-to-back victories.
These two victories from Central will be the last over rival North for longtime coach Jay Sharrett. Sharrett has been at the helm for 20 years, bringing numerous Tiger victories over North and sporting an incredible 211-42 overall record.
“Coach Jay Sharrett has been instrumental in developing the Pickerington Central Tiger football program into the powerhouse that it is today,” says Pickerington Central Athletic Director Lisa Morelli. “He is an exceptional head coach as well as a great leader and mentor to the young men in Pickerington.”
Sharrett brought Tiger pride to new heights with the Division I State Championship title in 2017 and 2019. And though the rivalry between the high schools is fierce, it’s still friendly.
“Jay helped make Pickerington synonymous with football across Ohio and the entire Midwest,” says Pickerington North football coach Nate Hillerich. “We wish Jay a happy retirement and congratulate him on a Hall of Fame career.”
Support from the local community and the student body is the backbone of success in athletics. Pickerington North’s athletic department has committed to bridging the gap between its student athletes and the young children in the community that look up to them. Youth camps are held annually for most sports, giving the student athletes the chance to mentor young athletes in their community. Athletic Director Colin Beeline believes they create a lasting experience for the kids.
“(Our) coaches do a really good job of trying to connect with the youth organizations. I think that’s something that is important and they do as well,” Beeline says.
North’s football team hosted a youth night during their game against Westland High School. It was a chance for participants to step on the field for the first time and watch the Panthers warm up.
North capitalized on the incredible support they’ve cultivated throughout the year. These included three Ohio Capital Conference (OCC) Ohio Division titles in boys’ cross country, girls’ soccer and girls’ volleyball.
Girls’ volleyball saw a handful of records broken this season. Junior Katie Honaker broke both the record for aces in a single game and a single season. Meanwhile, Kyleigh Bryant broke the school record for career digs while securing the player of the year honor in the OCC.
Pickerington Central tasted success of its own as it brought home five OCC Buckeye Division titles in the fall. Highlighted by the success of the football program, the fall season was also fruitful for boys’ golf as they secured an OCC title highlighted by two student athletes with first-team OCC honors, Cody Widener and Jace Belcher.
Boys’ soccer was proud to bring home a title and a handful of postseason rewards with Jack Henry taking the honors as OCC Player of the Year along with Brett Niederman selected as OCC Coach of the Year.
The success in the fall spread throughout the programs as the OCC Buckeye Division Champions in girls’ volleyball featured co-OCC Players of the Year Amari Walker and Myriah Massey. The team was able to reach the district finals behind the leadership of OCC Coach of the Year Jeannie Krueger.
Girls’ cross country was able to bring even more Tiger pride to Pickerington with an OCC Buckeye Division title, which saw Amber Carter qualify for the Ohio High School Athletic Association championship. Carter finished 23rd and was recognized with All-Ohio and All-Academic Ohio honors.
On the heels of a successful fall in Pickerington, the community has turned its attention to winter sports programs. Schedules for all winter sports programs can be found online at the school’s athletic department website, which can be found below.
Aaron Gilliam is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
