Courtesy of Pickerington North Quarterback Club
When school sports began for the 2021-22 school year, a semblance of normalcy felt almost abnormal after more than a year of pandemic-related isolation.
Eric Music, the athletic director at Pickerington High School Central, says the school’s teams have shown and continue to show impressive potential. This academic year in particular, he says, teams have seemed better prepared than in previous years, due in part to the pandemic. Music sees a renewed sense of excitement from student-athletes ready to return to regular play.
“We feel like we’re moving forward,” he says. “I think that a lot of the kids have a lot better prepared this year.”
Student-athletes in Pickerington have exhibited an exceptional drive as COVID-19 restrictions lifted and sports could return to more typical activities.
The Central boys golf team rode that energy to its third straight OCC-Buckeye Division title while the boys soccer team took home a second consecutive division title. The girls volleyball team at Central also notched an OCC-Buckeye Division title.
Spring is Coming
The two high schools hope to continue their fall successes through winter sports and into spring. Music anticipates strong showings from the Central boys and girls bowling teams, the boys team having earned its first win over North in the school’s history last year. Come spring, the North boys track and field team will look for repeat success after taking home the OHSAA Division 1 state title in 2021.
Courtesy of Mary Jo Carlisle
At Pickerington High School North, the boys golf team tied with Grove City for the OCC-Ohio Division title.
For many, the seasons have felt like making up lost time.
“It was nice to be able to enjoy some of the moments that were taken away here before,” Nate Hillerich, head football coach at North, says, “being in the locker rooms, being able to have team meetings and just the bonding that comes with playing a sport and being part of the team.”
Whether due to a renewed feeling of teamwork or just a well-played season, the North football team beat Pickerington High School Central for the first time since 2013. Central was ranked 25th in the country at the time, Hillerich says, and North was their only upset for the season.
However, even between teams who make up one of the best-known rivalries in the area and compete against each other in the playoffs, there is an element of kinship.
“Everybody cares about the Pickerington rivalry because these kids grew up playing together,” Hillerich says. “You know, they played in Little League together, so they’re friends.”
The Central football team went on to defeat North when the two teams met during the playoffs. Central finished as regional runner-up after a loss to Upper Arlington.
Both Central and North also had exceptional showings by their girls cross country teams, both of which progressed to the state level meet.
For Jim Langenderfer, head coach for the girls cross country team at North, coaching a team during a pandemic presented unique challenges.
“We’re going to study this thing for decades to come,” Langenderfer says. “It was something to deal with because some- times somebody in a family would get it, sometimes somebody in class would have it. We had girls on the team at times who would be quarantined with it, and it always just kind of makes everybody nervous.”
Now that groups are able to gather with slightly more ease than a year ago, Langenderfer says bonding experiences such as the team’s annual summer camping trip, canceled the previous two years, are back on the table. He says that trips and similar activities for other high school teams are an important part of sports.
“There’s a lot of ways to be successful, and in cross country, it’s more than just a win-loss record,” Langenderfer says. “I think high school sports should be that, you know, more than wins and losses.”
Off-season football workouts that be- gan in January, camping trips planned for the summer, and regular meets and games have allowed renewed team bonding after so much time apart. Langenderfer says appreciation for teammates and the opportunity to compete together is unlikely to fade anytime soon.
“They didn’t think they would ever be able to (return to regular high school competition) – and we still appreciate it a lot,” Langenderfer says. “I think it’s going to be that way for a while.”
Tess Wells is an editorial assistant. Feedback welcome at feedback@ cityscenemediagroup.com.
