DON McCORMACK
Bob Walters didn’t do it. Nor did Gene Gephart, Ramon Pete, Big Jim Hood, Tom Hill, David Benton nor Deora Marsh.
In fact, none of the many great players in the storied boys basketball history at Ashtabula High School managed to do it.
But Emilio Parks has — and he entered an exclusive club that includes only former Harbor High School standouts John Coleman, Andy Juhola, Joe Rich, Fred Scruggs, Jemal Harris and Todd Estok.
Emilio and the six Mariners (sounds like a rock band, huh?) are the only boys basketball players in the history of Ashtabula Area City Schools to become Grand Players by reaching the 1,000 mark for career points, Parks having walked through that door in Lakeside’s Premier Athletic Conference victory against visiting South last night at Lakeside Gymnasium.
When one stops and considers that both Ashtabula and Harbor played boys hoops from basically 1900 through the 1999-2000 season and were consolidated into Lakeside for the start of the 2000-01 season and only six guys had done what Parks did last night, one realizes the rarefied air which he breathes.
Comparatively speaking, four Ashtabula girls players — Diane Davis, Eleanor Young, Angela Miller and Jessica Cancel — and three Harbor girls — Roberta Cevera, Chris Fitting and Tonya Tallbacka — are all Grand Players.
The greatest scorer in the nine-year history of Lakeside basketball is Darrah Smith, a 2008 LHS graduate, who poured in 1,224 points in a four-season career that began as a freshman for coach Mike Hassett and finished with three seasons for current Lakeside coach Rob Livingston.
All of which only magnifies the level of excellence Emilio Parks reached last night.
He is the 35th boys player in Ashtabula County history to become a Grand Player and the 58th boys or girls player in county history to do so.
Mighty Mike
Speaking of Hassett, who is still the best official of junior-varsity basketball these eyes have seen, his smiling face hasn’t been seen in area gymnasiums the past several weeks.
Turns out, he had knee surgery back on Jan. 15 and what began as a simple procedure turned into a bit more than that when two bone fragments — not to mention a torn medial cruciate ligament — were found.
Which has Hassett, one of the most affable guys around, a tad bit discouraged.
“I’m not event allowed to go up and down stairs yet,” he admitted. “I have a greater appreciation for any athlete who’s had knee surgery.
“I do not know how anyone could come back from a torn ACL!”
Get well soon, Mike.
Put on your favorite ballad by Kiss and think positive thoughts.
The game needs you.
McCormack is the sports editor of the Star Beacon. Reach him at donmac@suite224.net.
