In the first game of the inaugural South Central Ohio League vs. Southern Hills League showdown it was the Washington Blue Lions who came out on top with converted free throws in the final minutes, as they rallied for a 70-61 victory over the Fairfield Lions Saturday night at the Southern State Patriot Center.

Outlining the history of the South Central Ohio Athletic League has been an interesting project. So far, we have covered the time period from 1923-68. The plan is to continue to about 2000. This week, though, I am taking a break from researching the history of the league to take a look at the relative values of high school athletics, and the influence of coaches on the kids who participate in their programs.

The Fairfield Lady Lions finished off a successful decade of Highland County athletics with a 44-42 non-league victory over the Paint Valley Lady Bearcats Wednesday night at Grandle Gymnasium, as this was the final sporting event in the county to finish off the first decade of the 21^st century.

The Fairfield Lady Lions finished off a successful decade of Highland County athletics with a 44-42 non-league victory over the Paint Valley Lady Bearcats Wednesday night at Grandle Gymnasium, as this was the final sporting event in the county to finish off the first decade of the 21^st century.

As stated in a previous column I said the Cincinnati Bengals were for real and they proved me correct by winning the AFC North this past weekend, and by finishing a perfect 6-0 in division play this season.

Greenfield's Danté Jackson and the Xavier Musketeers rolled to an 89-65 victory over the LSU Tigers Tuesday in a non-conference game at the Cintas Center.

In a game of ups and downs for both squads, the see-saw Highland County battle Tuesday night had a bit of everything mixed in, but it was the McClain Tigers who kept their poise, took the open shots and gained a 65-52 non-league win against Highland County rival Fairfield.

A benefit dinner will be held for the Kevin Fouch family Tuesday night before the Fairfield vs. McClain boys basketball game at Fairfield High School.

Hunters killed 19,900 deer on December 19-20, during the weekend of gun hunting, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. The extra weekend of gun hunting was first offered in 2006 in response to hunters' request for additional weekend days to pursue white-tailed deer, the state's number one big game animal. In 2008, hunters took 16,382 deer during those two days.

As the 1967-68 basketball season got under way, Coach Paul Hager returned for his second year at McClain and Vernon Hooper returned for his second year at Hillsboro.

Trivia question. You ready?
   In the almost 200 years of newspapers in Highland County, “who is the only person to be named sports editor in not one, but two newspapers, on the same day?”

Using perimeter defense to force the McClain Tigers to take shots at the basket with a defender pressuring them with each attempt, the Hillsboro Indians gained the South Central Ohio League win Wednesday night as they scored 17 or more points in each of the final three quarters for a 61-45 win over rival McClain High School.

Using perimeter defense to force the McClain Tigers to take shots at the basket with a defender pressuring them with each attempt, the Hillsboro Indians gained the South Central Ohio League win Wednesday night as they scored 17 or more points in each of the final three quarters for a 61-45 win over rival McClain High School.

The Hillsboro High School boys basketball program is forfeiting its first three victories due to the ineligibility of a