In 1996, Valley View football coach Jay Niswonger said, 'There'sno better feeling than being in Tigertown and carrying the gold.'
On Monday, Niswonger returned to the football mecca of Massillonand interviewed for the Massillon Washington head coaching position.
In Saturday's Canton Repository, Niswonger was mentioned on theshort list of 'A' candidates for the high-profile job. The Tigersplay their home games at fabled Paul Brown Tiger Stadium. Niswongerneeds no tour of the facility -- he won three state titles there withthe Spartans in 1994, '96 and '97.
'What's nice about this situation is they sought me out,'Niswonger, 48, said Monday morning prior to his trip to northeastOhio.
'Landing this job would put an exclamation point on a storiedcareer. Sure, there is pressure and high expectations up there, butwho wouldn't want to coach there? You would be joining an impressivefraternity of past coaches that includes Paul Brown, Earle Bruce, LeeTressel and Bob Cummings.
'It's not that I'm unhappy here. We've created a monster at ValleyView and still have the ability to feed that monster and thetradition. It would be a great opportunity to keep another traditionalive. At Massillon I would be a keeper of the flame for a football-crazed community. That excites me.'
Since 1984 Niswonger has compiled a 202-43-1 record at Valley Viewand has ushered the Spartans to 12 playoff appearances in the last 13years with a playoff record of 23-6.
The other three candidates listed on the short list were Wadsworthhead coach Greg Dennison, Strongsville head coach Russ Jacques andformer Massillon offensive coordinator Tom Stacy.
Attendance has dropped considerably at Tigers' games -- 89,000 in1998 to less than 60,000 last year. On the heels of consecutive 4-6seasons, head coach Rick Shepas resigned to become a Division IIIcollege coach.
'I might freak them out when I tell (the selection committee) Ihaven't used a tight end since '87,' Niswonger said.
'I'm going to tell them I'm not going to do anything differentlythan I do here. I'm going to expose the football, not hide it. Ouroffense puts people in the seats.'
-- Ron Jackson
6 on South stars
Six area football standouts are ticketed for duty in the GrangeInsurance Ohio North-South Classic on Saturday, June 18 at ColumbusCrew Stadium.
Members of the South team include receiver Greg Orton (Wayne/Purdue), RB/DB Cedric Tolbert (Xenia/UC), WR/DB David Bruton(Miamisburg/Notre Dame), LB Austin Spitler (Bellbrook/OSU), OL KevinMahoney (Spg. North/BGSU) and DL Todd Denlinger (Troy/OSU).
Among head coach Karl Johnson's (Dublin Scioto) South assistantsis St. Henry coach Jeff Starkey.
This is the 60th year for the game, which moved from Canton toColumbus in 2001. Fourty-six of the 68 players have signed to playDivision I football, including eight OSU recruits. The teams willpractice that week only at Otterbein College. Fox Sports Net willtelevise the 7 p.m. game delayed.
For more info, see the Web site ohsfca.org.
-- Marc Pendleton
WC lands Seifert
Jason Seifert is the new girls basketball coach at WestCarrollton. He takes over for Gordy Gibson who had held the positionfor the past four years.
Siefert is a 1995 West Carrollton graduate and a fifth-gradeteacher at Harry Russell Elementary School. He is the Pirates' golfcoach and has been coaching boys junior high basketball inSpringboro.
-- Dave Long
