Basketball legacy

The 2000 women’s basketball team was the first sports team in Mason High School history to win a state championship title. MBC Overtime goes back down memory lane to unveil the legacy left behind fourteen years ago.

Cullen Ecoffey | MBC Reporter
Shaun Mitchell | MBC Reporter

 

Expectations

The team’s success in years prior brought lofty expectations for the next season. According to the 2000 team’s guard Jere Issenmann Clark, the expectations had been set before she even stepped foot in Mason High School.  At that time, the experienced players and  team chemistry were all present —  the only thing missing from the team’s resume was a state championship.

 

Goals

According to Trenz, “Everyone wants to win a state title.” With the end goal in mind, the team decided to take the rigorous process of getting to the state final at The Ohio State University’s Jerome Schottenstein Center game by game. They prepared for each opponent and each game with equal intensity.

Was the state championship always your goal?

 

Atmosphere

The atmosphere of Schottenstein Center was much different from the arena at Mason, with over 18,000 seats for a raging crowd to gather and cheer on the Comets. With parents and relatives sitting in the stands among college scouts and coaches, the Comets had a lot of pressure  to conquer the opposition and claim the elusive state championship — an atmosphere much different than the usual hometown crowd in the middle school arena.

 

Tunnel

Game day was a blur. According to these alumni, they didn’t get a chance to find their friends and family in the crowd or take in the overall scale of the game. They just had to focus on getting mentally prepared for the biggest game of their high school careers.

What was the game-day feeling like?

 

Nerves

 

Winning

According to Clark, their 2000 team had put in the work — all of the time spent on the court, staying after practice, spending the weekends at tournaments,  making sacrifices for the game — it seemed to be worth it after they finally won the championship they had all been striving for. When the clock got closer to zero, Clark said the excitement grew as the girls, with a double digit lead, were almost to the finish line.

 

After the girl’s dog-piled on the “O” of Schottenstein Center, they had to finally regroup themselves on last time, to be awarded their newly earned title. With the state championship trophy in their hands, and the medals around their necks, the girls could finally exhale, enjoy the moment, and call themselves champions.

Impact

Along with the on-court experiences , the state championship  has helped the players and coaches grow as individuals. For Lackey, the championship has helped him renew his love of coaching. According to Trenz, she learned lessons of leadership and teamwork, which are now helping her raise her family. Burke is back at Mason High School as a strength trainer and said she has the mentality of paying it forward to high school athletes. Clark is now a math teacher at Mason High School, teaching alongside her former coach — Lackey, and continues to help the girls basketball program grow as the varsity assistant coach.  Now as alumni, these three former teammates continue to stay and support the Mason community that once supported them in their own athletic experience in high school.

 

2000 championship game footage contributed by Gerald Lackey.

 

 

All in for Aidan

Jackie Osborne | MBC Reporter

In 2013, the Ides of March had never held such vengeance. One year ago, Mason High School freshman Aidan Glass was diagnosed with brain cancer.

“Happy new year!” his mom Lisa Glass wrote on her Facebook page last month.  “January 1 will never again be as meaningful to me as March 15. Last year, I sent the kids off to school that Friday with the following quote ‘Beware the Ides of March, kids!’ That was the day Aidan [was] diagnosed with a brain tumor.”

A tumor had made its home in the back of Aidan’s head, settling around the main motor function nerve on the right side of the brain. For the Glass family, the 15^th was a day filled with shock and confusion as they sat in the hospital room, waiting for answers.

 

Signs of a Tumor

Aidan’s tumor was most definitely sneaky.

Only 10 days before his diagnosis, did signals of motor function disconnect begin to show. On March 5, Aidan’s 8^th grade PE teacher, Andy Keimer called home and informed Aidan’s mom about his difficulty running and his repeated tendency to trip.

“Since it was Aidan’s first day of PE, thought he might have pulled a muscle,” Lisa said. “We did some stretches at home, but he didn’t complain about it.”

A week later, Lisa received another call from Aidan’s teacher, Jon Reichle, saying he had run into Aidan and wanted to know what happened to his hand.

“Jon’s call really alarmed me,” Lisa said. “I asked [Aidan] about his hands. I pushed his sleeves up to take a look, but didn’t see anything unusual.”

At this point, Aidan’s left leg and left hand were causes for concern. That day, Aidan’s former occupational therapist contacted Lisa early in the afternoon about what she had noticed when she had examined him. She found that his whole left side was weak. Her extensive evaluation led to a report to help explain what might be happening. Fifteen minutes later, Lisa informed her husband, Paul, and called the pediatrician to get some input. They suggested that she take Aidan directly to the ER. By 3:30 P.M., barely an hour after the therapist’s call, Lisa had finally seen what was going on with the left hand.

“The fingers contracted to look like a claw,” Lisa said. “He had no ability to make his thumb work.”

After a CT scan at 4:00 P.M., the nurse came in to break the news.

“She said the magic words,” Lisa said. “‘There is a mass.'”

A week and a half after the initial diagnosis, Aidan had biopsy surgery on his brain. After the tumor was examined and observed, four and a half weeks later, the proton radiation began — the first of 30 treatments.

According to Lisa, only the sound of a Dr. Pepper can opening was enough to wake Aidan after his treatments. (Photos contributed by Lisa Glass).

 

Specifics

 

The School Day

As the school year loomed forward, Aidan was still in radiation therapy, causing him to be unusually tired. A sure problem when he’d be waking up at 6:00 A.M. every morning. Ten days before Aidan’s first day of freshman year, he and his parents met with the high school staff to discuss what his school day would look like. They also teamed up with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital to make Aidan’s transition to high school as smooth as possible. The decision was for him to attend school for a half day and work up from there — a system that is still in place today.

All In For Aidan

Lisa and Aidan both agreed that the silver lining of Aidan’s condition has been the overwhelming support he has received from friends, neighbors, and classmates.

(Photo contributed by Lisa Glass).

It quickly elevated to yellow and white balloon arches, banners in and around the neighborhood, and even a yellow body suit.

(Photos contributed by Lisa Glass).

And that wasn’t all. Mason High School’s National Honors Society came up with a plan to raise money for Aidan’s medical expenses  by breaking the world record of the biggest basketball knockout game ever played. In the end, 660 people attended ‘Knockout Cancer.’

Aidan poses with the winner and his father, the runner-up. Pictured left to right: Aidan, sophomore Nate Haller, and Paul Glass. (Photo contributed by Lisa Glass).

  Recovery Mode

 

 

 

 

Aidan’s recovery includes six therapies a week on top of practicing techniques at home. One of the techniques is to use an electronic stimulator that his mom hooks up to his leg. The purpose of the electronic stimulator is to trick the nerves into moving his left foot in hopes of reversing some of the nerve damage that was done by the tumor.

 

Another way is through the use of a shadow box, where a mirror is attached to the outside of the box while his hand sits inside the box itself. Aidan moves his right hand in several different motions in order to get his left hand to imitate the same motion.

 

A brain tumor was never enough to stop Aidan from being who he is: “the happiest kid you’ll ever meet, ” according to Lisa. Despite balancing school, radiation treatments, and physical therapy, according to Lisa, you will rarely hear a complaint slip from his mouth. This spunky, 15 year old kid could conquer the world.

Family Comes First

Though this is one journey they never expected, the Glass family traveled it together.

“It just comes to show you that whatever you’re hit with you [have] just got to get up and keep at it.” — Lisa Glass

 

Click on an image below to enlarge and view in slideshow mode…

Children of the church

Rachel Frogge | MBC Reporter
Cari Sheets | MBC Reporter

Everyone makes mistakes.  And according to Pastor Stephen Peele from Living Word Fellowship, his family is no different.

The Peele family. Back row pictured left to right: Stephen, Steve, Evan, Miciah, Logan. Front row pictured left to right: Tara, Cynthia. (Photo contributed by Logan Peele).

“Some people will judge you, just like the world. People think that church is different from the world — but it’s not…We’re all human.”
—Stephen Peele.

Pop culture portrayals, like the show Preacher’s Daughters and movie Footloose, show the preachers’ kids as defiant and rebellious towards strict religious expectations. But according to Stephen’s kids,  Mason High School senior Logan Peele and sophomore Miciah Peele, the stereotypes don’t match up with reality.

“Everyone thinks that being a preacher’s daughter, you have to home  at 9, you have to read the Bible every night,” Miciah said. “It’s not like that at all.”

Watch Stephen, Logan, and Miciah share their first-hand experiences as a preacher’s family:

 

Comet Tales

‘Comet Tales’ is an interview segment brought to you by MBC Overtime. Hear the voices of Mason High School and learn about unique individuals that contribute to Mason’s diversity.

Will Dugger | MBC Reporter
Sam Hodge | MBC Reporter
Mark Iannuzzi | MBC Reporter

 AMINAT ADEWUMI

MHS junior Aminat Adewumi.

 “No matter how you are, there’s [going to] be people that accept you.”

Junior Aminat Adwumi comes from a family that is orginally from Nigeria. She spends her time as a thrower for the MHS track and field team and works on costumes and makeup for theater. Adwumi stays culturally aware as a member of Mason’s African American Students for Change and International Club.

 

FERNANDO LEON-RAMOS

MHS junior Fernando Leon-Ramos.

“There’s so many people here at Mason that it’s actually very diverse. I would say it’s more diverse than my international school [in Mexico].”

Fernando Leon-Ramos is a junior at MHS. Originally from Mexico, Leon-Ramos moved to Mason during his freshman year and since then has become a dedicated member of the track team, International Club, Student government, and Mason African American Students for Change.

 

KUSHA ANSARI

MHS junior Kusha Ansari

“It’s our responsibility is to embrace that diversity and not just take it for granted”

Kusha Ansari, a Junior at MHS, tells us about his Iranian and Chinese heritage. He has remained close to these cultures as well as to American culture through National Honor Society, Honors Wind Symphony Band, and as a Junior Class Officer in Student Government at MHS.

School of Rock

Rashika Jaipuriar | MBC Reporter

“Inspiring the world to rock on stage and in life”

Jacob Snow and Brandon Bihn rehearse for their next show. Photo by MBC Reporter Jessica Bennett.

School of Rock is a franchise, first developed in 1998, as a program to teach kids raw music skills and to give them experience as performers. The School of Rock branch in Mason, according to the assistant general manager Scott Higgins, exemplifies those qualities.

“It’s one thing to take your instrument home and play it,” Higgins said. “And that’s great, to practice and learn. But when you start performing and you’re interacting with everybody, something does happen with the music that’s just amazing. So it’s been a pretty wild journey for sure.”

 

“Music’s always been a huge part of my life”

The instructors at this facility are top-notch according to owner Tim Garry. Not only do they teach, but as experienced members of the musical community, they have some interesting stories to share. Like most of the students here, vocals instructor and show director Melissa Fairmount, guitar and drums instructor Lynn Beatty, and Higgins also have a love affair with music — one that began at childhood.

 

Harvard business to small business

The man behind the scenes, however, comes from a different background. Garry attended Harvard University and Harvard Business School in his younger years, not anticipating his current career in music.

 

“He’s why we’re all here”

According to Garry, the school has grown exponentially since it first opened in April 2012. Back then, it started out with only a few students; but as it has become more prominent in the Cincinnati music scene, this School of Rock now has around 150 members. Garry said he was first introduced to the School of Rock brand as a parent. And it affected his family with such a magnitude that Gary ended up opening a franchise here, where one of his sons even grew up to become an instructor for a year. The school’s two year anniversary just rolled around this month, and with the success achieved thus far, Garry said he has aspirations to open another school.

 

Living the dream 

Fairmount began her music career with The Murkins, establishing a legacy by becoming the first all-female band in Cincinnati.  Fairmount said she continues to be very active in the music scene as part of a punk-pop band called the Fairmount Girls, which has received many local accolades, such as Best Indie Band, Best New Band, Best Live Band, and Best album. It began 15 years ago, according to Fairmount, with a goal to have each individual pick up a brand new instrument and learn to play it. But even with so much exposure through The Murkins, The Fairmount Girls, and as a teacher in School of Rock, Fairmount said the learning never stops.

“With all that in mind we still practice twice a week, still try to figure music out,” Fairmount said. “There might just be a certain amount of notes but the way you play them, it’s all up to us.”

 

More than music

Garry and Mason High School freshman Jake Nelson talk about the performances, creativity, teamwork, and friendships at School of Rock, elements other than just music:

 

“It’s like family”

According to Fairmount and Mason High School senior Hayes Hiltenbeitel , being at School of Rock has created close-knits bonds between students and instructors.

Hiltenbeitel feeling the music during rehersal. Photo by MBC Reporter Jessica Bennett.

“The kids are fantastic,” Fairmount said. “It’s very special to me because not only are they very special kids, but we all have this really [big] love of music, and so it does create a family when you can see them every week. You know their highs and lows. You know what makes them happy and sad. And you just start to develop really great relationships with them.There’s nothing more intimate than when you play music with people. So that comes through a lot just because of the nature of the beast. You get to know each other pretty well when you’re crammed into a room for three hours and trying to work out stuff. Sometimes it’s hard. Sometimes it’s easy. So you learn how to communicate. It just kinda turns into a family before you know it. And all of the teachers here feel that way — we all love the kids.”

Hiltenbeitel has also developed very strong relationships with his musical family at School of Rock. And with their support, he said he plans on pursuing a future in music. According to Hiltenbeitel, after graduation he’ll be working at Fairmount’s restaurant called ‘Lunchbox.’

According to Fairmount, she can relate to the kids and their aspirations when they come to School of Rock.

“Even as a youngster, I didn’t do soccer, I wasn’t a cheerleader, I was a fish out of water,” Fairmount said. “I didn’t know what I was supposed to be doing in my spare time. But I loved listening to music. If we would have had [a School of Rock] when I was a kid who knows what would have happened. But it’s so cool that there’s an outlet for these guys to do what we did starting in our late 20s — these guys are already rocking it at age fifteen.”

 “Rock on”

School of Rock gets ready to perform at the Reds’ Opening Day Parade. Photo contributed by School of Rock.

According to the instructors, School of Rock is different from a typical voice lesson in that it creates well-rounded musicians and gives kids opportunities of both recording music and performing live. For example, playing at Fountain Square and the Cincinnati Reds’ Opening Day Parade are just a few of the experiences here, and with those experiences — comes confidence. Although many people aspire to “make it” in the competitive music industry, the instructors have faith in their students’ abilities and so here, they share their wisdom:

Videography by MBC Reporter Breanne Gibb, Fernanda Hurtado.