by Michael Leonard
Sports Editor
The 2008-09 season was one of the best in school history for the two Nordonia basketball squads.
The Knight girls team won their its league title since 1978 and its regular season record of 16-4 was the best in school history. Meanwhile, the Knight boys squad went 14-6 during a season that was supposed to be a rebuilding year.
However, both programs had their futures clouded a bit after the season ended.
First, girls head coach Amie Cormell announced she would not return at the end of the season and then boys head coach Kenny Vehar stepped down in late April.
Both coaches indicated they were moving on due to family reasons.
According to Nordonia athletic director Rob Eckenrode, the school conducted a thorough search to replace both coaches.
As it turns out, Eckenrode didn't have to look far to find suitable replacements for either job.
Matt Cash was promoted new head boys basketball coach at the June 15 Board of Education meeting. According assistant superintedent John Swartzhoff, Cash will be paid $6,414 as head coach.
Cash had spent the last four years as Nordonia's junior varsity head coach for boys basketball.
Cash's promotion follows the hiring of Gary Tipton as the new girls head coach. Tipton was hired at the May 18 Board of Education meeting and also will be paid $6,414 as head coach.
Tipton serves as the associate head coach for the girls program last year.
Although the district ended up hiring from within, Eckenrode said he "went through the due diligence" in the search to replace both coaches. Eckenrode said he had 35 applicants for the girls' position and 15 candidates for the boys job.
Eckenrode said he and Swartzhoff reviewed the applicants and new Nordonia High School principal Casey Wright joined them for the second round interviews for the boys job.
Cash: Basketball
in his blood
A native of Green, Cash, 30, has been with the boys program the last six years, serving as the head boys junior varsity coach the last four years. Nordonia's JV team went 12-8 last year.
Cash also teaches social studies at NHS. He will be paid $44,545 as a teaching this coming year, according to Schwartzhoff.
He is a graduate of Walsh University.
Cash said Vehar had been preparing him to help take over the program.
"Me and Kenny had talked about it," Cash said. "Knowing that he was having his fourth child, I told him I wanted to take a more active role. He basically tried to get me ready and groom me for the position."
Cash said he's ready to hit the ground running with the program and notes he is a second-generation basketball coach. His father, Bill Cash, has served as the head girls basketball coach at Strongsville for the last 20 years.
"Living up to his standards is going to be a big challenge," Cash said. "He's never had a losing season. This is in my blood. He's a great sounding board. If I've got any questions, he's always there for me."
Eckenrode said Cash "did an outstanding job" during the interview process. Eckenrode also got some input on Cash from his future players.
"He really stood out with the kids," Eckenrode said. "Even though it's not the determining factor, you always want to get the kids' opinion. I can tell you, to a student, they had nothing but raves about him."
"Without a doubt the kids have been very supportive," Cash said. "We just came back from camp [June 16] and we looked good."
Cash said his team goal include making a run at the league championship every year. He also said his current team set the goal of making a run at the Division I district title at Warrensville Heights.
Cash said his on-court tactics will depend on the players, but he wants to maintain the aggressive style which was coached by Vehar.
"We lost a lot of seniors and with Demetrius Craig transferring [to Glenville], I'm only returning three varsity letterwinners," Cash said. "Offensively, we want to push the ball. Defensively ... we're still going to press, we're still going to attack you. I'm just not sure if we will be in man or zone."
Tipton: First-time coach has long record
Tipton, 53, does not teach in the district. He is co-owner of Martin and Tipton, a holding company which operated several occupational medicine clinics in Ohio.
Like Cash, this will be his first high school head coaching job, but he had plenty of experience coaching basketball.
"Gary's got 17 years of experience as a coach," Eckenrode said. "He brings a lot of continuity to a program which has really improved the last few years. Quite frankly, the kids really look up to Gary. He's a great role model and the kids really respond to him."
Tipton joined the Nordonia staff as the seventh-grade girls coach five years ago, followed by three years as the head junior varsity coach.
Last year, Tipton served as the program's associate head coach and head freshman coach.
Prior to his time at Nordonia, Tipton served as head coach for numerous Amateur Athletic Union basketball programs in the area.
Like Cash, Tipton said he had been groomed to take over the position.
"Coach Cormell and I talked several times over the course of the last few years," Tipton said. "She said she did want me to take over for her when the time came for her to go start her family. It was something she wanted me to do and something I wanted."
Tipton said he feels good about the program he's inheriting, although the Knights will have a younger team next winter.
"We've got a great group of players moving forward," Tipton said. "We've got a nice mix of size and quickness. We don't have a ton of varsity level playing experience but we do have a lot girls who have athleticism and the ability to play the game."
Tipton said his goals for the program are high.
"We're just going to try to keep building on what coach Cormell and I did the last six years," Tipton said. "We're going to toughen up our schedule this year. Our aim is we'd like to consistently be a top 20 team in Northeast Ohio."
In terms of on-court tactics, Tipton said he plans to use much of Cormell's system, but he will have his own wrinkles.
"Offensively, you're going to see us move the ball," Tipton said. "It's the kind of offense that Bobby Knight ran at Indiana. Defensively, we have and interesting mix of players. We're going to put some pressure on the ball."
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