In what is being labeled as “The Game,” old is new again, as the Highland Fighting Scots, wearing Sparta Warriors uniforms, will play the Fredericktown Freddies on Friday at the Old Gym at Highland Middle School (old high school gym).
The JVs wlll play at 6 p.m., and the varsity squads will tip off at 7:15 p.m.
Highland head basketball coach Christian Toombs was looking for a way to honor the rich history of the Highland Local School District. The decision was made to hold an annual throwback basketball game to honor each of the three former high schools that currently make up the Highland school system.
Marengo, Sparta and Chesterville schools combined to form the current HLSD. In honor of the three school districts, the boys basketball team will wear specially designed uniforms to commemorate those schools in the first home game of each year.
This year, the Fighting Scots will wear replica Sparta High School uniforms. Next year, the uniforms will be the Marengo H.S. unis, and in 2023, the Scots will wear replica Chesterville H.S. uniforms in their home opener.
“It’s an honor to be able to celebrate the rich tradition of Highland basketball by paying respect to the schools that started it all,” Toombs said.
The team has gotten into the event as well, Toombs said.
“Our players have really bought into our IOD mantra (It’s Our Duty) to honor our past," he said. "We had a tremendous summer where we held an alumni league that brought back former players who were teamed up with our younger guys. The relationships that were formed by the past players with current players are something that will always be there now. Everything we have is because of the players and coaches that were here before us.”
Along with the replica jerseys, the game will be played in the middle school gymnasium that served as the home court of the Scots from 1962-2012. In the fall of 2012, Highland High School moved into the new building that currently houses grades 9 - 12.
“Our community is so generous in giving anything and everything that the schools need that the least we can do is pay honor to each school district that now makes up Highland Local Schools,” Toombs said.
Tickets are available at door. Or check the website: https://sites.google.com/view/highlandbasketballthegame/home.
