'Mark on history': Margaretta wins first district title in 90 years

WILLARD — No one wanted to leave. Margaretta's players sat together on the bleachers, nobody making the first move for the door. Youngsters sprinted around the court, parents not in a rush to get them home past their bedtime as a pair of children shot pom poms through one hoop. Steve Keller Sr., father of Margaretta coach Steve Keller Jr., walked around with celebratory cookie cake, sharing with anyone who would take some. Willard's janitors watched from the doorway, ready to do their job but not daring to kick anyone out. After all, it's not often a community experiences a feeling it hasn't had in 90 years. Who could be blamed for wanting to soak it all in? For the first time since 1932, Margaretta boys basketball claimed a district championship. The top-seeded Polar Bears (22-3) outlasted South Central (18-8) in the Division IV Willard District title game on Friday night to win, 65-54. It's the third such win in school history, joining Margaretta's district champs from the 1928 and 1932 seasons. "These guys did it for the community, and they did it for each other," Margaretta head coach Steve Keller said. "Our saying all year is play for each other, not with each other. They've really done a nice job of that." Jake Leibacher led the Polar Bears with 31 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter to pull away. His fellow senior Nathan Schaefer did much of the damage before that and finished with 20 points, including six 3-pointers. "After 90 years, you need something back in the system," Margaretta senior Ben Palomo said. "We've made our mark on history. It's gonna be remembered." South Central's loss ended the career of three seniors: Sam Seidel, Kayden Hauler and Brock Hale. Seidel and Hauler were both there when the Trojans won the 2019 district championship, and they've been a part of three district title game appearances. "The thing that hurts the most is I don't get to see them tomorrow," South Central coach Brett Seidel said. "... Obviously, (Sam) is my son. He's one of the most competitive kids. I don't know where he gets it from. He has played in three of these. He's won a sectional every year. He's a winner." This has been a season of history-making for the Polar Bears. They claimed their third-ever league championship, and first since 2004, by tying atop the SBC Bay Division with Huron. In the process, Margaretta's 19 regular-season wins set the new standard for the program. Leibacher reached an individual milestone, as well, becoming Margaretta's all-time leading scorer earlier this postseason. That all had the potential to be topped Friday night. Margaretta's last district championship was won on March 12, 1932, which amounted to 32,864 days prior to this 2022 district title game. "All the time that we put in the gym, in the weight room, all the team bonding stuff," Leibacher said. "For that to pay off is great to see." Leibacher opened the scoring, but then it was Schaefer embracing the big stage. He acknowledged afterward that he hadn't played his best of late. Keller's pregame message to his senior point guard was simple: "Have fun." Schaefer certainly had plenty of fun. He nailed four 3-pointers in the first half in addition to a tough floater. "You could just tell today he was way more relaxed," Leibacher said. "He was smiling more. For him to be more confident is big for us." Schaefer's third 3 put Margaretta up 23-16 in the second, but South Central hung around in large part thanks to Isaac Blair and Kayden Hauler. Blair scored 12 points in the first half, and Hauler nailed three shots from beyond the arc in the first 16 minutes. "They're skilled, just in general," Keller said. "But Blair is tough, man. Blair still understands that pull-up game which has kind of left the game at times… (Hauler) was really critical for them." The Polar Bears took a 33-27 lead to the second half, but South Central had the first surge. Blair hit a tough jumper, then Sam Seidel got to the line and made a pair. After a Margaretta free throw, Brandon Mitchell hit a hook shot to pull within one. "We came out in the third quarter swinging," Brett Seidel said. "Just fighting like crazy." The Trojans, playing five-deep for much of the game and only using six players overall, couldn't get back even, though. After junior Cameron Sosa seized momentum back with a couple strong drives, Leibacher started his takeover with 2:45 left in the third. He had nine points before then. The senior, Margaretta's all-time leading scorer, scored 23 after halftime in the district semifinal against Monroeville, and he flipped the switch again. Leibacher hit a fadeaway from the left elbow to go up 38-33. He added an and-1 before the third quarter ended. "He is one of the fastest guys I've ever seen with the basketball," Brett Seidel said. Schaefer hit another 3-pointer for Margaretta's final points of the third quarter, giving him 17 and sending the Polar Bears to the fourth up 45-40. "(Schaefer) immersed himself in the game, took good shots and made good shots," Keller said. "That's critical for us." Leibacher didn't relent. He started the fourth with an and-1, then a right elbow jumper. "He's probably one of the best players, if not the best player, to ever play at Margaretta," Schaefer said. "When he gets going, he's not stopping." Schaefer hit his sixth and final 3-pointer to go up 52-41 with 5:41 to play and force a South Central timeout. "When (Schaefer) gets going, he doesn't miss many," Palomo said. Leibacher scored the Polar Bears' final 13 points. Four came on drives to his right, then one at the line, another bucket off a steal, a post score, two more foul shots and an easy layup. "I don't think anyone in the area can guard him when he's like that," Palomo said. "He's such a tough guy to guard. When he's in that mode, he's unstoppable." With the 31 on Friday night, Leibacher expanded his lead as Margaretta's top scorer, now with 1,406 points in his career. "He's a gamer, man," Keller said. "Guys work at their game. Guys get better. Guys get stronger. But when the bright lights are on and the chips are down, he's making plays." The celebrations started with 20 seconds still on the clock as South Central called off its pressure. Leibacher was the first to raise his arms toward the roof, then he joined Schaefer in an embrace. Plenty of hugging and picture-taking followed, along with a strong show of sportsmanship as South Central and then Margaretta shook hands with the opposing bench after receiving their medals. Once the net was cut down, Leibacher wouldn't let it leave his right hand. Palomo stuck a piece of the net behind his ear. Keller, too, received kudos from many, having won his first district championship, as well. "I do it for the kids," Keller said. "I'm all in for the kids. I'm just happy for the kids and the community. We have been to district quite a few times in my career, but it's nice to get over that hump with a great group of guys." Margaretta moves on to the regional semifinal, where the Polar Bears will take on a high-powered Richmond Heights team. But for a night, they got to soak in a feeling no one in Castalia has experienced at a boys basketball game in nearly a century. "It's a special moment," Sosa said. "It's something I'll remember forever. From winning SBC, sectionals, district, it's just amazing. And we're not done yet." --- MARGARETTA (22-3) Cameron Sosa 2 3-4 7, Nathan Schaefer 7 0-0 20, Jake Leibacher 12 7-10 31, Ben Palomo 1 0-0 2, Hayden Wiley 2 0-0 5. TOTALS 24 10-14 65 SOUTH CENTRAL (18-8) Kayden Hauler 4 2-2 14, Sam Seidel 3 6-7 12, Hagen Adams 1 0-1 2, Brandon Mitchell 1 2-2 4. TOTALS 19 11-13 54 Margaretta 20 13 12 20 — 65South Central 14 13 13 14 — 54 Three-point goals — Margaretta 7 (Schaefer 6, Wiley 1); South Central 5 (Hauler 4, Blair 1) [Album Placeholder (use source code to remove)]