The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Ex-Lorain boys coach to helm Amherst
Rositano returning for a second stint with Comets
Months after stepping down as boys basketball coach at Lorain High School, John Rositano is readying for a new challenge.
In a tweet from the Amherst High School athletics account, it was announced that pending school board approval, Rositano will be the new girls basketball coach for the Comets.
“He has had success coaching girls and obviously his track record speaks volumes about what he does as a coach. Where he’s at, they have success,” Amherst athletic director Casey Wolf said. “We want our girls to be coached hard, coached fairly and to have a good time. And everything we were looking for in a coach was available to us in coach Rositano.”
This will be Rositano’s second stint as girls basketball coach at Amherst, with his first coming from 2004-2013.
During that run, Rositano led the Comets to the elite eight and won two conference titles, before he took over the Lorain boys program in 2013.
During his time with Lorain, the Titans won four Lake Erie League championships and made seven consecutive appearances in D-I district finals. He also coached a handful of future college players, including West Virginia signee and 2021 Lorain County Mr. Basketball Seth Wilson.
Rositano stepped down from the Lorain job after the 2021 season following his retirement from teaching in the district. But he made it clear that he was not done coaching, telling The Morning Journal exactly that in February.
“In some capacity next year, I’ll be coaching somewhere. Whether it’s a head coach, helping someone out, coaching youth kids, I love it. The coaching gets in your blood. There’s not many better feelings than coaching and helping out kids.”
In addition to his new title as head coach of the Comets’ girls basketball program, Rositano is also an assistant with the school’s softball team. Rositano is also a resident of Amherst and has other family ties to the school.
Rositano’s nephew, Matt is the head baseball coach at Amherst and his daughters also graduated from the school.
“My brother coaches baseball and my nephew is the head baseball coach,” Rositano said. “It’ll be close for my dad to keep coming to practices and watch the games. I’m just thankful that I get an opportunity to keep doing what I love doing.”
The Amherst job presents a new challenge for Rositano, who takes over a program two years removed from a district final appearance. Many of those players have now graduated, leaving the Comets’ new coach with a team full of underclassmen he can mold.
Rositano met with his new players on April 12 and is ready and excited to get to work.
“I’m excited I get to mold the team the way I want,” he said. “I know one thing, we’re going to play hard. We’re going to be disciplined and organized and I just can’t wait to get things rolling. It seemed like the girls were excited as I was.
“It just seems like a perfect fit for me right now where I am in my career.”
Lindsey Nader, Brookside Kerrigan Williams, Keystone Madi Herrington, Keystone Ashlee Aliff, Brookside
Leah Musall, Brookside Cassidy Kettleman, Amherst Mallory Mclellan, Avon Lake Jessica Chapman, Keystone Faye Clark, Brookside Payton Regal, Wellington Emma Ody, Avon Amanda Demmerle, Avon Jessie Dean, Avon
Hailey Reichert, Clearview Larren Rounds, Firelands Autumn Behlke, North Ridgeville Rachel Mease, North Ridgeville Jessi Morlock, Columbia
Liz Berki, Avon
Lindsey Reavis, Amherst Kennedy Kerr, Keystone Teddi Hardoby, Wellington Kaylee Kuwalu, Avon Lake Taylor Graham, Avon
Kayla Dykin, Avon McKenzie Cornwell, Amherst Madison Pennington, Clearview Izzy Reich, North Olmsted Abby Aslaksen, Firelands Jessica Gerhardinger, Keystone Gillian Gallagher, North Olmsted Emma Kretchmar, Vermilion Grace Payne, Vermilion Maile Oswald, Wellington Kiley Boutin, Avon Lake Jenna Jaffee, North Ridgeville Emma Barnes, Midview Caitlin Wilkins, Columbia Elaina Rodriguez, Avon
Kate Kastelic, Amherst -Jessi .812 24 .684 33 .667 22 .647 29 .625 24 .619 36 0.583 30 0.556 -- 0.548 36 0.536 22 0.533 30 0.533 22 0.529 25 0.524 -- 0.523 21 0.500 27 0.500 -- 0.500 35 0.484 20 0.474 34 0.469 33 0.462 29 0.462 26 0.455 29 0.448 32 0.444 32 0.444 -- 0.444 20 0.438 23 0.435 29 0.435 26 0.435 27 0.435 24 0.421 24 0.412 26 0.409 25 0.409 32 0.400 26 0.400 -- 0.400 -- 0.400 26 0.391 24 0.389 34 0.387 23 0.381 20 0.375 -- 0.370 21 0.368 29 0.357 22 0.350 23 0.350
H22 21 20 20 19 17 16 15 15 15 15 15 15 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 12 12 12 12 12 12 11 11 11 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Amy Greene, Wellington Brooke Noss, Wellington Jenna Pasadyn, Wellington Lily Oswald, Wellington
Lilly Armold, Midview Caitlin Wilkins, Columbia Dana Pace, Keystone Hailey Parsons, Clearview Rachel Adams, North Olmsted Jayden Peak, Vermilion Emily Lime, North Ridgeville Gianna Vazquez, North Ridgeville Mallory Dunlap, Midview Lauren Schulte, Columbia
Jessica Chapman, Keystone Kerrigan Williams, Keystone Leah Musall, Brookside Cassidy Kettleman, Amherst Elizabeth Allen, Clearview Teddi Hardoby, Wellington Madi Herrington, Keystone Averey Lavinder, Columbia Ashlee Aliff, Brookside Payton Regal, Wellington Maile Oswald, Wellington Jessica Gerhardinger, Keystone Hailey Reichert, Clearview Jarimar Ruiz, Clearview
Lily Oswald, Wellington
Tori Paramore, Wellington
Cassidy Kettleman, Amherst Madi Herrington, Keystone Larren Rounds, Firelands Autumn Behlke, North Ridgeville Rachel Miller, Amherst Elizabeth Allen, Clearview Kiley Boutin, Avon Lake Kennedy Kerr, Keystone
Lily Cassell, Keystone Jessica Gerhardinger, Keystone Madison Pennington, Clearview Emma Ginley, Fairview Haley Larizza, Vermilion Jayden Peak, Vermilion Ashlee Aliff, Brookside
Faye Clark, Brookside Lindsey Nader, Brookside Leah Musall Brookside Maile Oswald, Wellington Mallory Mclellan, Avon Lake Mallory Dunlap, Midview Lilly Armold, Midview Taylor Yaksic, Midview Caitlin Wilkins, Columbia Elise Aniol, Columbia
Liz Berki, Avon
Amanda Demmerle, Avon Kate Kastelic, Amherst Kylee McGraw, Amherst
Kerrigan Williams, Keystone Jessica Chapman, Keystone Amanda Demmerle, Avon Leah Musall, Brookside Kaylee Kuwalu, Avon Lake Jarimar Ruiz, Clearview Alexis Bartlome, Brookside Madi Herrington, Keystone Charlee Hudak, Keystone Sydney Sukenik, North Olmsted Mallory Mclellan, Avon Lake Rachel Mease, North Ridgeville Emma Barnes, Midview Makenna Ruoff, Midview Jessie Dean, Avon
Jessie Dean, Avon Elizabeth Allen, Clearview Lily Cassell, Keystone Kate Kastelic, Amherst Lizzy Reich, North Olmsted Kayla Dykin, Avon
Katie Barnhart, No. Ridgeville Elise Aniol, Columbia Autumn Behlke, No. Ridgeville Jessi Morlock, Columbia Maile Oswald, Wellington 24.0 34.0 50.0 51.0
6.0 29.0 23.1
6.0 22.3 30.2 18.1 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 0.58 0.62 0.84 0.96 1.16 1.20 1.50 2.33 2.78 3.42 3.44