The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Elyria’s Crutcher named All-Ohio
Coming into this season, Jayden Crutcher had to step up his game to bring Elyria where it wanted to go. He did just that.
The junior guard took on the leadership role and guided the Pioneers to team success with a conference title and a district final appearance. He also reaped the benefits and earned some impressive accolades along the way. The latest was a spot on the Division I All-Ohio third team.
“It means a lot,” Crutcher said. “That was one of my goals that I set this year was to make All-Ohio, whether it was first, second or third. That was one of my goals and it felt good waking up and seeing it.”
Crutcher’s skill was already on display two seasons ago as one of the area’s best shooters and athletes as only a sophomore. He had already been getting Division I looks and was doing everything asked of him as a catch-and-shoot threat, but the Pioneers needed more heading into this season.
He has always been a gym rat, but he especially put in the work to become Elyria’s alpha as a junior. Despite being the top player teams tried to take away, he put up 20.2 points per game and still shot 42% from 3-point range. He also scored his 1,000th career point in the sectional final win over Stow-Munroe Falls and now holds the program record for 3-pointers made in a season.
“I thought Jayden had a great year,” Elyria coach Brett Larrick said. “Obviously, he’s a great shooter, but this year, he brought a lot more to the table. He handled the ball and the responsibility that went with everything. It’s a credit to how hard he works.”
“Big credit also goes to his teammates. To be on there, your team has to have success as well. I thought he had a great year and it complimented what we were able to do as a group.”
The Pioneers’ season will go down as a special one, but perhaps not for a bigger reason than how this team came together. After losing the talent that they did, led by Crutcher, the whole team was going to have to step up. Crutcher did his part as the go-to guy and the rest followed.
This group’s accomplishments of winning the SWC and making it to the district finals hasn’t happened for the program since 2017. With that being said, it feels like they might have been one year ahead of schedule.
“It’s very exciting,” Crutcher said. “After the season when we lost and we were in the locker room and on the bus, I told everybody that I’m going to be in the gym this summer. I told everybody that if they want to come, we’ll all be in the gym and we’re all going to get better. Our goal is to make it past a district final next year and win it. That’s my mentality this summer.”
Elyria loses a valuable senior in Xavier Church, but everyone else returns. Crutcher has a chance to build on his accomplishments and others have the chance to earn some of their own.
The program has lofty goals, but there’s enough firepower returning to try and achieve them.
“Now it relies on Jayden to take that next step and the responsibility that comes with being third team,” Larrick said. “When you look at those all-state teams, there are some great, great players on there. He’s right up there with them. The thing about all those guys is the team success as well. That’s the part that correlates with him moving forward is he has to find that way for everyone to join him.”
Brookside honors
Over the past two years, these Brookside Cardinals have set the bar high for future iterations.
Junior Nolan Waechter joined Avery Young last year as Division II All-Ohio special mention players, and he did it again this season. His backcourt mate, senior Brandon Sharpe, was named as a Division II All-Ohioan honorable mention.
Waechter and Sharpe
spearheaded the Cardinals’ second straight LC8 championship run. Brookside’s program hadn’t seen a conference title in over 30 years before the 2022-23 season. Whether it’s conference banners or all-district and all-state players, this core has left their mark.
“We wouldn’t have the success that we’ve had over the last couple years without them,” Brookside coach Larry Babics said. “Both of those guys bring so much to the table with what they can do offensively. They’re different players but they’re obviously very talented teammates. They also help their teammates get open shots. We’re just really proud of them.”
Sharpe had to wait his turn to show what he could do, and he certainly did. In his final season, he ran the point for Brookside’s hightempo offense and flourished. He averaged 16.2 points along with four rebounds and four assists per game. He ended his career on a high note with 29 points in his final game.
Waechter’s average dropped 0.3 points per game, but he was a more complete player in his junior season. He always had that shooting touch, but becoming a solid defender and rebounder is what made him that much better.
The junior put up a teamhigh 16.7 points per game and was lethal from behind the 3-point line. He also became the third player in school history to score 1,000 points and is now in striking distance of breaking the all-time scoring record.
Both players also found themselves on the LC8 first team, while Waechter was a first team All-Northeast
Lakes district selection and Sharpe was named to the second team.
“It’s something for the younger guys to look up to,” Babics said. “In our team room, we’re going to start putting up guys that have made all-state since we’ve been there (three years). I think they’ll always be a part of our basketball history. These guys have a really good chance of getting into our school hall of fame. It’s just the little stuff like that that will always mean something to them down the line.”
Brookside’s talented guards have made a huge impact for the program and it has made for some exciting times. The Cardinals have gotten used to cutting down nets and taking everyone’s best shot.
Under Babics, the program has improved and is in a secure place. He hopes to keep building off of the recent success with returning players on next year’s squad and other players that are coming up. Waechter will lead that charge and try to become a threetime All-Ohioan.
“We want that bullseye on our guys,” Babics said. “I think last year we snuck up on some people. Clearly, we we’re not sneaking up on anybody anymore. We want to be everybody’s big game, I think everybody wants that.”
“We’ve been fortunate now that we’ve got some wins, we’ve been able to schedule some good local Division I teams. We obviously have to do a better job in the tournament and competing against (the bigger schools), that’s what we’re looking for to take the next step. We’re excited for the challenges.”