The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Keystone cleans up in Division III All-Ohio
Wildcats boast coach of the year, three All-Ohioans
From seven wins four years ago to a Division III final four appearance, the 2023-24 Keystone Wildcats’ season will never be forgotten.
After an undefeated regular season, and their first final four appearance in program history, a host of Wildcats took home Division III All-Ohio honors. At the top, Coach Rocky Houston was named Division III Coach of the Year on March 25.
This is his sixth coach of the year award to go with Lorain County Division III, Lorain County League, OHSABVA District III, Division III Northeast Lakes District and The Morning Journal Coach of the Year.
“It’s pretty overwhelming, amazing and a humbling thing,” he said. “Honestly, I wish it was a team award, because the girls were the reason why we accomplished all of the stuff that we accomplished. They were phenomenal. Those six players did everything that I could have asked of them and put in the position that we were in.”
The six players are Madyson Sokolowski, Brooklyn Barber, Vivian Cassell, Helayna Houston, Jessica Forthofer and Rylee Jedzrejek. The Wildcats did not feature one star, but a multitude of players who thrived in their roles.
“I try not to (single players out),” he said. “I am glad that I don’t have to be involved with that and someone else does that, because it is impossible, on my side of things, to say that this person is better than that person.”
Barber (second team), Helayna Houston (honorable mention) and Forthofer (honorable mention) earned the honors of All-Ohio in Division III.
“(All-Ohio selections) is a tough situation, but I would have loved to have seen Vivian Cassell and
Madyson Sokowloski in that group as well,” Coach Houston said. “They did so much for this team. … All three of those girls are very deserving of that accolade. It would have been nice to see Madyson and Vivan in there, as well.”
In Houston’s and Forthofer’s freshman season, Keystone won seven games in 2020-21. They climbed to Lorain County League co-champs in 202122, Division III district semifinalist in 2022-23 and Division III regional champs in 2023-24.
Keystone went 28-1 (14-0 in LC8) and was undefeated until the Division III state tournament, when it lost to the eventual state champion Columbus Africentric Early College.
“(I loved) their ability to not lose their composure,” Coach Houston said. “No matter what was going on, they never got too high and too confident, or too low and frustrated to the point where they felt like they couldn’t get back in any situation. They competed, played the game. They knew that they were going to do what they needed to do at the right time to win games.”
After a run to the final four, excitement for basketball in Keystone has grown. Youth league participation rose to over 80, which Coach Houston classified this team as a culture-setting team for years to come.
“It was amazing to have that kind of following from our youth for basketball and really look up to the girls,” Coach Houston said. “There are basketball camps and the times that the (players) spend with they kids. That is how you start to change everything.”
Though Keystone will lose Houston and Forthofer, it will return Sokolowski, Cassell and Barber. Barber was named Lorain County League Player of the Year.