Carlson finishes hoops career 495-205
By JEFF LAMPE
For The Weekly Post
After a successful 24-year varsity coaching career during which he won 495 games and a Class 1A state championship, Scott Carlson has retired from coaching at Brimfield High School.
Carlson coached his 700th varsity game last Friday in a 59-41 season-ending loss to Knoxville. Three years ago, Carlson announced he planned to retire from teaching social studies, but at that time was uncertain about coaching.
“At the time I wasn’t sure coaching was going to be done, but I am now,” he said. “I don’t know if I’m going to regret it or get the itch again. It was a hard decision.”
Carlson, 59, said he is uncertain who Brimfield will hire to replace him. But he is certain of a few other things.
For one, the 2015 state championship win over Mounds Meridian ranks as his top memory in a career that also included eight seasons of frosh-soph and eighth-grade coaching.
“I never really even dreamed of winning it all, I just dreamed of going to state,” Carlson said. “And when we won it all, it was that much sweeter.”
Carlson was also quick to credit other Brimfield teams and players for helping win it all.
“There were so many seasons and players involved that got us to that point,” said Carlson, who started his career relying on man-to-man defense before switching to more zone defense in about 2006 – mainly a 1-3-1 zone.
“It all depends on the personnel,” he said. “You can’t just do one thing because you like it.”
Brimfield won on March 9 at Peoria Heights, 46-43, as Levi Moon hit on five 3-pointers and finished with 19 points. Luke Groeper added nine points.
Jakoby McKown led vs. Knoxville with 10 points and Max Walters scored 9.
Elmwood
The Trojans split their final games to finish 9-4, falling at Abingdon-Avon, 43-42, and winning at home on Senior Night over North Fulton, 55-53, despite missing 7 of 13 free throws in the final quarter.
Adam Centers and Victor Lenzi had 10 points apiece to lead Elmwood vs. A-Town. The Trojans also got 9 points from guard Luke Hoffmann, but were outscored 17-12 in the fourth quarter, during which A-Town was 7-for-10 from the line.
Andrew Marincic led with 17 points vs. North Fulton; Lenzi scored 15 and Centers tallied 11.
Farmington
The Farmers (7-5) capped off a strong close to the season with wins over North Fulton (59-44) and Peoria Heights (62-27). Corbin Rutledge scored 16 against North Fulton and Ty Anderson had 24 against Peoria Heights.
ROWVA-Williamsfield
The Cougars (4-11) closed out the year with a 79-41 loss at Peoria Christian and a 55-48 loss at Illini Bluffs on March 10.
