After being beat by North on Ed Calo court on Jan. 23, the Wildcats were determined to come back and beat North 55-37 on Jan. 29.

The top scorers of the game were Junior Drey Carter with 24 and  Senior Jaiden Guice with 10. 

Rick Bannister, game announcer of WSHS, said, “Maximum effort, relentless defense, taking a charge” were key to the win.

In a post-game interview with Rick Cooper, host of the Westerville North Sports Network gameday show, Coach Calo said, “We knew we had to do better, and we could do better.” 

This milestone was Coach Calo’s 500th career win, in addition to the state championship in 2016, in 34 years of coaching. 

The WSHS class of 1975 graduate said that he loves coaching because “It’s about kids; it’s about young men going forward in life, learning lessons. I’m inspired by that. That is my mission.”

Calo’s record is 43rd all-time in Ohio, according to OHSAA

.com, which also makes him the first in school history, as well as the longest-tenured coach in the OCC. 

Coach Calo began coaching in 1980 at Grove City High School and Franklin Heights. After a year of assistant coaching at South, he was promoted to head coach, beginning in 1987.

Jermaine Guice, WSHS Class of 1990, was a member of the program for Coach Calo’s first wins as coach. His son, Jaiden Guice, was a member of the program for win number 500. 

Calo said coaching former player’s sons is “a great blessing that the father wants his son to come back and play for me.”

Bannister added, “He is, without a doubt, the greatest in high school basketball in Ohio over these 30 or so years. It’s always WE over ME. Life lessons through championship basketball.”

With the end of the 2020-2021 unpredictable season, the Wildcats could face North again in the postseason, should they defeat Grove City. 

In a Twitter post after the game, Coach Calo said, “Thank you to ALL the young men who were committed to a great work ethic and buy into OUR program. Thank you to the dedicated and loyal staff, who have served me for many years. I am simply one piece of the 500 win total. Humbled and Blessed!”