Derrick Webb, Staff Writer
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
CHILLICOTHE — Newton Hoops was nothing short of outstanding last fall.
CREDIT: Cory Hall/SOSA
In the midst of a 9-2 season and a playoff berth — the school’s fifth-ever — Unioto’s quarterback and unquestioned leader threw for 1,800 yards and 24 touchdowns while completing 65.7 percent of his pass attempts.
His efforts were rewarded with a first-team all-conference selection, the Division IV District Player of the Year nod and a first-team All-Ohio honor.
And while he’s honored and humbled by those accolades, he isn’t hanging his hat on them.
Instead, he’s working to get better every single day — not for himself or to add more trophies to his already jam-packed case, but for his teammates and his coaches.
After all, according to Hoops, without them, none of it would’ve been possible in the first place.
“My teammates and coaches played a huge role in helping me accomplish [being the District POY]. It has always been a goal of mine to play to the best of my ability and have team success,” Hoops said. “With that will come individual awards. I’ve always set individual goals to strive for such things as being the District Player of the Year because I know if I’ve done that, then chances are, our team has had great success as well. So everyday I had the chance to get better, I went and tried to get better. It’s the same for this year. I have tremendous teammates and coaches that support me and push me to be the best. The only way I can top that accomplishment is by possibly winning it again, but this time also winning a Gold Ball as well.”
This offseason, Hoops hasn’t missed a beat.
After the Shermans were knocked out of the playoffs with a loss to perennial power Clinton-Massie, he immediately grabbed his lunch pail and went back to work.
Work. That’s what he does best, and his never-ending motor has become contagious.
“For me, I’m making sure I’m precise in decision-making, making sure that I’m reading progressions properly, throwing the ball on time, and having good footwork,” Hoops said. “I trust all of my receivers to catch the ball and make a play. The receivers and I are always willing to get extra work in on our off days or after practices, just to work on our timing so we can be sure we’re all on the same page.”
That constant strive to be better than ever comes honestly.
Hoops’ dad, Matt, is both the Shermans’ head football and basketball coach. On the hardwood, he’s compiled a record of 242-128 in 16 seasons. On the gridiron, he’s 18-12 in three years.
Meanwhile, his brother, Blake, has been a standout athlete in both programs — he averaged 10.2 points per game last basketball season after amassing 410 receiving yards and six touchdowns last fall. He’s now primed to be Newton’s top option this year.
Then, there’s Matt’s dad and Newton’s grandfather Mark, who serves as the Tanks’ offensive line coach — a unit that paved the way for 2,756 rushing yards in 2022 for a team that averaged 38.3 points per night.
See the trail of success?
“My favorite part about football is having fun with my friends every single day and being around the people I love,” Newton said. “I love to play the game and play for my school every Friday night with a passion. As for what made me fall in love with the game, that would have to be my dad and pop. Just watching football with them on TV as a kid and then getting to go out there and play, it’s amazing to me. Those two really helped me fall in love with the game. When I first started playing,l they were always encouraging me to play and become the best possible player and teammate I could be. What’s amazing now is that they’re both my coaches. I’m blessed to end my high school days playing for them.
“It’s amazing. Knowing that I get to trust my dad to lead our program and knowing that I get to trust my brother to run the route and catch the ball is something that not many people get to experience. What’s challenging the most is all three of us are extremely competitive. So we do butt heads here and there. But in the end, we are all just trying to make each other better and help our team win.”
CREDIT: Derrick Webb/SOSA
Winning is always the goal. And Newton knows what it’s going to take to do so.
The team’s two losses last season were glaring blemishes on a record that was, otherwise, perfect.
The first came in Week 7 at rival Zane Trace by a 35-31 final, a game where Unioto held a 24-14 lead midway through the third quarter. The final came in Week 11 with a shutout loss to the playoff-bound Falcons, who used their experience to frustrate the Shermans all night long.
Hoops hasn’t forgotten either of those missteps and he’s willing to work harder than ever to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself.
“We have to give one-hundred percent effort on every play and never take a play off,” Hoops said. “If you’re gonna mess up… mess up going one-hundred percent. We learned that little details are everything, such as turnovers and penalties. We have learned from our mistakes and have been working hard to fix them this summer.”
Hoops and his Shermans begin their season on Friday, traveling to Vinton County. Unioto will then finish out its non-league slate by hosting Amanda-Clearcreek before going to Waverly.
With a target on his teammates’ and his own back that he doesn’t mind whatsoever, he’s ready to get after it. The Vikings are now on the clock.
“It’s a great feeling, to be honest,” Hoops said. “I love great competition and that’s what we get each Friday night. We know we are going to get everyone’s best shot and we prepare each week like each team is the best team on our schedule. As a quarterback, it’s very important to stay calm in all situations. My teammates feed off my energy, so it’s important for me to stay calm and lead our team the best I can.”
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