Campbell County assistant coach Noah Wirth was on the Camels’ bench Thursday, but it was not his first visit to Rupp.
Wirth has experienced the Sweet 16® from all angles. He was a ball boy in 2011 while a student at Northern Elementary School in Pendleton County.
“It wasn’t for Campbell County. It was for KHSAA – wiping the floor down and making sure the refs had water and stuff,” he said.
Wirth played for Campbell County from 2015-2019. (The Camels reached the state quarterfinals in 2018 and the 2019 semifinals.) He said the nerves vanished once the games started.
“Things I remember is how close we were as a team; we were all friends from seniors to freshmen,” said, Wirth, whose dad, Jon Wirth, is Pendleton County’s athletic director..
Wirth the younger said being a coach is most enjoyable.
“You’ve lived your dream, you got to do it,” he said. “Now, as a coach, you get to see these kids live their dream. It’s just fun watching them.”
Can’t stop moving
Kason Jackson couldn’t keep his legs still.
I couldn’t stop moving, fidgeting,” he said. “I was super-nervous. When I’m watching, I can’t stop moving.”
Jackson, whose younger brother Garyn scored 11 points in Campbell County’s 43-40 win over Newport, had one of the best seats there was. He’s the Camels’ scorekeeper.
“With my brother playing and being close to the team … it’s fun and nice to be able to be part of the team when he’s part of the team,” Kason Jackson said.
Jackson graduated from Campbell County in 2021; he played for the Camels his junior and senior seasons and filmed games before that. He’s now a junior at Northern Kentucky University; he plans to be an elementary school teacher.
After the game, Kason Jackson was noticeably relaxed.
“I’m calmed down now,” he said. “I’ll be nervous again tomorrow.”
Clock it
Up in Section 40, Row V, former Newport star Keith Greene was in his favorite place – as far away from the court as possible.
“I always sit away from everything,” Greene said.
Greene said a 35-second shot clock would fix something that bugs him.
“The games are too low-scoring for me,” Greene said. “There’s too much passing and stalling. When I played, we averaged 85 a game.”
Across the floor, in Section 22, Miles McDowell understandably liked what he saw.
“The Camels are moving the ball well on offense; they’re keeping Newport outside on offense,” McDowell said.
Greene, McDowell and everyone else were also part of history – Campbell County vs. Newport was the first state tournament game between non-Jefferson County teams from different regions
“That’s a beautiful thing,” Greene said.
Triple-ing
Campbell County students Lilly Enzweiler, Ava Crowl and Gabrielle Lause may not be fashion influencers, but they had a good time rocking their purple ad gold attire.
They especially enjoyed the matching really, really shiny gold lame’ pants.
“We’re tripling,” Lause said. “It feels awesome to express the purple and gold,” Lause said.
With Campbell County taking on Harlan County in the quarterfinals at 6 p.m. Friday, Crowl, Enzweiler and Lause may wear the gold pants again.
“I’m not going to wash ‘em,” Crowl said. “I think they’re lucky.”