Early last week, long-time Homer-Center Girls basketball coach Tom Lasher was making plans with his players for summer league activities, but something changed following the Homer-Center School Board Meeting on Thursday night, and that led to Lasher abruptly resigning Friday morning after 13 largely successful years.
When contacted, Lasher confirmed he resigned Friday morning but beyond that would only say that he would never put himself over the betterment of the program.
Lasher finished with 204 wins against just 109 losses, a .651 winning percentage. He had only three sub.500 seasons. Under his guidance his teams won 14 or more games ten of his 13 seasons, and they qualified for the playoffs 12 times the exception being 2012-13. He led the Lady Wildcats to a pair of Heritage Conference Championships, and to the state semifinals in 2010-11. His team finished 16-5 this past season and lost only one senior. The Lady Wildcats will return four starters and their top seven scorers next season.
What transpired at the school board meeting isn’t clear, but Homer-Center Jr. Sr. High School Principal Jody Rainey said that Lasher received consistent excellent evaluations, was an excellent role model and great for kids, followed all PIAA procedures, and he was not forced out. When asked, he acknowledged that like many coaches staffs in this day and age, there was division with players and parents and Lasher was not going to put himself first….
Rainey said in his opinion, Lasher did an outstanding job at Homer-Center:
Most of Lasher’s final team will be returning in the 2021-22 season, as Vada Walbeck – the lone senior – will be the only Lady Wildcat leaving for graduation. Leading scorers Marlee Kochman, Macy Sardone and Molly Kosmack are projected to return as well as Ayannah Elliot and Alaina Fabin who each averaged two assists per game last season.
Below are some photos from Lasher’s tenure at Homer-Center:
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