Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

For the Oak Hill Oaks, it was simply win No. 3 on the season. It was an even bigger win for head coach Norm Persin.
Now in his 42nd season, the former long-time Chesapeake Panthers coach recorded career victory No. 750 against only 208 losses as the Oaks routed Northwest 58-21 last Friday.
“I’ve had a lot of good players who were willing to work hard and do what I asked them to do. It’s a nice win but every win is a nice win,” said Persin.
Persin’s win total ranks him third all-time on Ohio’s career victories list and he trails Joe Petrocelli, who was the longtime Kettering Alter head coach, for second place.
Petrocelli has an 831-305 record and all-time leader Richard Kortokrax has an 877-361 record.
Persin — a member of the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame and the prestigious Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame — ranks first among active coaches and his .786 winning percentage ranks third all-time in Ohio.
Persin was named the 2009 National Coach of the Year after guiding Oak Hill to the Division 4 state championship. He has been selected the Ohio Coach of the Year seven times.
Persin was the head coach at Chesapeake for 21 seasons where 16 Ohio Valley Conferences titles including 11 in a row. He also guided the Panthers to two Associated Press poll titles.
He also coached at Wilmington for two seasons.
In combined coaching at Chesapeake and earlier in his career at Oak Hill, Persin has won 19 OVC titles.
Persin’s teams had a 76-game home winning streak and 48-game regular season winning streak.