Messiah University

Scott Barton, the Head Boys Basketball Coach at Lower Dauphin High School (Hummelstown, PA) for the past 19 years, has decided to move from the high school ranks to the collegiate level. Barton accepted an invitation from Messiah College Men’s Basketball Coach, Rick Van Pelt, to come on board as an assistant coach for the 07-08 year.

“I am really excited about the challenges of learning the game at the collegiate level, working with Coach VanPelt and the rest of the staff, and working with the players at Messiah,” said Barton.  “Messiah College has an outstanding reputation academically and athletically.  My family and I have been blessed to be a part of a great community at Lower Dauphin the last 19 years, and now we are really looking forward to being a part of the Messiah Community.”

“I am extremely pleased to have Scott join our staff,” said Van Pelt. “He is one of the most highly respected coaches in the area and gives an instant boost to many areas of our program. Scott caries himself with a tremendous amount of grace and dignity and I am thrilled to begin working with him.”

Barton will have an immediate impact on the program and will be hands-on with recruiting, on-court instruction and game analysis. With his plethora of coaching experience, Barton will be able to be involved in all aspects of the program.

Barton, who grew up in the Mid-Penn area as a graduate of Hershey High School, began his High School coaching career at North Clarion High School in Tionesta, Pennsylvania. While at North Clarion, Barton inherited a program that had not won a single varsity, or junior varsity, game in two years. Out of the game, North Clarion won 11 games his first year. Two years later, The team posted the first of what would be three straight 20-win seasons, at 20-8, followed by seasons of 21-7 and 24-6. North Clarion won two District IX Championships and earned two berths in the PIAA State playoffs.

Barton then spent a year as the Assistant Varsity Boys Basketball Coach at Sante Fe High School in Alachua, Florida, leading the team to the first District Championship in school history, in 1985. The following year, Barton returned back to Central Pennsylvania and took the reigns at Lebanon High School as the Varsity coach. Barton’s teams reached the district playoffs for the first time in eight years during his tenure there.

In 1988, Barton took over at Lower Dauphin and began one of the most successful tenures in recent history. Prior to Barton’s arrival, the Falcons had only six winning seasons in 28 years. In his 19 years, the Falcons posted 13 winning seasons. In his first four seasons at the post, Lower Dauphin went from 5-19, to 12-12 before then going 22-8 and 23-5. Barton’s teams earned five 20-plus win seasons and attained postseason play 13 times.

One Mid-Penn Conference Championship and two PIAA, Class AAAA, playoff berths highlight the on-court success of the Falcons. Inside the program, Barton has coached 20 players that continued basketball at the collegiate level as well as 13 players that went on to coach after their high school careers.

“Since the day coach Barton resigned at Lower Dauphin to join our staff I have received numerous notes and phone calls letting me know what a quality person and coach Scott has been at Lower Dauphin during the past 19 years,” remarked VanPelt.  “People have used words to describe him like: intense, fierce competitor, respectful, humble, and first-class.  I am so glad that our current and future players will get a chance to be coached and mentored by Coach Barton.”