To name the top 5 programs can be interpreted in a couple of ways...........top 5 all time in wins, or top 5 all time in tournament/state tournament performance.
Comparing Newark and Portsmouth.........Newark has more all time wins.........Portsmouth 1,468--793, but Portsmouth has more district championships (37), is 4th in state appearances (15 to Newark's 8), and has 4 state titles just like the Wildcats, and 4 state runnerups to Newark's 1. Two of Portsmouth's state titles were won in the big school division.
In state tournament play, Portsmouth is 16-11, with the 16 wins 4th all time in the OHSAA state tourney. The 27 games played is 3rd all time. Portsmouth has made the state tournament in 8 different decades, while Newark has appeared in 5 decades.
I voted for Portsmouth as a top 5 not because I am a PHS alumnus, but I voted based on state tournament performance.......and because of Portsmouth's winning record in state tournament play. Playing in the weaker SE district is a moot point when you look at the Trojans record at the state.
I remember when Newark was in the Central Ohio League........a very good league, but Portsmouth was in the Greater Ohio League for almost 35 years until the mid 70's........Middletown, Hamilton, Springfield (Springfield South), Lima, and Portsmouth. Between 1944 and 1961, the GOL accounted for 11 Big school state titles, and for many years afterward claimed more state championships than any other league in Ohio, even more than the Columbus City League. Every school in the league with the exception of Lima won that state during that period. In fact, Portsmouth lost to Middletown or Hamilton 4 times in the regionals in the 1950's, and the Trojans had some tremendous teams. They just couldn't get by the Middies or Big Blue.
I respect the tradition of Newark, but Portsmouth has a better state tournament resume than the Wildcats. To me to be a top 5 program means you have to be great at the highest level, and PHS has proven that. Having the highest number of wins all time is nice, but in many cases teams compile those numbers against local competition (not saying Newark has). A lot of schools can claim local wins and conference championships, but the majority of schools in Ohio have never been to the state tournament. To play at the state on a repeated basis makes your program worthy of being mentioned as one of the best in Ohio.