Blizzard, snowstorms slowed 1977-78 season

Blizzard, snowstorms

slowed 1977-78 season

By BOB PATTON

For The Highland County Press

   The 1977-78 SCOL basketball league experienced one of its banner seasons, which will be long remembered, especially in Fayette County.

   At the end of the previous season, the Miami Trace board of education declined to renew the contract of Coach John Woolums. Following an exhaustive search, Ron Hall, of Ross County was employed to coach the Panthers in 1977-78.

   Hall had been an outstanding player at Chillicothe High School and a highly successful coach at Zane Trace and Frankfort Adena High Schools. His 1969 and 1970 teams at Zane Trace compiled back-to-back 27-1 records. The 1970 team went to the state tournament in Class A, and he was named Class A Ohio Coach of the Year. He was a very intense individual and kids who played

for him had to be committed.

   But he did get results. When the dust had settled, and the kids were admiring their championship trophy, they appreciated Ron Hall. Following a four-year tenure at Zane Trace (with a combined record of 87-12) Hall coached in a college in North Carolina a year, then came back to take the head job at Frankfort Adena. His second year at Adena, he led the Warriors to a 20-3 record and was named district coach of the year. The following season, he took his team to the district finals.

   Anyone who says coaching doesn’t make a difference never saw Hall’s team play. Art Schlichter, who was a starter all four of his high school years at MT, said in his book, “Busted,” that Hall held a two-and-a-half hour practice on Saturday, the day after the football team’s final game.

Practically all members of the basketball team were also football players.

   He spent two hours on defense, alone. Miami Trace, under Woolums, was not known for tough defense. It seemed like drudgery. It took Hall a while to get the players to buy in to his system. But eventually, they began to come together as a team. What followed was a season that was really special. Schlichter now says that Hall was one of the all-time great basketball coaches.

   The winter of 1977-78 was, if anything, even worse than the winter of 1976-77, which scrambled the SCOL basketball season with dozens of cancellations and had teams playing make-up games long after the tournaments began. Some teams had important league games to make up, even after they had been eliminated from tournament competition. Altogether, more than 50 games were canceled or postponed during the infamous “Blizzard of ‘78.” Some teams went two weeks, even three weeks, without playing. The schedule didn’t mean anything. 

   The games were played whenever the participating schools could work them in. At the end of the season, some teams played three or four SCOL games in one week, just trying to get their games in before the state tournament.

   Washington C.H. opened their season at Gallipolis. With John Denen racking up 19 points and teammate Tom Bath adding 15, the Blue Lions led all the way, and won the opener, 57-53.  Three days later, the Lions entertained Circleville while Wilmington visited Madison Plains. In a major upset, MP came out on top of highly favored Wilmington, 56-53.  The same night, Washington did not play up to their full potential, but still had enough to down Circleville, 64-58.

   On Dec. 2, Hall’s Miami Trace team blasted Hillsboro, 75-43 at MT.

Elsewhere, Wilmington, who had a powerhouse, walloped Teays Valley, 88-54. The Hurricane had five men scoring in double figures, led by Gary Williams’ 25 points. With four men in double figures, Circleville downed the McClain Tigers, 68-47, and Washington cruised past Madison Plains, 85-65, as six Lions scored in double figures. The “Superstars” in the league appeared to be Denen, Art Schlichter and Gary Williams. But, Toren Bensonhaver and Don Hill of Circleville were coming on strong, along with McClain’s Rob McCray.

   The area was already covered with a six-inch snowfall and Miami Trace had played just one game, blowing Hillsboro out. The Indians were led by new coach Bill Newland, who came from East Clinton where he had been 15-8 and won a district championship in 1976-77. He would have some talent at Hillsboro, but not a lot of size, and his best players were young. Sophomores Jon Cole and Duke Jackson were starters, and Cole was the team’s leading scorer.

   Wilmington traveled to Miami Trace on Tuesday, Dec. 12. When the dust had settled, the Hurricane had downed the Panthers, 51-45, with good scoring balance along with a total of 20 rebounds by 6’4” Gary Williams. Wilmington played excellent defense and slowed the game down to a walk to come out on top. Five miles away, the Blue Lions of WCH were blowing McClain away, 95-56 behind 30 points from John Denen. McClain had an outstanding player in Rob McCray, but they were very small, and did not have many great shooters.

   Washington led the league at this very early point in the season, with a 3-0 league mark.  They were followed by Circleville, Wilmington and Teays Valley, all with 2-1 marks, followed by Miami Trace, who was 1-1.

   John Denen, Art Schlichter and David Nared led the SCOL in individual scoring, both in SCOL games and overall.  Denen held a 2 ppg lead over Schlichter and a 3 ppg edge over Nared. But, due to the snow, some of the teams had only played two games.

   In the middle of December, Washington challenged the Hurricane at Wilmington. Gary Williams totaled 28 points, and the Hurricane upended the Blue Lions, 61-48. Denen racked up 25 markers for Washington, but had little help from his teammates. The same night, Toren Bensonhaver hit a desperation shot at the buzzer and Circleville edged Teays Valley, 55-54, and McClain used a 26-point effort by McCray to down the Hillsboro Indians, 57-49, for their first win of the season.  Miami Trace had five men in double figures as they clipped Madison Plains, 75-69. 

   During the Christmas break, several games would be played, some of which had already been rescheduled twice and the location switched. Miami Trace beat Circleville, 63-50, and WCH clobbered Teays Valley, 84-58. The following night, Washington caught Waverly shorthanded as the 6’8” Tiger center, Robert Holsinger, was out of action with a knee injury, but the Tigers’ zone press gave the Lions fits and Waverly came out on top, 68-64.

Meanwhile, MT, showing great scoring balance, whipped Lancaster’s Golden Gales, 63-51. Schlichter was not scoring as much as he did in his junior season, but his great defense, passing and ball handling was making Miami Trace a better team. Just before the first of the year, Wilmington edged Lebanon, 63-62. Toren Bensonhaver’s 31 points led Circleville to a blowout of Logan Elm, 103-50, Teays Valley fell to Westfall 60-56 and the McClain Tigers lost their sixth game in seven outings, 59-57, at Jackson.

   (To be continued next week.)

   Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press. 

The 1977-78 SCOL basketball league experienced one of its banner seasons, which will be long remembered, especially in Fayette County.

   At the end of the previous season, the Miami Trace board of education declined to renew the contract of Coach John Woolums. Following an exhaustive search, Ron Hall, of Ross County was employed to coach the Panthers in 1977-78.

   Hall had been an outstanding player at Chillicothe High School and a highly successful coach at Zane Trace and Frankfort Adena High Schools. His 1969 and 1970 teams at Zane Trace compiled back-to-back 27-1 records. The 1970 team went to the state tournament in Class A, and he was named Class A Ohio Coach of the Year. He was a very intense individual and kids who played for him had to be committed.

   But he did get results. When the dust had settled, and the kids were admiring their championship trophy, they appreciated Ron Hall. Following a four-year tenure at Zane Trace (with a combined record of 87-12) Hall coached in a college in North Carolina a year, then came back to take the head job at Frankfort Adena. His second year at Adena, he led the Warriors to a 20-3 record and was named district coach of the year. The following season, he took his team to the district finals.

   Anyone who says coaching doesn’t make a difference never saw Hall’s team play. Art Schlichter, who was a starter all four of his high school years at MT, said in his book, “Busted,” that Hall held a two-and-a-half hour practice on Saturday, the day after the football team’s final game.

Practically all members of the basketball team were also football players.

   He spent two hours on defense, alone. Miami Trace, under Woolums, was not known for tough defense. It seemed like drudgery. It took Hall a while to get the players to buy in to his system. But eventually, they began to come together as a team. What followed was a season that was really special. Schlichter now says that Hall was one of the all-time great basketball coaches.

   The winter of 1977-78 was, if anything, even worse than the winter of 1976-77, which scrambled the SCOL basketball season with dozens of cancellations and had teams playing make-up games long after the tournaments began. Some teams had important league games to make up, even after they had been eliminated from tournament competition. Altogether, more than 50 games were canceled or postponed during the infamous “Blizzard of ‘78.” Some teams went two weeks, even three weeks, without playing. The schedule didn’t mean anything. 

   The games were played whenever the participating schools could work them in. At the end of the season, some teams played three or  four SCOL games in one week, just trying to get their games in before the state tournament.

   Washington C.H. opened their season at Gallipolis. With John Denen racking up 19 points and teammate Tom Bath adding 15, the Blue Lions led all the way, and won the opener, 57-53.  Three days later, the Lions entertained Circleville while Wilmington visited Madison Plains. In a major upset, MP came out on top of highly favored Wilmington, 56-53.  The same night, Washington did not play up to their full potential, but still had enough to down Circleville, 64-58.

   On Dec. 2, Hall’s Miami Trace team blasted Hillsboro, 75-43 at MT.

Elsewhere, Wilmington, who had a powerhouse, walloped Teays Valley, 88-54. The Hurricane had five men scoring in double figures, led by Gary Williams’ 25 points. With four men in double figures, Circleville downed the McClain Tigers, 68-47, and Washington cruised past Madison Plains, 85-65, as six Lions scored in double figures. The “Superstars” in the league appeared to be Denen, Art Schlichter and Gary Williams. But, Toren Bensonhaver and Don Hill of Circleville were coming on strong, along with McClain’s Rob McCray.

   The area was already covered with a six-inch snowfall and Miami Trace had played just one game, blowing Hillsboro out. The Indians were led by new coach Bill Newland, who came from East Clinton where he had been 15-8 and won a district championship in 1976-77. He would have some talent at Hillsboro, but not a lot of size, and his best players were young. Sophomores Jon Cole and Duke Jackson were starters, and Cole was the team’s leading scorer.

   Wilmington traveled to Miami Trace on Tuesday, Dec. 12. When the dust had settled, the Hurricane had downed the Panthers, 51-45, with good scoring balance along with a total of 20 rebounds by 6’4” Gary Williams. Wilmington played excellent defense and slowed the game down to a walk to come out on top. Five miles away, the Blue Lions of WCH were blowing McClain away, 95-56 behind 30 points from John Denen. McClain had an outstanding player in Rob McCray, but they were very small, and did not have many great shooters.

   Washington led the league at this very early point in the season, with a 3-0 league mark.  They were followed by Circleville, Wilmington and Teays Valley, all with 2-1 marks, followed by Miami Trace, who was 1-1.

   John Denen, Art Schlichter and David Nared led the SCOL in individual scoring, both in SCOL games and overall.  Denen held a 2 ppg lead over Schlichter and a 3 ppg edge over Nared. But, due to the snow, some of the teams had only played two games.

   In the middle of December, Washington challenged the Hurricane at Wilmington. Gary Williams totaled 28 points, and the Hurricane upended the Blue Lions, 61-48. Denen racked up 25 markers for Washington, but had little help from his teammates. The same night, Toren Bensonhaver hit a desperation shot at the buzzer and Circleville edged Teays Valley, 55-54, and McClain used a 26-point effort by McCray to down the Hillsboro Indians, 57-49, for their first win of the season.  Miami Trace had five men in double figures as they clipped Madison Plains, 75-69. 

   During the Christmas break, several games would be played, some of which had already been rescheduled twice and the location switched. Miami Trace beat Circleville, 63-50, and WCH clobbered Teays Valley, 84-58. The following night, Washington caught Waverly shorthanded as the 6’8” Tiger center, Robert Holsinger, was out of action with a knee injury, but the Tigers’ zone press gave the Lions fits and Waverly came out on top, 68-64.

Meanwhile, MT, showing great scoring balance, whipped Lancaster’s Golden Gales, 63-51. Schlichter was not scoring as much as he did in his junior season, but his great defense, passing and ball handling was making Miami Trace a better team. Just before the first of the year, Wilmington edged Lebanon, 63-62. Toren Bensonhaver’s 31 points led Circleville to a blowout of Logan Elm, 103-50, Teays Valley fell to Westfall 60-56 and the McClain Tigers lost their sixth game in seven outings, 59-57, at Jackson.

   (To be continued next week.)

   Bob Patton is a Highland County sports historian and a contributing writer to The Highland County Press.