Team effort earns Lancers state cage title

Editor’s note: This is the final part of a three-part series on Lincolnview’s 1996-97 state championship basketball season. The team will be honored at halftime of Thursday’s Division IV state semifinal game between Perry and Columbus Wellington School.

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

While Wes Dudgeon, Frank Kill, Brandon Pardon, Chad Pollock, and Kyle Rabe were the starters for the eventual state champion Lincolnview Lancers, there’s no doubt that a group sometimes referred to as the “Super Subs” was a key factor in the team’s success.

Phil Duvall, Scott Kemler, Matt Owens, Adam Owens, Wayne Longstreth, Matt Frey, and current Lincolnview High School Principal Brad Mendenhall didn’t finish with flashy numbers, but their contributions were extremely important.

“Everyone that was on the team had a role and everyone knew what their role was,” Kemler said. “My role was to come off the bench and play defense on the other team’s point guard. Wayne’s role was to come in and rebound and play defense.

“Even though Matt (Owens) did not get to play much, he was a leader overall,” Kemler added. “He would get on us if we were not playing good and would keep encouraging us to step it up.”

“The wealth and depth of talent on that team created a practice environment that pushed everyone to maximize their effort,” Owens said. “The coaching staff fostered that spirit of intensity and hard work.”

“The guys that came off the bench were as good as most other teams’ starting lineups,” former assistant coach and current Athletic Director Greg Leeth said. “Practices were often more competitive than the games on Friday and Saturday nights.”

“If we would have had football, we would have been a really good team,” former head coach Dave Evans said. “We had size and we had athleticism.”

Having won sectional, district, and regional titles for the second consecutive season, the Lancers prepared for another trip to the state tournament.

“Our junior year, it was more of an awestruck feeling,” Rabe said. “Walking into St. John Arena for the first time was amazing. “We were just happy to be there.”

“Our senior year, it was more of a business trip,” he added. “We had been there before and we knew what to expect.”

Lincolnview met Norwalk St. Paul in the semifinals and the Lancers made quick work of the Flyers, leading 24-13 at the end of the first quarter, and 50-24 at halftime. The Lancers went on to win 88-49, and set a state record for largest margin of victory in a Division IV state semifinal game. Pollock led Lincolnview with 20 points and surpassed the 1,000 career point mark in the second half.

An anticipated rematch in the championship game against Springfield Central Catholic didn’t materialize, because the Fighting Irish lost to Zanesville Bishop Rosecrans in the other Division IV semifinal.

The state championship game was a challenge early on. The Lancers trailed the Bishops 13-10 after one quarter, but led 27-24 at the half.  The third quarter was big for Lincolnview, as the Lancers outscored Rosecrans 17-8, and led 44-32 entering the fourth quarter. The final period was a wild one, as the two teams combined for 60 points — 32 by the Lancers and 28 by the Bishops. Many of those points came on free throws.

When the dust settled, Lincolnview claimed the state title with a 76-60 victory. Kill scored 23 points and had 11 rebounds, while Dudgeon scored 17. Pardon finished with 13 points and 12 assists.

Kill scored 35 points and pulled down 23 rebounds in two state tournament games, and was named the Division IV tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

The team set several Division IV tournament records that still stand today, including most rebounds in a semifinal game (55 vs. St. Paul), and most free throws in a two-game tournament (66).

The Lancers were a tightknit group growing up and, 20 years later, team members remain close. All are enjoying families and successes in various career fields, and the former players and coaches keep in touch.

“I still play in an ‘old man’ basketball league with a few of them,” Mendenhall said with a laugh. “Scott Kemler, Wayne Longstreth, Adam Owens, and me, we all still play together once or twice a week at the YMCA.”

“Given that we are spread out across the country, I would say we are very close,” Dudgeon said. “Many were in each other’s weddings and some had kids who played sports together.”

“Everybody’s got jobs and families, but at the end of the day we’re all the same,” Pardon said. “When we see each other, it’s just like old times. It’s pretty special and it’s something I cherish very much.”