Loudonville has a hometown model in state tournament goal

LOUDONVILLE — Those aren’t whispers the basketball community is sharing in southern Ashland County.

It’s become a full-blown conversation.

The Loudonville girls basketball team had one goal before the season started — a state tournament run — and it’s alive and well.

“We’re not shying away from it,” coach Tyler Bates said. “We scrimmaged up all summer. That’s what all the work was for.”

This is bold talk for any team in any sport. But these fourth-ranked Redbirds, who are now 15-0, just might be up to it.

It’s not unprecedented in school annals.

I went along for the ride when the 1991-92 Loudonville girls basketball team made it all the way to the Division III state championship game.

That was a special class for the Redbirds. The previous spring a junior-laden softball squad finished as state runners-up to Strasburg. At the time, some thought the ‘Birds were a year away, but junior pitching ace Jennie Allerding was in no mood to wait.

The ensuing fall, as seniors, they won the state volleyball championship with Lisa Marshall dominating the net.

That winter it was senior Misty Wells spearheading a team that rolled through the regular season and pocketed a district crown. The ‘Birds beat Brookfield 45-43 in a thrilling overtime clash at the Alliance Regional to qualify for the Final Four.

I still remember coach John Wilson screaming, “I’m taking my girls to St. John Arena!” as that final buzzer sounded.

Once in Columbus, the Redbirds easily handled Versailes in the state semifinals, 61-48. It was tasty revenge, Versailes had tripped the Loudonville football team in the 1990 state championship game in Massillon.

Then the ‘Birds faced Coldwater for all the marbles.

The Cavaliers boasted a potent 1-2 scoring punch of Jenny Rauh and Amy Siefring. Those two combined for 44 points in a surprising 59-52 semifinal victory over defending state champion Heath in the other semifinal.

In the title tilt, Rauh and Siefring got loose again. This time the duo accounted for 37 points.

Loudonville hung with them through a 12-12 first-quarter tie, but slipped behind 28-20 at halftime. The Redbirds got within 40-33 heading to the fourth period, but Coldwater controlled the final eight minutes to pull away for a 63-47 decision.

Still, it was a storied run — the best in Loudonville’s basketball history.

So, naturally, the question has percolated this winter: How do this year’s Redbirds compare to that epic 1992 squad?

There are a few differences.

First, that Loudonville team competed in Division III, while this one (after years of being slotted as one of the smallest schools in Division III) has one of the biggest enrollments in Division IV.

“We’ve had some brutal tournament draws the last few years,” Bates said. “It will be nice to see some new teams.”

The 1992 Redbirds also had championship DNA.

The key players on that particular roster, including Wells, Allerding, Marshall and point guard Amy Zuercher, had already played in two state championship games in their previous two sports seasons.

They seemed to gravitate toward the bright lights, either at Brookside Park, Wright State’s Nutter Center, or St. John Arena.

However, as good as they were, those Redbirds had no one like senior Corri Vermilya.

Loudonville’s ace is bound for defending national champion Ashland University next year. At 5-foot-9, she has the size to play all over the floor, is the point person on the defensive press, or can guard the post.

Offensively, she likes to dash to the goal and can finish with either hand. She’s also doubled her assists this year and is a dangerous perimeter shooter.

Vermilya was third in Ohio’s Ms. Basketball voting last winter, and she’s averaging better than 27 points per game this year — despite playing a grand total of one minute in the fourth quarter through the first 15 games.

Vermilya is the best player in the state in Division IV, and she has help. The Redbirds comfortably go seven deep and can dial up some fierce defensive pressure that seems to overwhelm foes.

Sophia Spangler is finally healthy after an injury-riddled season last year. Freshman Mya Vermilya (Corri’s sister) is getting better each game, and one can see her gaining confidence weekly.

Jenna Guilliams, Alisha Felix, Addison Wolford and Sydney Strouse are all consistent contributors.

“Our biggest goal, really our only goal is to get to state,” Corri Vermilya said. “We have a great team this year and I think we have a great chance.”

After seeing them myself, I think they do, too.