Former West Carrollton coach Gerhard dies at 66
Dan Gerhard, the bigschool state player of the year when Chaminade High School completed an undefeated season by winning a boys state basketball title in 1970 and later the longtime boys coach at West Carrollton, died last week. He was 66.
Gerhard was beset by physical ailments in his later years that he attributed to his basketball playing days. He had both hips replaced when he was 42. “I played on a lot of concrete when I was younger,” Gerhard told the Dayton Daily News in 2011.
He remained an area high school basketball enthusiast and attended Trotwood-Madison’s boys showdown at Dunbar earlier this month.
He was succeeded by Tony Clemens as West Carrollton’s coach in 2014. Gerhard was the Pirates’ coach a total of 27 seasons in two separate stints. When he retired from coaching, he was the area’s longest-serving Division I coach.
Gerhard was a key member of the Eagles’ team that was blown out 78-46 by Canton McKinley in the 1969 Class AA state semifinals. Chaminade returned all five starters the next season, went 27-0 and routed Rossford 69-47 to win the Class AA state title at Ohio State University’s St. John Arena in Columbus. The district final defeat of Roth in which Gerhard hit the winning basket that season drew the first sold-out crowd at then new UD Arena.
That was the second state title for Eagles coach Jim Turvene, who also guided Chaminade to the 1966 Class AA state title. Julienne had not yet merged with the Ludlow Street private school during those title seasons.
Gerhard was the Class AA player of the year as a senior and would be a fixture in OSU’s lineup for three seasons – freshmen weren’t eligible for varsity until 1972. Other starters on the 1970 championship Eagles were Paul Kurpiel, Terry Tyler, Ted Wuebben and Stan Pfander. Kurpiel, the Class AA state baseball player of the year who also led Chaminade to a state baseball title as a senior, also played baseball at OSU. He died last October.
Turvene resumed his coaching career at West Carrollton. He died in 2008.
Gerhard is survived by wife Nancy, daughters Lindsey and Lauren, his brother, Bill, and three sisters, Marie, Linda and Therese. A gathering of family and friends will be from 4-7 p.m. Friday at Tobias Funeral Home, Far Hills Chapel. Mass will be at noon Monday at St. Albert in Kettering.
■ GWOC reps Wayne and Trotwood-Madison finished among the top 10 in their respective divisions of the final Associated Press boys state basketball polls that were released Tuesday. No. 1 most of the season, Wayne (20-1) finished No. 3 in D-I. Trotwood (19-3) was No. 5 in D-II. Both are top seeds in their sectionals.
Two Midwest Athletic Conference teams also were among the top 10, No. 6 Versailles (18-4) in D-III and No. 5 St. Henry (18-3) in D-IV. Also, Springfield Catholic Central (18-3) was No. 10 in D-IV.
The four top-ranked teams were Solon (D-I), Wauseon (D-II), Canal Winchester Harvest Prep (D-III) and Mansfield St. Peter’s (D-IV). Statewide media reps who subscribe to AP are eligible for weekly voting.
■ High-scoring Samari Curtis has been missing from Xenia’s lineup the past five games since undergoing concussion protocol. Buccaneers coach Kent Anderson said the Greater Western Ohio Conference’s leading scorer (30.4 points) might be ready for a D-I sectional opener against Fairmont on Saturday at Trotwood.
A 6-foot-4 junior, Curtis has scored 30-plus points 10 times. He had 41 against West Carrollton and a career-best 50 at Tippecanoe. He is verbally committed to Xavier.
“You don’t mess around with knees and you sure don’t mess around with a kid’s brain when you’re talking about concussion protocol,” Anderson said. “He’s got a future to protect.”
■ Streaking Troy Christian outlasted host Bethel 66-60 in overtime last Saturday in what might be a preview of the D-III postseason. TC’s James Anderson had 20 points and nine rebounds. Barring upsets, Troy Christian (20-2), a No. 5 seed, should play No. 2 seed Bethel (17-5) in a D-III sectional final at Northmont.
Troy Christian won the Metro Buckeye Conference (12-1) and takes a 16-game winning streak into its tourney opener against Indian Lake on Saturday. Bethel (120) won the Central Buckeye Conference but ended with regular season 3-3. The Bees face the Miami East/Greenon winner Feb. 28.
■ Northmont saved its best for last to end the boys regular season last Saturday. Thunderbolts senior Jabari Perkins tied it on a 3-pointer with eight seconds left. Northmont’s Cameron Rucker followed with a steal with 2.2 seconds remaining and then Dawson Walker hit a buzzer-beater in Northmont’s 57-55 win.
Northmont (10-12) opens the D-I postseason against Fairborn (9-13) at Butler on Friday. Beavercreek (9-13) opens against Franklin (175) on Friday at Trotwood.
■ Northeastern standout Hayley Suchland scored 41 points in last week’s 67-61 defeat of Triad in a girls Ohio Heritage Conference game. Contact this reporter at 937225-2381 or email Marc. Pendleton@coxinc.com. Twitter: @MarcPendleton