DOGGED DETERMINATION
South’s 1986 state championship resonates years later
During the 1986 girls AAA state championship basketball game, South point guard Denise Hughes collided with a defender and fell, sliding under the scorer’s table. Here one minute, gone the next.
South’s 6-foot-3 center Debbie Harrison was not about to let the Bulldogs’ title hopes similarly disappear. The girls had worked too hard and come too far not to finish the deal. They had already elevated Columbus City Schools girls basketball but needed to defeat Cincinnati Oak Hills in the championship game to avoid adding to the frustration of a community too often sold short by outsiders.
“Winning was something really important to me, to get what we had worked for, but we also wanted to win for the school,” Harrison said this week, revisiting memories of that state championship won 35 years ago. “It was all about the boys way back in the day, so we wanted to prove the girls were good, too. We wanted everyone to know this is what we do. We wanted to set the standard for South High basketball.”
They did, overwhelming Oak Hills 74-54 in Akron (St. John Arena was already booked, forcing the tournament to northeast Ohio) for South's first basketball championship since the boys won state in 1965. And it could have been a twofer because the Bulldogs boys also reached the 1986 state championship game before bowing to Akron Central Hower 70-44.
Those were giddy times in the surrounding neighborhoods south of Livingston Avenue and east of Parsons Avenue, before those areas began to isolate and see their sense of shared community slowly deteriorate.
“I grew up in Lincoln Park, and it was like a village feel then,” said Hughes, who now goes by her married name of Hughes-curtis. “In the Lincoln Park projects, it meant a lot to be recognized for something good, for that achievement, just coming from the south side and being able to bring attention to my neighborhood. People showed us a lot of respect once we won the title.”
Sports success increases pride of ownership. High school athletics can connect and unite a community like few other activities. Politics and petty squabbles get set aside for a time as “they” and “them” become “we” and “us.”
Seldom in South history has there been such a powerful sense of “us” as when those teen girls glued together to accomplish a goal. Even today, members of the team struggle to explain it. Things just clicked.
Coach Ernie Robinson was instrumental in making it all happen. Incredibly kind, Robinson was equally tough, setting a standard of excellence and
running the girls after practices, and sometimes after poorly-played games, until their lungs burned like hot coal and their legs wobbled like children's blocks stacked 15 high.
“Honestly, at times I couldn't stand him, because he worked us so hard, but I always appreciated him,” said Troya Landrum, who as a junior started at forward on the '85-86 team, joining seniors Hughes and Harrison, sophomore guard Michelle Hale and senior forward Ann Mullins. Other roster players were Alisha Ferrell, Yolanda Frierson, Gerrie Pearson, Nolita Berger, Tiffany Stevens, Tammy Mosby, Monique Greene, Rennae Groves and Teresa Roquemore.
“He told us if we ever lost a game, it wouldn't be because we weren't in shape,” said Landrum, who later played at Louisville. “He pushed us to do what he knew we could do. We have to credit not only ourselves but coach Rob for getting us in shape. We pressed everyone, all the time.”
South lost one game that season to Brookhaven in the opener, but then ran the table to finish 27-1, including a rematch win against the Bearcats for the city championship.
If Robinson provided needed external motivation, Harrison brought the necessary internal edge, borne of a take-no-prisoners approach to competition.
“After I missed the first game recovering from a knee injury, I was asked by a young man how the season would go,” said Harrison, who went on to play at
Penn State. “I might have jumped the gun but I told him we're not looking back (to 1985 when the Bulldogs lost to Pickerington 60-50 in the regional). I hadn't even played a game yet, but I basically said we want to dust everybody off. I wasn't going out like that (1985) again.”
South's size, speed and power led it to the regionals, where the Bulldogs did away with Mansfield Malabar in the semifinals and Upper Arlington in the finals.
Upper Arlington had Peggy Odita, a three-time state champion in the high jump, but the Bulldogs buried the Golden Bears by 23 points.
“After that, we had to dig down deep in our hearts and figure out what we wanted,” Landrum said. “Do we want to win it or only get close and not make it all the way?”
The toughest test came when South trailed Akron Buchtel 28-25 at halftime of the state semifinal. The Griffins were as physical as the Bulldogs but eventually wore down as South increased the defensive pressure to win 57-49.
Then came Oak Hills. South read Robinson's scouting report — the Highlanders were a finesse team that relied on outside shooting — and the Bulldogs licked their chops. If officials allowed the game to get physical, and they did, South would roll.
“We actually got to play the way we wanted,” said Landrum, who scored 22 points.
With little fear of fouling, Harrison muscled inside to score 25. Game over. South set AAA records for most points and field goals (35) in a state tournament game, as well as the largest margin of victory.
“At the end, all I could think was, ‘We did this,' ” said Harrison, who was named tournament MVP. “My heart kept saying, ‘Yes, mission accomplished.' ”
Many hearts beating south of I-70 proudly felt the same way. roller@dispatch.com @rollercd
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