SHELBY — Cathy Dodge has several fond memories when it comes to Shelby High School’s basketball programs.
But two weeks in March of 1983 rank at the top of Dodge’s list.
Following a momentous 19-1 regular season, Shelby’s girls basketball program played its way to a spot in the Class AAA state championship game against No. 1-ranked Barberton.
The Whippets, guided by coach Ellen Lawrence, came from behind in the fourth quarter and defeated the Magics 71-69 to finish the season with a 27-1 record and the program’s first-ever state title.
Dodge, who’s spent the last 49 years as head statistician for Shelby girls basketball, said the ’83 tournament run was the “most fun” two weeks she’s ever experienced.
That thrilling team was led by future Ohio State standout Jodi Roth, who poured in 27 points in the 70-41 beating of Westlake in the state semifinal, and erupted for a record 34 points in the title game.
Forty-one years later, the Shelby boys basketball team has pieced together the most historic season in program history while on a quest for its first state championship.
“That (’83 tournament) was probably two of the greatest sporting weeks in my life,” Dodge said. “This is coming pretty close.”
Dodge sees ‘connectivity’ as strength of Shelby boys basketball
The Whippets stunned No. 1-ranked Lutheran West 55-46 last Saturday to claim their first-ever regional championship and a spot in the Final Four.
Dodge, a 1965 Shelby High School graduate, has enjoyed getting to witness the historic run from her role as a fan versus a statistician.
She said the Whippets’ “connectivity” on the court has been a key attribute throughout the 2023-24 season.
“They’re all so close and such good friends,” Dodge said. “I see them off the court too, and they’re together.
“It means a lot because if they like each other when they’re off the court, then on the court they’re going to really love each other and play for each other.
“That’s a big lion’s share of the game. You’ve got kids that play well together because they like each other. That can only cause good things.”
Second-ranked Shelby (25-2) will compete in a Division II state semifinal on Saturday at 2 p.m. against Zanesville Maysville (25-3) at UD Arena in Dayton.
‘It’s just ingrained in me that Shelby is my life’
Over the years, Dodge has absorbed more Shelby basketball, boys and girls, than most.
She saw legendary Larry Siegfried, an All-American at Ohio State and five-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics, play in the old Central School gymnasium. She still recalls the outfits, hand signals and flip cards from her time cheering in Pep Club.
Dodge helped start the Shelby Athletic Booster Club in the fall of 1983 and served as its president for a short time. Around 1998-1999, she returned to the role and remains the club’s president today.
After deciding to stay in Shelby beyond high school, Dodge said she held herself accountable to a promise.
“I made a pledge to myself that if I wasn’t going to go to college, and if I was going to stay here in town, then I was going to work for my community as much as I could and to the best of my ability,” she said. “I love this town.
“It’s just ingrained in me that Shelby is my life and sports. I love sports.”
Other examples of Dodge’s involvement within the community include serving as a Girl Scout troop leader for 20 years, working with Shelby girls softball for nearly 20 years, and remaining an active member of her church.
Excitement is ‘hard to explain’
Over the past few weeks, Dodge has seen shades of rising excitement and anticipation similar to the support of the ’83 girls team.
She recalled encouragement from local businesses and community members in the days leading up to the Class AAA state championship game.
“People wanted to feed us,” Dodge said. “When we left (Shelby), all of (State Route) 61 and all the way out of town people were standing out watching us.
“It just doesn’t happen often. To any school it doesn’t happen often — but to some schools it happens on a more frequent basis.”
Fast forward to this season and supportive messages can be seen on business signs around the city. Some restaurants have even created special menu items and deals inspired by Shelby’s Final Four team.
Dodge tells Shelby to take in ‘every minute’ of Final Four experience
Along with Dodge’s ’83 trip to the Final Four, Shelby’s boys and girls basketball programs each have a coach with state semifinal experience of their own.
Shelby girls coach Natalie (Britt) Lantz was a talented junior point guard on Shelby’s 1992 state runner-up team, which set a program-high for most points in a single season with 1,590 points. She’s also the mother of Whippets’ starting forward Casey Lantz.
Todd Kehres, Shelby boys assistant coach, was the point guard on Buckeye Central’s 1983 state tournament team, which reached the Class A title game under coach Steve Mohr.
The Bucks fell 55-48 to Delphos St. John’s in a battle of unbeatens and finished the season with a 27-1 record.
Dodge said having multiple coaches with Final Four experience provides a rare opportunity to this season’s Shelby squad.
“Those are just things that they can say, ‘You guys, take every bit of this in, every minute,'” she said.
“It’s just hard to explain how exciting it is. It kind of overtakes your life for a few weeks.”