PORTSMOUTH — The number “80” on the banner inside the Clay High School gym signifying the Clay girls basketball program’s 1980 Class A Regional Championship team is guaranteed to have some company in a neighboring Scioto County facility soon.
The Lady Panthers defeated Sidney Lehman 58-53 in the Kettering Regional Final 43 years ago — winning the program’s first and only regional championship and clinching a berth in the OHSAA girls basketball state tournament.
Clay High School honors the 1980 Class A Regional Championship team by displaying their trophies and the year inside their trophy case and gymnasium.
Jacob Smith | Daily Times
A mark for those Lady Panthers as the lone team from Scioto County to reach the state tournament that has stood for over four decades will be added to by at least one — and possibly two — teams this weekend.
The Wheelersburg Lady Pirates, who defeated Belmont Union Local 49-47, and the Portsmouth West Lady Senators, who defeated North Adams 52-51, will meet on Friday in an all-Southern Ohio Conference Division II Region 11 final with a spot in the Division III state tournament on the line.
Notre Dame plays in a Division IV, Region 15 semifinal on Thursday against Fisher Catholic.
If they were to win a pair of games in the Region 15 tournament, they too would join either West or ‘Burg at next week’s state tournament at the University of Dayton.
So who exactly were these Lady Panthers that helped set a four-decade long precedent? And did they expect their feat to live on as the only team to achieve that stature for 43 years?
Coached by Terri Boldman, the ‘79-‘80 Lady Panthers finished their season with a 24-2 record — falling to Old Washington Buckeye Trail 59-44 in the state semifinals at St. John Arena in Columbus.
That season, the Lady Panthers won the program’s first SOC championship and set the record for most wins in a season that stands to this day.
“It was a really hard working bunch of girls. They wanted to practice, wanted to win,” Boldman said, via a phone interview on Thursday. “Really athletic group that were dedicated.”
In nine seasons as the Clay girls basketball coach, Boldman’s teams compiled a 134-56 record.
Teresa Ruby, whose No. 14 has been retired by the Clay Athletic Department, was a junior on the 1980 Regional Championship team.
Ruby is the program’s all-time leading scorer at 1,846 points and was the 1981 Ohio Class A State Player of the Year her senior season.
Additional members of the 1980 Clay team included seniors Michele Bihl and Karen Davison, junior Jodie Pollock, sophomores Kelly Porter and Kathy Davison, and freshmen Nadine Warden, Tammy Martin, Mindy Winters, and Ruthie Gilliland.
Clay High School honors the 1980 Class A Regional Championship team by displaying their trophies and the year inside their trophy case and gymnasium.
Jacob Smith | Daily Times
“It doesn’t seem like it’s been that long ago,” Ruby said with a laugh. “A ton of excitement. It was quite an honor to play St. John Arena in that historic building. I remember going out and having quite a big crowd and we weren’t used to that, crowds weren’t as big as they get now. I played with some folks that I loved and cared about and we were excited to do it. Had no idea at the time this was something that would last for 43 years.”
That Clay group helped build a standard for the Lady Panther softball and volleyball programs, as well.
The softball program won state championships in 1980, 1981, and 1983 and were state runner-up in 1979 and 1988 under the direction of Carol Vice.
On the volleyball court under Boldman’s guidance, the Lady Panthers won district championships in the 1978 and 1979 seasons.
When the 1979-80 Clay team won the Class A Kettering Regional, it was just the fifth year that girls basketball was an OHSAA sanctioned sport.
A look at the program from the 1980 OHSAA girls basketball state tournament.
Submitted photo
“It’s come a long way,” Boldman said, of how girls sports have changed. “The girls now are lifting weights, in better shape physically. I know they’re taller, and it’s a difference pace game than back then.”
“When we played we with the same size ball the boys did, we didn’t have a three-point shot. You see the young ladies today, they’re playing at a younger age, they’re conditioned and more sound athletes today,” Ruby said. “I don’t think I lifted weights until I got to college. It’s a quicker game because the girls are more athletic.”
A look at the program from the 1980 OHSAA girls basketball state tournament.
Submitted photo
Regardless of the next three days results, Scioto County girls basketball will once again be represented at the state tournament.
And those Lady Panthers, who will be watching to see who will become the newest team to do so, will be tuned in with excitement.
“I think it’s great, I don’t think we get enough recognition in Southern Ohio a lot,” Boldman said. “It’s exciting for the sport, for the girls and how far girls athletics have evolved.”
“Being from southern Ohio, I’m thrilled that we’re going to be represented,” Ruby said. “I’ve been rooting for the teams that have come close. Proud of the team that set that precedent. It’s a lot of pride in our area and we play good ball here.”
