Genoa community rallied around 1973-74 Comets basketball team that is set to have reunion
Genoa often won games by a substantial cushion in 1974.
The bench players didn’t just go through the motions in garbage time. They helped bring a team together on its way to the state tournament.
Comets coach Dave Hitchen regularly replaced his starters with a reserve brigade that came to be known as ‘Brooksie’s Crew,’ named for the late Tim Brooks, who was a junior that year.
“Tim was a free spirit and he had good spirit, and he took those guys and they played well,” teammate Ron Hammye said. “That created team chemistry and unity. Those guys playing hard and having a good time.”
Bellevue's Kaitlyn Turinsky Bellevue's Turinsky tries to keep it simple, as not to be embarrassed
Genoa lost the first game of the season to Toledo DeVilbiss when Hammye was a senior in 1973. The Comets won 22 straight games before falling to Columbus Bishop Hartley in a state semifinal.
The team gathers Friday for a reunion at Genoa’s boys game.
“That was a wonderful time to be part of that program,” Hammye said. “The community, from classmates to the Village of Genoa, everybody rallied around that team. It was a fun time to be part of that high school and community.
“They continued to be successful after we were gone and everybody can reconnect, talk about old times.”
Hammye, 67, who lives in Canton, Michigan, can’t believe it’s been so long since those "old times."
“It’s gone very fast,” he said. “I’ve tried to reach out to teammates and stay in touch. The cheerleaders will also be present. That’s important for the celebration, reunion. Everybody is all spread out. We’re coming back as a unit from 50 years ago to get back together.”
Genoa beat coach Joe Stalma’s Rossford at district.
“That was one of the big wins for us,” Hammye said. “They had a storied history, to get over that hurdle was huge. That was emotional. It catapulted us where we needed to be. Whoever won that game was probably the team to go to state.”
Hammye plans to be joined by fellow starters Harlan Niehaus, Jeff Shaneck and Ken Brown. Jim Feckley can’t be there.
Andy Sanchez, Rob Marco and Dave Roecker are also deceased. Mike Diekman, Allan Nissan, John McGuire and Jim Spurgeon plan to attend, along with Hitchen.
Diekman dropped in a few essential free throws against Rossford.
“We were very much a team,” Hammye said. “I got the accolades, I was listed at 6-10. Not a lot of high school players we went against had the height I did. I was inside. Niehaus was 6-7. We had tremendous perimeter players.
“It was not a one-man show. We had depth on the bench. It was a talented group. (Hitchen was) a tremendous coach, leader and motivator. He built a good program. He won several league championships after we left and advanced deep in the tournament.”
Hammye continued his career at Bowling Green State University and Feckley walked on before earning a scholarship there as well. Hammye was an assistant coach at Wayne State and head coach for 13 years.
He was athletic director at Livonia Franklin in Michigan.
“My whole career was in athletics,” he said. “I never really had a job. It was everything I wanted to do and I got to do it. That’s a credit to Genoa. It was a great place to grow up. I couldn’t have asked to be in a better place as a young person in that community.
“My teammates would agree.”
Genoa boys basketball Even at 6-foot-7, Genoa sophomore hopes game continues to grow
Niehaus played basketball at Virginia Military Institute and Shaneck played baseball at Toledo.
The Comets shared their entire journey with new people joining all the time.
“They came out for every game, the student body and community,” Hammye said. “They were the ‘Hicks from the Sticks.’ They had their red bandana handkerchiefs and overalls. The storefronts said, ‘Go Comets.’
“There was a tremendous outpouring of appreciation. We were grateful.”
Genoa was ranked as high as third in the state during an unbeaten regular season when Hammye was a junior.
“We had the lead at the half,” Hammye said of a regional final setback to Delphos St. John’s. “Senior year, when you win a regional final and know you’ll go on to play at St. John’s Arena was an awesome experience.
“We had a police escort out of our little town. We went by the junior high and kids were waving and wishing us good luck. Seven hundred people greeted us at the school. It was a great experience, not only for us but for the community.
“We were absorbed into that success for the village and the school.”
Genoa played its worst game at state.
“That’s sports,” Hammye said. “They dominated. Would that happen again if we played them five more times? I don’t think so. They deserved to win. We couldn’t get anything going and they played well.”
mhorn@gannett.com
419-307-4892
X: @MatthewHornNH
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: 1973-74 Genoa boys basketball still remembers community support
