BERLIN — The Hiland Lady Hawks opened the new century by earning the top prize in high school hoops.
But far more than being crowned Division IV champions after defeating Maria Stein Marion Local 46-30 to cap off a 28-0 season, the team laid the groundwork for what was to become one of the premier basketball programs in state history.
It was the first of five state championships the Hawks would win over the next 17 years.
The 1999-2000 campaign was also the crowning moment for a pair of seniors — Erin Hostetler and Jill Yoder, a pair of 1,000-point scorers who made three trips to the state tournament in their four-year careers.
Hiland coach Dave Schlabach said it helped having the best player in the state in Division IV Player of the Year Erin Hostetler, a 6-foot guard who could do it all.
“Something I say about all my great players is they all add something to their game every year,” Schlabach said. “Erin just continued to work on all of her skills. She became one of the best 3-point shooters, if not the best, in the state. It just allowed us to get so much better. She didn’t just use her size. She became a really, really good all-around guard.”
Hostetler can’t believe it’s been 20 years since that championship season.
“There are moments that it seems like just yesterday, and others that feel like it was a lifetime ago,” Hostetler said. “That season was special for many, many reasons. It was the end of an accumulation of a lot of blood, sweat and tears; years of working towards a common goal with an incredible group of people. The people are what made the experience special.”
Alisha Yoder ran the team from the point guard spot; Jill Yoder was an incredible rebounder in the post; Melissa Miller and Kim Mast were great wing players; plus they had a couple younger kids coming off the bench who went on to play college ball in Erica Mishler and Michelle Ling.
“They were a fun group,” Schlabach added. “They were extremely focused. That was their third trip to Columbus, and they were ready to get it done.”
Jill Yoder agreed.
“We were very determined,” she said. “Being undefeated the year before and losing in the semifinals at state, we all just had such an aggressive mindset that we knew we were going to get it done. We just refused to lose. We were so determined.”
Schlabach remembers the work ethic the 2000 team had, and what a joy they were to coach.
“The kids just kept working harder and harder all the time,” Schlabach said. “That class was very, very similar to my junior class (that will be seniors next season). All five of the starters went on to play college basketball, and we had all the pieces of the puzzle. We had gutsy kids, we had size, we had great post players, good guards, a very balanced group.”
In the championship game, Hostetler led the charge with 22 points and eight rebounds. She drilled a pair of 3-pointers. Jill Yoder scored six points and ripped down seven rebounds, and Miller added eight points and added five boards. Alisha Yoder chipped in seven points for the winners.
In the 52-35 romp over Colonel Crawford in the state semifinal, Hostetler and Jill Yoder each scored a dozen, while Mast led the scoring with 13 points, displaying their balance.
Another similarity to the current Hiland squad was the way that team rarely got tested.
After grinding out a 58-50 win over Danville in the Pickerington Regional semifinal, the Hawks pummeled Oak Hill 70-36 to advance to the final four for the third time in four years.
“I told them before that season started that I put together the best non-league schedule we ever had to make sure they got beat,” Schlabach said. “That just [ticked] them off and it drove them. It made them work even harder to prove me wrong.”
The coach always told his kids if they worked hard, winning a championship is what they could achieve. But until they got it done, it was all talk. He had coached for eight years and they were close, but couldn’t get over that final hurdle.
“After winning it all that year, the young kids throughout the program realized that they could also be a part of something special,” he said. “If we worked hard enough, we’d have a shot every year, and I think, once we got it done, we no longer had to sell the story.”
Young team managers Lindsay Stuckey, Krista Beechy and Lydia Miller from that first championship team went on to become state champions themselves five years later.
“We were the first team to get over that hump,” Yoder said. “Watching how hard we practiced and how much we wanted to win, the younger kids got it in their minds that that’s exactly what they wanted to do.”
And they did. And that’s how it’s been over the past 20 years.
“I still remember that first one, that’s for sure,” Schlabach said.
Yoder said the team members are all still close friends, though with younger children they don’t spend too much time together. But when they do get together, it feels like just yesterday they were the queens of the court, and it is fun to reminisce.
The seven seniors weren’t just teammates, but best friends.
“Our families and friends were a huge part in bringing joy to the journey as well,” Hostetler said. “The relationships built out of that experience still hold a close and loving place in my heart. We learned how to win and lose together and how to do it as a team; how to pick each other up and keep fighting.
“When we get together or talk on the phone or see each other at games, we pick right up where we left off 20 years ago,” she added. “Relationships are the reward to all things in life. The championship wouldn’t have been what it was without them, and it was special.”
Jill Yoder said one of the biggest things all of the girls took away from that year was how much Schlabach taught them about life, more than just basketball.
“He emphasized little things, like showing up early to practice, not just showing up on time,” she said. “That carried over into our adult lives. Many of us have our own businesses or have really good jobs, and a lot of that comes from the work ethic he taught us.”
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Dave Schlabach is still coaching at Hiland, although he has hinted that he is considering retiring in the not-too-distant future. Schlabach has guided the Hawks to 661 wins against only 98 losses over 29 years, an average of 22 wins per season. He has led Hiland to the state semifinals 15 times and brought home the championship five times. During that time, he has helped 44 players earn more than $4.2 million in scholarships to play college basketball. By the time he’s done coaching that number will almost surely reach 50 players and $5 million.
Jill Yoder (Miller) is married to former Hiland player Joe Miller. She is a massage therapist in Berlin, owner of Jill’s Massage. Her daughter Ayla Miller is a member of the current Hiland basketball team.
Erin Hostetler (Mullet) is married to former Hiland player Carlos Mullet. They have two daughters. Erin is a hair stylist and home designer.
