BY KYLE LOVERN
FOR THE CITIZEN
KERMIT — Kermit High School won its first-ever West Virginia Class A state basketball championship in 1964 — and it did so with five starters averaging double figures and a high-scoring offense.
The Blue Devils, coached by the late Boyce Preece, scored over 100 points in games seven times, and several other times they scored in the 90s. Kermit and its offensive machine finished with a perfect 27-0 record.
Kermit finished sixth in the United Press International poll, which ranked all teams regardless of classification.
The five starters, all seniors, included Herschel Sartin, Joe Bryant Spaulding-Dingess, Lewis Hale, Larry Weddington and Bill Parsley. Spaulding-Dingess, who recently passed away, led the way with 19 ppg, Hale, the point guard, scored 16 ppg, Weddington 16, H. Sartin 15 and Parsley 11. Odell Sartin, the sixth man, averaged 7 ppg. Others on the roster included future Kermit head coach Kent Hoke, Dick Goff, David Slone and Ted Parsley. They all contributed at times during the season.
All five starters were offered college scholarships, with Hale accepting an offer from West Virginia University and coach George King. Hale played for the Mountaineers at the same time Weirton’s Ron “Fritz” Williams played in Morgantown. William’s Class AAA team lost to Logan and former Marshall great Jim Davidson in the finals. Williams was one of the first African American players to play for WVU.
“There are so many fond memories that I don’t know where to begin. It all started when I was a sophomore in 1963. Joe, Larry, Lewis, Hershel and Bill were juniors. That is when our historical move started,” Hoke recalls. “That year, we won the sectional tournament and made it to the finals of the region where we were eliminated by Conley of Mullens. They went on to win the state tournament.
“One of my ‘fond’ memories was traveling the 87 miles from Kermit to Welch on old Route 52 to play in the regional tournament,” Hoke added. “It seemed that it took forever to get to Welch.”
The Blue Devils began their 1964 tournament run with a commanding 92-57 sectional championship victory over a good Liberty of Williamson squad at the Williamson Fieldhouse. H. Sartin led the way with 31 points and 14 rebounds, Hale scored 16 and dished out several assists, while Spaulding-Dingess fired in 24 and Weddington chipped in 15.
“The 1964 team was special. It had five great ballplayers, but I think the others on the team helped make them special. It was very competitive every day in practice; we made them better, and they made us better. It was like a brotherhood, a family. We watched out for each other, and we took care of each other,” Hoke remembers.
In the first regional game, Kermit traveled to McDowell County to take on Conley of Mullens. That was one of their tougher games, winning in overtime 74-70. Once again, the game was played at the old Welch Armory. Spaulding-Dingess led the way with 28 points, while H. Sartin had 15, Hale 14 and Weddington 10.
Kermit won the next regional with a hard-fought 62-57 battle over Northfork Elkhorn. The Blue Devils’ record improved to 24-0 at that point. Hale led the way with 20 points, Parsley had 14 and H. Sartin 10.
The Regional championship and the chance to advance to the state tourney came with a 70-62 road victory over Buffalo Putnam. Spaulding-Dingess once again led the way with 29 points, while H. Sartin added 16, Weddington 11 and Hale 9.
It was on to Morgantown for the state tournament played at the old WVU Fieldhouse.
The Blue Devils easily downed Paw Paw 94-72 in yet another high-scoring game. H. Sartin led the way with 23 points and 10 boards, while Hale was right behind him with 21, Weddington fired in 19, Spaulding-Dingess 16 and O. Sartin had 9 off the bench.
The championship game proved to be one that excited the capacity crowd in Morgantown.
Kermit had a tougher time but came away with the school’s first-ever state title with a 92-90 win over Barracksville.
As usual, Kermit had balanced scoring led by Hale with 28 and Spaulding-Dingess with 23. Parsley flipped in 16, and H. Sartin 15 after battling foul trouble. Sartin also hauled in 16 rebounds.
“It was a great victory,” Coach Boyce Preece told the media. “Our boys played well all year. I’m really proud of my team.”
“We broke several state records in the state tournament,” Hoke said proudly. “First, we broke the shooting percentage in a game from the floor. Second, the second night that we played, we broke the record that we had previously broken the prior night. Third, breaking back-to-back records was a record in itself. Fourth, we broke the most assists in a game, and fifth, in the final game of the state tournament, we broke the record for the most points scored by the winning team and by the losing team.”
The counties of Mingo and Logan dominated the state tournament that year with Kermit winning in Class A, Williamson in Class AA and Logan in AAA. Three schools within a 50-mile radius. It was also Williamson’s first state title.
Hale and Spaulding-Dingess were named to the first-team Class A All-State squad voted by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association. (Gilbert’s Glen Justice was also selected to this elite squad.) Hale was later named to the UPI Big All-State team, to which players were selected regardless of classification.
Both Hale and Spaulding-Dingess made the first team All-Area squad, with H. Sartin and Weddington named to the second team and Parsley to the third team. (The area, which included 20 high schools at that time, was loaded with talent during that era.)
“The other thing I remember is our fans. They were amazing, and they supported us with intense passion. Every time that we played it was a packed house. Even the ones who didn’t go to the game would comment that they listened to us on the radio. It was like we were their heroes — just like the movie Hoosiers,” Hoke concluded. “It was a time in history that made a little town, Kermit and its people proud.”
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