Our First State Title
By: Eli Bischoff
It was only three years after the opening of Regis when we took our first state title. It happened in the year 1966, in the B level for Baseball. It all seemed a bit impossible. We were a new school with a new team and it was us against 17 other teams throughout the state.
Although winning the state championship seemed like a distant dream at the beginning of the season, the rams quickly came together and built up maybe the best defense in the state. As it says in the 1966 yearbook, “Their brilliant defense and hurricane hustle were the ponies of victory the Regis’ Rams rode to their quest of Oregon’s ‘66 State B Baseball Championship.” All throughout the season the rams were shutting the teams down never letting them score more than 6 points, while their offense consistently made points every inning. Their best game was against Detroit, which ended 29-0 leaving the Rams triumphant.
The team consisted of 20 players, Coach Brent Kehoe, and two managers, Dennis Gillerman and Dave Sherman. The top players were: Chris Welter at Pitcher, Ken Miotke at Catcher, Tom Welter at First Base, Ken Riesterer at Second Base, Howard Heuberger at Third Base, Jim Frank at Short Stop, Craig Mackie at Left Field, Jerry Weis at Center Field, and Bob Dozler at Right Field. This team represents our school not just as baseball players, but as Regis Ram legends.
The rams played 20 games in the original season. They had 2 losses against cascade, the first game-ending 2-3, and the second one ending 1-2. They also had 1 tie against Serra with a score of 3-3, and 17 wins, which made it possible to go to the OSAA playoffs. We had 2 games in the playoffs against Gaston, and McKenzie, each one ending in a Regis win, Gaston with a score of 7-0 and McKenzie 12-2. Then on June 4 in the Multnomah Stadium in Portland, they played their final game against Pilot Rock with a 4-1 win for Regis.
This team, in my opinion, was great. After learning so much about them, it occurred to me how important and amazing it was for them to win so early after opening the school only three years before. As a new school, you almost have to prove that you are a team that others should worry about. The players had a goal and desire to meet that goal, and because of the pressure and encouragement from Coach Brent Kehoe they succeeded. I think we should all have that kind of commitment, not just in sports, but throughout our lives. That’s all for the 1966 Regis state championship. Bye, and keep reading on the Rampage.
