LOUDONVILLE — When Sharon Guilliams’ and Cathy Vermilya’s oldest daughters started playing basketball for Loudonville, their goal was always to make it to the state tournament.
The last time the Loudonville girls team made it there was in 1992. No Ashland-area teams had accomplished it since 2005 when the Redbirds’ boys squad reached the Final Four.
Guilliams’ and Vermilya’s older daughters didn’t quite punch their tickets.
But this year, their younger daughters finished the job. The Loudonville Redbirds girls’ basketball team advanced to the Final Four in a 40-14 blowout of New Middletown Springfield on March 9 in the Division IV Massillon Perry regional championship game.
The team featured Jena Guilliams and Corri and Mya Vermilya. Corri, a senior on the team, was runner-up in Ohio Ms. Basketball voting on Wednesday.
Sharon Guilliams, Jena’s mom, said at one point, the girls were told they dreamed too big with their hopes to make it to state.
“It’s incredible to see the community come together to reward their hard work and support them,” Sharon said.
Cathy and Sharon Guilliams gathered with several other parents and grandparents of the girls on the team Wednesday morning to see them off to the state tournament in Dayton.
The Redbirds piled onto their team’s bus and left Loudonville with a crowd at the high school cheering them as they departed.
The bus also received an escort through the village, surrounded by fire trucks, police cruisers and an ambulance.
Students at the high school held signs for their friends and the marching band played as the procession left the parking lot. They made a circle through downtown Loudonville, where local businesses displayed posters to support the players.
They also visited McMullen Elementary, Budd Elementary and drove through Perrysville before hitting the road for Dayton.
Aubrey Callahan, Jena Guilliams’ best friend, said she appreciated all the spirit the school showed. She added the Redbirds’ achievement has brought together her community.
Cathy Vermilya agreed. She said the girls’ success came thanks to a community effort. Cathy also posited the support the girls have received might not come in such full force in a larger city.
Cathy said she plans to travel to Dayton to watch the team play — and she doesn’t think the season is done yet.
“Their motto has been, ‘Job not finished’ from the beginning,” Cathy said. “That attitude is still there.”
The Redbirds play in the state semifinal at the University of Dayton at 11 a.m. Thursday.
If the ‘Birds win, they will play for a state championship on Saturday at 10:45 a.m., again at the University fo Dayton.
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