Amanda Keehan Birdwell

Amanda is a 2008 graduate of Oak Hills and was a standout two-sport athlete in volleyball and basketball.  Amanda was a three-year varsity volleyball letter winner.  In 2007, she was 1st-Team All-GMC and 3rd-Team District 16, leading the GMC in Blocks, while being named the team’s MVP.   She helped lead her team to the 2007 GMC League Championship.

On the court, she was a 4-year varsity basketball letter winner and 3-Time District Champion (06, 07, 08).  In 2007, she also helped lead her team to a GMC championship.  She was the recipient of the Sandy Pharrell Award and an All-Academic GMC performer.  During her senior year, she was 1st-Team All-GMC, District 16 2nd-team, All-City 1st-Team, an Ohio vs. Kentucky All-Star, OGBR Top 25, and a McDonald’s All-American nominee.

Upon graduation, she attended West Virginia on a basketball scholarship where she earned a degree BA in Psychology.  Amanda is currently a Sergeant for the Cincinnati Police Department & resides in Cleves, OH with her Husband Tyler (Green Township Officer), and 3 boys Lane 4, Eli 2, & Beau 4 months old.

Ashley Ruberg King

Bob Kaiser

Mike Kessler

Mike is a 1989 graduate & was a multi-sport athlete competing in football & baseball. He was a four-letter varsity letterman in both football & baseball. Mike capped off his senior year by earning 2nd-Team All Conference in both football & baseball. That Summer Mike was selected as the American Legion National Player of the year.  He hit .390 that Summer with a pitching record of 10-1.  Mike finished with an overall pitching record of 25-4 that year between high school & Summer ball.  As a member of the 1988 Budde Post American Legion Team, his squad 

went on to win the National Championship that year.  They were the first team to win the American Legion National Championship where all the players on the team came from the same high school, Oak Hills. 

After graduation Mike attended the University of Cincinnati.

Mike currently owns and operates Kessler's Pro Turf for 23 years serving The West Side of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Takes great pride in getting the fields and schools looking their best. Mike also helped coach youth football at St. Dominic for 6 years.

Mike resides in Harrison, OH with his wife Susie & two children Danny 11, and Lucy 7.

Scott Klingenbeck

Scott Klingenbeck, a 1989 graduate of Oak Hills High School, distinguished himself as one of the most accomplished pitchers in Ohio high school baseball history.

Early Athletic Success

As a sophomore at Elder High School, Klingenbeck earned varsity letters in basketball, soccer, and baseball—an early testament to his athletic versatility. On the diamond, he quickly emerged as a standout, earning All-City and All-State honors while finishing the season with a 10–1 record as a starting pitcher.

Oak Hills High School & National Recognition

Klingenbeck transferred to Oak Hills High School before his junior year, where he went on to dominate the mound. Across his junior and senior seasons, he compiled a perfect 22–0 record. In 1988, he led his American Legion team to a National Championship, earning “Player of the Game” honors in the title contest.

Before his senior year, Klingenbeck secured a full-ride scholarship to The Ohio State University—an uncommon achievement in baseball at that time. His senior season proved historic: he went 12–0, was named Gatorade National High School Baseball Player of the Year (1989), and was selected in the 40th round of the MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers. He chose instead to honor his commitment to Ohio State. By graduation, he was a three-time All-State honoree.

Ohio State University Career

At Ohio State, Klingenbeck quickly cemented his legacy as one of the program’s greats. As a freshman, he finished with a 10–1 record, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year, First Team All-American, and All-Big Ten honors. He followed that with an 11–2 sophomore campaign, again garnering First Team All-American and All-Big Ten recognition.

His junior season brought mixed results statistically (7–7), but he etched his name into Buckeye history by throwing a no-hitter against LSU in the NCAA Regional Tournament. Following that season, Klingenbeck was selected 3rd overall in the 1992 MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles—foregoing his senior year.

Major League & International Career

Klingenbeck made his Major League debut in 1994 against the Detroit Tigers, the very team that had drafted him years earlier. The Orioles claimed victory in that matchup, 11–3.

In 1995, he was traded to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for former Cy Young Award winner Scott Erickson. Klingenbeck went on to play five seasons in Major League Baseball before extending his professional career with a season in Japan’s top league.

Team USA Experience

Klingenbeck also represented his country on the international stage. He pitched for the 1989 USA Junior Olympic Team, earning a gold medal, and later competed for Team USA in 1990, helping the squad reach the finals of the Pan-American Games before falling to Cuba.

Life After Baseball

After retiring from professional baseball, Klingenbeck turned to entrepreneurship, owning and operating Hot Wings from 2003–2013. He continued to give back to his community by coaching with the JB Yeager Organization, alongside longtime friends and colleagues Eric Keeton, Jim Robinson, and Fred [Last Name].

Legacy

From his undefeated high school dominance and national recognition, to starring at Ohio State and competing at the highest levels of baseball both domestically and internationally, Scott Klingenbeck’s career reflects talent, perseverance, and a lifelong dedication to the game.

Tom Kilgore