1980 State Championship Baseball Team

The 1980 Oak Hills Highlander Baseball Team captured the first state championship in school history, finishing 25–7 overall and 11–3 in league play. Coached by Pat Quinn and Dick Ballard, the Highlanders won every level of competition — league, city, sectional, district, regional, and state — before dedicating their title to retiring principal Willard Sweeder.

The roster was filled with standout performers, including All-City honorees Steve Oliverio, Mark Gerdsen, Bud Cox, and Dan Sehlhorst. Sehlhorst was named Cincinnati Post Player of the Year, while Oliverio and Hellman led a dominant pitching staff. Coach Quinn earned Greater Cincinnati Coach of the Year honors.

This championship squad set the standard for Oak Hills athletics, achieving what no Highlander team had done before: bringing home a state title.

Bill Wegman

Bill Wegman was part of the Oak Hills graduating class of 1981, and participated for the Varsity Basketball and Baseball teams during his tenure at Oak Hills High School. Wegman was a 2 year starter on the Varsity Basketball team and 3 year starter on the Varsity Baseball team. He played a pivotal part in both the 1980 State Championship Baseball team and the 1981 State Runner-Up Baseball team. Wegman played 14 years in the MLB, and spent 11 of those years on the major league roster of the Milwaukee Brewers. Then, in 1991, the MLB awarded him the Fred Hutchinson Award, which is also known as the Comeback Player of the Year award. That year he rebounded from injury, posting a 15-7 record and an ERA of 2.84.

Bob Kaiser

Bob Siekmann

Chuck Laumann

Chuck is a 1981 graduate of Oak Hills. Chuck was a three year varsity starter in both soccer and baseball. He was the epitome of what it means to be a "student athlete" as he was named to the All Ohio Academic All State teams in both sports his senior year. On the playing field, his soccer career includes such accomplishments an all-conference, all city and allstate player. In 1980, as a senior, he was captain on the State Runner Up team. He was also named by The Cincinnati Enquirer 1980 Player of the Year in the City of Cincinnati. His baseball career also includes such accomplishments as being named all-conference and all state. He was part of three League Championship teams, two City Championship Teams, two Regional Championship Teams, one State Championship Team and one State Runner-Up Team. As well as being named captain his senior year. Chuck graduated from Ball State University, where he was also been awarded a baseball scholarship. While at Ball State was named to the All MidAmerican Conference Team and again was a two time all MAC All Academic and a two time All American All Academic award winner. In 1991, Chuck jumped at the opportunity to come back to his high school alma mater as a math teacher and continue coaching. His coaching career at Oak Hills High School, includes eight-teen years as head varsity girls' soccer coach, fifteen years head varsity baseball coach, teen years head freshman boys' basketball coach, four years head JV girls' basketball coach, one year head boys' freshman soccer coach, and one year assistant baseball coach (1990). He's accomplished many awards throughout his coaching career including, Conference Championship Teams in Girls Soccer and Conference, District and City Championship Teams in Baseball. He has been named City Coach of the year in both baseball and Girls Soccer. He has also been named State Coach of the Year for baseball. He guided the Oak Hills baseball team to #1 ranking in the State of Ohio. Many of his former soccer and baseball players have gone on to play their respected sport in college.

Chuck Walroth

David Soult

Grant Griesser

Jamie Birkofer

Jamie is a 1989 graduate and multi-sport student-athlete who competed in baseball and football.   In baseball, Jamie started as a pitcher and center fielder.  He was All-City Honorable Mention as an outfielder in 1987, 1988, and as a pitcher in 1989.  He was 1st-Team Metro Country Conference in 1988 and the Metro County Conference Player of the Year in 1989.  During his senior year, he was 1st-Team MCC as a pitcher posting a 7-1 record with a 1.85 ERA while batting 500 and earning 1st-Team All-City as an outfielder.  Jamie played in the East-West All-Star game in 1989 and won the American Legion World Series Championship in 1988.  After graduating, Jamie went on to play for Middle Tennessee State University.  He was Honorable Mention as a pitcher in the Ohio Valley Conference in 1992 and 2nd-Team All-Conference in 1993.  His teams at Middle Tennessee State University were regular season and tournament champions in 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1993.  

Jamie resides in Hebron, KY with his wife Kathy & daughters Kyra, & Leah.

Jason Martin

Jeff Weddle

Joe Rothwell

Jonathan Sweet

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.

Mike Wheeler

Mike Wheeler graduated from Oak Hills High School in 1996 where he played Varsity Baseball for three years under Coach Chuck Laumann.  Playing excellent defense as a shortstop, Mike put up outstanding numbers at the plate in his three seasons on varsity.  After hitting five combined home runs in his sophomore and junior seasons, he exploded for ten home runs in his senior year, a record that still stands for a single season, while his 15 career home runs stands 4th most for a Highlander.  In addition to his ten home runs in his senior year, he hit .467 (11th all time), scored 40 runs (3rd all time), knocked in 46 runs (1st all time) and stole 21 bases (6th all time).  At the conclusion of his senior season, he was named Conference Player of the Year, Enquirer Division 1 Player of the Year, 1st Team All City and 1st Team All State.  

As a true five tool player, this production propelled Mike to become the highest drafted position player in school history when the Houston Astros drafted him in the 6th round of the 1996 Amateur Entry Draft.  He was set to attend to Eastern Kentucky University on a full scholarship until the Astros called.  He played three years of minor league baseball in the Astros organization until an arm injury prematurely ended his career.  As of 2021, Mike is just one of 15 Highlanders to be drafted and one of 16 to play professional baseball.  

Since his retirement in 1998, Mike has worked for Prestige A/V and Creative Services and currently serves as Director of A/V Services.  He and his wife, Angie, have been married for 12 years and are the parents to two boys, Charlie and Logan. 

Ron Murphy

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.

Steve Oliverio

Tom Kilgore