In 1979-1980, Firelands went 20-0 in the regular season. They defeated Brookside and Elyria West in the AA sectionals. And still the team was lacking respect from some circles.

“They said we didn’t play anyone,” Dave Muschitz said.

Waiting for them in the District semi-final was Elyria Catholic.
“Elyria Catholic was the team to beat,” Dan Muschitz said. “They beat us every year. They had Billy Joe Williams, who later played professionally in Europe.”

The game was held at Elyria High School. Despite being a large gym, the tickets sold out in record time.

“It was a frenzy,” Dan Muschitz said. “Our followers couldn’t get tickets. They sold out too fast.”

The game was back and forth. Dan Muschitz will forever be remembered as the hero. But he recounted how not once but twice he almost became the goat.

“I had a one and one with just over a minute to go,” Dan Muschitz said. “We were down two. I hit both of them. It went back and forth. Now all this happened in a minute. We were up one. Kenny hit the first one then missed the second one. Bobby Warren was right behind me, he was a great leaper and he went over the top of me. He didn’t foul me and tipped it in. Now they were up two.

“We went back down and passed it around. I shot a 20-footer and missed it. I will never forget this. We all ran up to get the ball and a foul was called. To this day, we don’t know who they fouled. We were looking around and thinking who is going to the line? I will never forget this and I feel bad but I left Doug Carrico at the line and walked away. He looked at me like what are you doing? And the ref handed him the basketball.

Carrico was just a sophomore and he wasn’t the Falcon best suited for the situation, down two with three seconds left.

“First all of was the worst free throw shooter on the team so that played into the thinking a little bit,” Carrico said. “I guess I was too young and naïve to really think about the circumstance of what was going on. Luckily I drained them.”

The game was tied again. Elyria Catholic threw away the inbounds pass out of bounds. Firelands got the ball back.

“Carrico hit them both,” Dan Muschitz said. “He misses one and the game is over. They tried to hurry to get the ball down the court and didn’t. The rest is history. Everyone knows who is getting the ball. Bill Szabo had 43 points so we are going to him but he was covered. So they passed it to me at half court. And it wasn’t even a jumpshot, it was one of those oh well its overtime but it was the cleanest bank you have ever seen. My mind was overtime until it went p-poom p-poom. I wasn’t trying to bank. I didn’t call it. Bobby Warren just fell to his knees. It was such an exhausting game. It just took the wind out of them.

“Before they signalled it. Coach Sooy was holding everyone back until they signaled it good. They used to hold up those ropes to keep the crowd off. It didn’t quite hold back the people. They just took the ropes out and that began the celebration.

“Bill had 43 points. Elyria Catholic had three guys with 20 points. How often do you see a team with three 20 point scorers and lose a ball game.

“It was the sweetest win. If I had to pick any game in my career to make that shot, it would be against Elyria Catholic. They used to beat us every year.”

Head coach Keith Sooy said he didn’t know about the free throw switch until after the game.
“I didn’t know they had done that until after the game,” Sooy said. “Doug put them both in and they threw the ball away and we got the inbounds play and he banked them in. It was a great moment. It was a very special season .That year they were the best team in Lorain County and there were some really good teams.”

Passing on history
Before the game, current head coach Steve Lias invited the 79-80 team to talk to his team.
“I told them basketball is played from the heart,” Szabo said. “You play hard and you make more shots, you get more rebounds, you get more steals and you win more games. That’s how you win.”

Great to be back
Jim Nida, who got the ball rolling on the reunion with email to Firelands AD Leo Spagnola, said the reunion was everything he expected.
“It is absolutely what I expected especially when I got the replies back on how excited everyone was to come back,” Nida said. “Like Bill said in the locker room, it is Firelands basketball - you play hard and you play as a team and 30 years later, it stands true. To see everybody words cannot describe. I think we are still in awe of seeing each other. The memories are indescribable.”
The team was touched by the reception from the community. The gym was packed. People were standing in the hallway because there were not enough seats.
“They remember,” Szabo said. “There were about 50 people out there that came to our games and they still come to games. Firelands has a faithful crowd.”

Lots of points
The team averaged over 80 points a game without a three point line. South Amherst tried to slow down the attack with a four corners offense.
“South Amherst did the four corners and stalled against us,” Dave Muschitz said. “We still beat them 63-21 and they stalled.”
Once Firelands had 24-0 lead over an opponent.
“It was 24-0 and coach called us over and he tell us, ‘We have to give someone a layup.’”
“Danny Heister was a great friend of ours,” Dave Muschitz said. “So we let Danny come through the lane and all of sudden we just stood there. He scored and we started playing again.”