Dailers Enjoy Two State Basketball Titles in a Day
WHEELING — The Dailer Double.
Winning a state championship is the ultimate prize in high school sports. Turning the trick twice in the same day is remarkable.
That is the exact scenario the Dailer family experienced last Saturday.
Former Wheeling Central athletic great Suzie Dailer is an assistant with the Maroon Knights’ girls’ basketball team. Central pulled off a shocker, topping highly touted Huntington St. Joe in the Class A title tilt.
The same day, some 250 miles to the east and a few hours later, Frederick High School captured the Maryland Class 3A girls’ hoop title for the second straight season. Maggie Dailer, Suzie’s niece, was one of the standout players for Frederick.
Maggie is the daughter of Kerry and Kathy (McDermott) Dailer. Kerry is a Wheeling Park grad, winning the state tennis championship as a sophomore. Kathy is a Wheeling Central grad, growing up in Elm Grove.
Maggie’s grandparents are Tom and Peggy Dailer of Wheeling.
“Maggie and I talked several times during the week of our state tournaments about the possibility of both of us playing for state titles on the same day. I was at her game last year at Towson when they won the state championship when Maggie was a junior,” Suzie Dailer said. “It was as exciting for me (and for my family) as it was for Maggie. I relived all the feelings I had as a player watching Maggie on the court. I was so proud of her… as I always am.
“We talked about how I would not be able to make it to her final game this season because our championship game didn’t start until 2:30 p.m. and there was no way I could make it to Towson for her game by 8 p.m. So we decided to listen to each other’s games and cheer each other on from a distance…and that we did. My mom and Maggie texted back and forth throughout the Maroon Knights championship game, as my mom, dad, and oldest brother were in Charleston. My brother and sister-in-law and I texted back and forth throughout Maggie’s final game, while we listened to it in the radio as well. Maggie was as happy as I was for the Maroon Knights as I was as happy for the Frederick Cadets to win. We shared in the moments with texts, calls and pictures.”
Wheeling Central’s upset win over St. Joe’s marked the third state title in the program’s history. Suzie never won a state hoop championship as a player but served as assistant when the Knights captured the 2004 and 2008 state crowns.
During her sophomore season (1988) the Knights made their first trip to the state tourney. They lost in the Class AA title tilt to Hinton in overtime.
“It was a wonderful experience to play for the state championship and heartbreaking to lose in the finals. State runner-up is quite an accomplishment and I am so very proud to be a member of the team that paved the way for future trips to the state tournament,” the Wheeling Central Hall of Famer said. “This year’s state title came with days, weeks, months and years of hard work, discipline, patience, and a ‘never give up’ attitude from every player on the team. It was a true team effort and our leadership and great effort made it all possible.”
Frederick, meanwhile, finished with only one loss this season in repeating as state champions. Suzie has high praise for her Maryland-based cousin.
“Maggie is a hard-working and dedicated young lady. She has worked her way from JV to varsity over the last four years and has been coming off the bench for the varsity team for the past two years. Maggie is a senior who accepted her role as sixth-man to come in and provide a spark to the team, with a 3-pointer, tough defense, a big rebound, or leadership and a steady dribble or pass,” the former St. Bonaventure star said. “She is a coach’s dream… she comes to practice everyday and gives 110 percent, she works hard and does everything her coach asks of her, she makes her teammates better and does everything she can to make herself better… in and out of the season. Maggie is a great student in the classroom and challenges herself on and off the court to be the best she can be.
“It is truly a family affair… winning championships. The Dailers support one another though wins and losses and have been for many years. My brothers and parents were always by my side… through the celebrations and the heartbreaks,” Suzi said. “My brother, sister-in-law and niece, Sydney, are always by Maggie’s side… through it all too. And this past Saturday… we all shared in winning championships… and it was a great day to be a Dailer. But as my brother Kerry said it… Everyday is a great day to be a Dailer. And I couldn’t agree more.”
Speaking of Central’s third girls’ basketball championship, Penn Kurtz and his charges did what most was the unthinkable — besting the St. Joseph’s juggernaut. Those doubters, however, failed to realize the special talent that graced the Central roster — starting with senior dandies Taylor Duplaga (a Fairmont State recruit) and Riley Bennington.
Combine that with an amazing sophomore class, consisting of Kaylee Reinbeau, Hannah White, Eden Gainer and junior Kaitlyn Ferns, it adds up to an impressive array of personnel. White blossomed into a star this season, showcasing her vast skills in Charleston en route to being named the tourney MVP.
With that core of stellar sophomores returning, to go with some promising freshmen, it will be no upset should the Maroon Knights repeat in 2019.
BUBBA’S BITS
∫ How times have changed, especially in professional sports. According to a recently published story, Lansing native Phil Niekro was the highest-paid Atlanta Brave in 1978 at $302,500. The Braves went 69-93 that season. Phil recorded a 19-18 record with a sharp 2.88 ERA. He also finished third in the National League with 248 strikeouts. The minimum MLB salary this season is $507,500. Freddie Freeman is the Braves’ highest paid player this season, scheduled to make $21 million. It’s great work if you can find it.
∫ Speaking of Major League Baseball, I am picking the Indians and Dodgers to vie in the World Series. The Tribe will prevail in six games.
∫ John Dorsey is wasting no time in cleaning up the Cleveland Browns. The host of power moves he has made recently has provided an instant talent infusion. Now he just needs to nail the No. 1 and No. 4 picks in the draft and the “Mistake On The Lake” can become respectable in quick fashion.
∫ Dan Monteroso capped his amazing collegiate athletic career in grand style by being named the 2017-18 Academic All-American of the Year for NCAA Division II men’s basketball. He is a graduate student in Education with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Dan is undoubtedly one of the most impressive student-athletes I have ever covered during my elongated journalistic career,
∫ The Kirtland High girls basketball team turned in a remarkable season this winter. The Hornets, coached by Clarington native and former River High athlete Bob Bell, prevailed in 22 of 23 starts, the lone blemish coming in the district finals. Fittingly, Bell, who also served as head hoop coach at Skyvue High many years ago, was named the Division III coach-of-the-year last week.
∫ Wheeling’s Tony Chiazza officiated the Rhode Island-Oklahoma overtime game in the first round of March Madness.
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