MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / July 7, 1999

LAPLACE – What would happen if many of the best high school seniors in the River Parishes were put together on one team? The area found out in 1979, and the result was one of the best American Legion teams to ever come out of the tri-parish area.

That team, the Keller Klub, rolled to a 21-7 record and the Second District tournament title and came within one game of winning the South Louisiana American Legion tournament crown.

What made the team even more special was that it was put together within three days. Matt Keller, who prepped at East St. John in 1978, cameback to play American Legion ball in the River Parishes after playing at Southeastern Louisiana University. At the time the Wildcats had a newcoach, Lou Carboni, who was putting together a team for the next prep season and did not want to use college players on the Legion team, Labat’s Mobile Home. But Carboni offered to release Keller so he could play foranother Legion squad.

Keller’s father, Harold Keller, knew some other area high school seniors who didn’t have a place to play Legion ball. Harold Keller made a few phonecalls, and within three days a team was formed.

From Riverside came Gerald Klibert, Jacques Levet, Dwayne Millet, Joey Poirrer and Kerry St. Amant. Lutcher’s group included C.J. Schexnayder, JoeThompson, Ken Louque, Steve Abadie, Derick Smith, Matt Dornier, Jerry Poche and Ben Bourgeois. Mark Chapman, Lester Millet III and Buck Brignaccame from St. Charles. Besides Matt Keller, Ken Vicknair of Louisiana Techcame from the college ranks.

“We had a lot of talent,” Dornier, one of the younger guys on the team, said. “Everybody was part of the team even if they weren’t playing. It wasa great experience for me, especially being young.”Dornier said he remembers Harold Keller always being around the club. Herecalls Keller coming up to him and asking “Hey, Matt, you think we got a good team?” “He was going around to everybody asking that and not telling them,” Dornier said. “It was motivational. I think it was good strategy.” The team was managed by Gene Duhe, the former Reserve High School and Nicholls State star who pitched minor league ball.

“We had a good group of kids,” Duhe said. “All of them wanted to play andwere dedicated to winning. Every time I made out a lineup, I was puttingnine solid players on the field.”Klibert, Dwayne Millet and Levet were the aces of the pitching staff.

Dornier, Schexnayder and Chapman also saw action on the mound. Kellerwas at first, Ken Vicknair at second, Poirrier at short and Abadie at third.

Behind the plate were Bourgeois. In the outfield were Smith, Schexnayderand Poche.

The Keller Klub played its home games at Lutcher. The club had a large fanbase, drawing over 475 fans to one regular season game.

“We had fan support from all three parishes,” Matt Keller said. “When wewent somewhere, we had the biggest crowd around here. People from St.Charles, Riverside, Lutcher, they all supported us. They followed us andthey hollered, too.”The Keller Klub opened the 22-game season with a 3-1 upset of Chalmette, a team that had lost just games in the regular season the year before. Theteam would win eight of its first nine games, including an 8-1 win over Shaw-based Conmaco, to move into first place in the Second District. Atthe end of the first round of play the Keller Klub was still in first with a 9-2 record.

Early in the second round the Keller Klub was shocked by Bank of St.

Charles, 3-0, as Brian Ulicsni pitched the shutout. It was the first of twotimes that season that Ulicsni blanked the squad. The second time was aone-hitter in a 1-0 victory.

“He had our number I guess,” Matt Keller said.

The Keller Klub bounced back from that loss to defeat Conmaco, 14-3, to move back into a tie for first place. Conmaco would end up finishing theseason with a 17-5 record, while the Keller Klub was second with a 16-5 mark.

The Keller Klub opened the Second District playoffs at Mike Miley Park with a 4-3 victory over Metairie Post 350 in a game that was marred by rain. The Keller Klub then defeated Conmaco, 3-1 and 6-3, to win thetournament title.

In the Southeast Louisiana Regional tournament at Kirsch-Rooney Park, the Keller Klub opened with an 8-6 win over Jesuit-based Odeco. After a 10-0defeat of Saucer Marine, the Keller Klub took a 5-2 lead into the seventh inning against Odeco. Odeco rallied for five runs over the final innings totake a 7-5 victory and force a third game for the title. Odeco won the titleand advanced to the South Louisiana playoff with a 4-1 victory the next day.

Dornier remembers coming in relief in one of those games and seeing the packed-house crowd at Kirsch-Rooney.

“Talk about being scared,” Dornier said. “That was the most people Iplayed in front of.”Despite the disappointing ending, Keller said the season was fun. Duhe wasnamed the Coach of the Year and four players – Vicknair, Smith, Klibert and Levet – were named to the all-Second District first team. Klibert andLevet combined to win 10 of 11 decisions. Vicknair led the team with fourhome runs and batted .329, while Smith led the team with a .441 battingaverage and 22 runs batted in.

“We probably had the best nine players around,” Keller said. “We really puton a show for the fans. Everybody could hit the ball. We had fun and wegave the people their money’s worth.”Duhe and the players still have fond memories of that club. Dornier, whocoached Lutcher High School to seven playoff appearances in seven years, said he thinks about that team when Legion season falls around. Duhe, whohad two sons play for Riverside this past season, and Poche, now Dr. JerryPoche, recently met and discussed those days for over 20 minutes.

“What I remember best about that team was that I got to know a bunch of young men that I never would have met otherwise,” Duhe said. “Every timeI see one of them, that team is always the topic of discussion.” Keller said he would like to see a similar team formed.

“If we did it again, people would come out,” Keller said.

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