LAKEVILLE, IN. – We return to our series - “Where Are They Now” - with 1965 Lakeville High School graduate Loren Riddle. During this series, we take a look at various LaVille, Lakeville and LaPaz High School graduates.  In the past, we have shared stories on Ashlee Dutoi, Mike Lightfoot, Kerry Palmer, Landon Manuel and Stephanie Lechlitner, among others. Riddle earned eight varsity letters – four in basketball and four in baseball - during his time at Lakeville High School. Riddle and his '65 classmates would have enjoyed being the first class to graduate from a newly-built LaVille Jr-Sr High School, however, the project wasn't quite ready for students.  The Palm Sunday Tornado in April of 1965 also delayed the project a bit.  That Lakeville High School Class of 1965 would be the final to graduate from Lakeville High School. "Lakeville provided a solid educational foundation," said Riddle, who was the Class of 1965 Lakeville Student Council President.  "Students who were interested in learning could do so.  But with the small school you had small classes and you knew everyone.  There were very few secrets!" According to Riddle, he was a four-year member of the varsity basketball and varsity baseball teams.  He was a 6-foot, 4-inch all around player for coach Irv Pratt from 1960-61 through 1963-64.  Pratt departed Lakeville for the Middlebury High School Middies and Bill Robinson took over the Lakeville basketball program in 1964-65. "Almost all schools we competed against were other small schools, like Madison Twp., North Liberty, Greene Twp., Walkerton," recalled Riddle.  "It was really special to go up against a city school, like South Bend Washington, South Bend Riley, South Bend St. Joseph and Penn.  Basketball home games were played, sometimes at Bremen, sometimes at Madison, but never at "home". . . Gym was just too small.  When we played in gyms at Penn or South Bend Washington, that was a thrill! "When there was competition between two small county schools in a smaller gym, that gym was full and loud!!" continued Riddle.  "LaVille does a pretty good job of having a following (today), but it is the exception when the place is rocking!!  I do wish we could have broken the school in my senior year.  It was exciting being the last class from Lakeville." When Riddle collected his diploma in 1965 from Lakeville High School, he was the all-time leading scorer with 1,325 points.  Riddle was part of a Lakeville basketball program that had seven straight winning seasons prior to the consolidation and he was credited with the single-game scoring record during his time as a Trojan. "My favorite memories are mostly centered around sports," explained Riddle.  "Getting to be a 4-year starter was really special and getting to play with so many outstanding players, you just never forget those memories.  Especially memorable was to have the single-game scoring record of 43 points, and the career scoring record of 1,325 pts.  I do not remember the opponent when I scored my 1,000th point, but it would have been my junior year.  I scored 43 points my junior year against Lapaz.  The South Bend Tribune did some research and said it was the school record.  Having lasting friendships with teammates is the most important thing." Following his graduation from Lakeville HS in 1965, Riddle was fortunate to continue his academic and athletic career by obtaining a scholarship to play basketball at Western Michigan University. "I was awarded a full scholarship for basketball (at WMU) and played for two years," recalled Riddle, a 1969 Western Michigan University graduate with a B.S. in secondary education.  "After graduation, being married and with a child, I was drafted and served two years in the army in Korea.  After I returned from the service, I worked 40 years for a local road construction company, Reith-Riley from South Bend.  I have lived in or near Lakeville my entire adult life and recently moved to Plymouth with my wife, a Plymouth native."   We continued our conversation with Loren by talking about some of his valued and impactful teachers at Lakeville."Mrs. Alice Swarm was the most memorable teacher," said Riddle.  "She taught at Lakeville for many years (both my parents)!  She was exceptional with her knowledge, and her control of a classroom was complete (her stare was well known!) "My most impactful teacher was Mr. Cuyler Miller," continued Riddle, who also was a Boys State representative.  "He was my junior high basketball coach all through junior high.  He taught social studies and was an excellent example of a "good person" and a real motivator on the court.  He had a lot to do with me being offered a scholarship at Western Michigan.  He made some contacts at Western Michigan and that was where I ended up."  Following three successful varsity basketball seasons, Riddle would have the opportunity to reach 1,000 points during his high school career. Though we could not narrow down the exact game, Riddle reached the 1,000-point club during his senior season of 1964-65, "I do not remember the opponent when I scored my 1,000th point, but it would have been my senior year," said Riddle.  Not only is Riddle the all-time leading scorer in Lakeville Basketball history, but he also scored 43 points during his junior year against a familiar rival - the LaPaz Vikings. Following his graduation from Western Michigan University in 1969, he was drafted and served in the military. "I was drafted and spent 13 months in Korea," said Riddle, who was drafted into the Army.  "Serving in the G-2 Intelligence Dept. March 1970- November 1971." He would then return to the Lakeville area. "For the last 40+ years, I have been active in practicing and teaching martial arts in Bremen, Plymouth, and Lakeville," concluded Riddle.  "If that has taught me anything, it is "you get out what you put in".  It is Hard Work and Dedication  that will make you what you are.  All those lessons were introduced as a young fella trying to succeed in sports.  And Lakeville was a great place to start that journey. When asked about a piece of advice that he remembers, Riddle closed by alluding to a former teammate.  "Dave Heckaman, a senior on the basketball team my freshman year, told me after the last practice my frosh year (his last practice at Lakeville)," said Riddle. "to enjoy and remember every moment in school.  It would pass too fast.  I never forgot that, and would tell every student now . . . it is over too fast.  Enjoy it now!"