48 - Right Down The Line

RIGHT DOWN THE LINE
With Rex Ridenour
Friday, February 20, 1948
The Daily Reporter

ALTHOUGH THE FAVORITES, the Midvale Blue Devils and Strasburg Tigers are still undefeated and in the running after 1st round play in the Tuscarawas County's 26th Annual Class B Basketball Tournament, the Blue Devils came very close to the edge last night on the Memorial Hall hardwood and only some neat shooting by Junior forward Jack Ford prevented Head Coach Bill French's quintet from becoming the victims of an upset.

However, the Bolivar Cardinals undoubtedly provided the fans with the top thrill of the evening and Midvale may not have seen the last of Head Coach Al Bricker's Red Birds yet.  The Cardinals now drop into the Consolation Division bracket where they meet the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates Saturday night with a chance to work back up through the tournament again.

On the basis of their showing against the League Champions, the Cards earned the plaudits for the 1st round even through the Gnadenhutten Indians upset the Tuscarawas Broncos, an event that cannot be termed too surprising in view of the Broncos in-and-out season.

Much credit is due forwards Chuck Swonger and Senior Bill Haueter for that Bolivar surprise.  Both of these boys were effective on defense and their point total nearly spelled disaster for Midvale.

OTHER INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES cropped up Thursday night even though some of the performers were on losing clubs.  Little Freshman guard Glen Zimmerman of Sugarcreek-Shanesville does not have to be ashamed of those 17 points he netted against Strasburg.  It was a brilliant exhibition.

Junior center Dan Lechner, mainstay of the Mineral City Tigers attack all year, again proved why he is one of the best in the county with his soft, one-hander that always seems to get there.  Lechner is a smooth ball player with a year of competition left.  Senior guard Tom Haswell's 20 points against the Pirates topped the individual scoring columns for the 1st round.  In Juniors center Jim Lindon, guard Gene Montague and forward Jerry Virtue, Head Coach Ray Blickensderfer of Gnadenhutten has a trio of well-balanced cagers who may cause teams other than Tuscarawas trouble before the tourney ends.

STRASBURG, as was expected, opened its drive for a 4th consecutive title with a victory over Sugarcreek-Shanesville, the team it defeated in last year's finals 48-45.  In winning last night, the Tigers were not extended, but will probably get a more severe testing against Gnaden Saturday night.

Just for the record, Strasburg has won 11 tournament titles, Sugarcreek-Shanesville 4, Gnadenhutten and Midvale 3 each, Bolivar 2, Tuscarawas and Dennison one each.

AS WAS THE CASE last year, Vally Dirodis of Cuyahoga Falls and Nick Frascella of Akron turned in a very commendable job of officiating last night.  Thse 2 officials call them like they see them and there are few dissenters once the decision is made.

FOR NUMBERS and a slick performance, Mineral City's cheerleaders did not have a peer Thursday night.  Orwen Weaver, Iris Steinbaugh, Joan Reidl, Gladys Ewing, Gloria Reed, Lois Watts, Doris Fransworth and Betty Deubner, dressed in their orange and black ensembles, made a colorful picture.