DENNISON - Rated little more than an outside chance of defeating the Strasburg Tigers (1-2) (15-7) (74-19), 49-40 loser to favored Midvale Blue Devils on Friday night, the Bolivar Cardinals (2-1) (8-14) (41-35) gained the support of the 832 fans present as they humbled the once-proud Bengals Saturday night in a Consolation Divison contest and eliminated Strasburg from tournament play. The Cardinals, who nearly scored an amazing upset over seeded Gnadenhutten Indians 63-53 Thursday night after defeating the Dundee Bulldogs 32-25 Wednesday night, came back Saturday night and repeated their brilliant performance.
After holding a 9-7 two-point 1st quarter lead, Bolivar faltered before the set-shooting tactics of Tiger guard Senior Jim Weber in the 2nd period and trailed 20-16 at intermission. With the beginning of the 2nd half came one of the most dramatic moments of the tournament and one that proved the undoing of the Tigers, who have not failed to gain a berth in the Sectional Tournament since the dim days of 1944.
Head Coach Warren Craigo, absent from the Bolivar bench in the 1st two games because of an appendectomy Tuesday in Union Hospital, walked across the floor as his team came out for the 2nd half. Craigo, still pale and weak from his confinement and still limping as a result of his operation only 5 days before, sat down on the Cardinal bench and gave instructions for the last half.
The remainder of the drama unfolded on the playing floor in the following 16 minutes of grueling basketball. Sparked by Senior forward Dallas Seward, giving his 3rd magnificent tournament performance for the Cardinals, guard Chuck Tawney, Juniors guard Carl McFeeders and guard Ed Grossenbacher, Bolivar pulled the strings which tripped the Bengals.
Strasburg ran the count to 26-20 before disaster struck. Seward trimmed the margin to 26-22 from the field, was fouled and made it 26-23. At this stage, Coach Craigo sent McFeeders into the battle and the little substitute, ranging under the Cardinal nets, banged in 3 field goals which sent the Cards into a 29-26 lead near the end of the 3rd stanza. Bolivar's Sophomore forward Bill Willard and Strasburg's Junior forward Tom Miller traded field goals in the 2 minutes left, giving the Red Birds a 31-28 advantage going into the last canto.
In a tense last stanza, Bolivar fought off repeated Strasburg bids. At the automatic time-out, the Cardinals held a 43-36 lead on the basis of 4 free throws by Seward, a pair of field goals by Williard, another by McFeeders and a 4th by Grossenbacher. In the remaining 3 minutes, Junior forward John Haswell, Junior guard John Reiger and Weber nearly overhaulted the Red Birds, but with less than half a minute remaining, the Tigers missed their chance.
Reiger made it 45-43 with a field goal and seconds later, Senior center Junior Siber was fouled. He missed his 1st shot and took the 2nd out of bounds. The strategy failed as Bolivar swarmed over the desperate Bengals.
Seward led the Cardinals with 15 points, followed by Willard who picked up another 11 points. Miller was high for Strasburg with 11 points followed closely by Weber with 10 markers.
BOLIVAR CARDINALS - 45
Dallas Seward F 6-3-15
Bill Willard F 5-0-10
Bob Burkhart F 0-0-0
Maurice Lundenberger C 0-1-1
Ed Grossenbacher G 2-0-4
Chuck Tawney G 3-0-6
Carl McFeeders G 4-1-9
STRASBURG TIGERS - 43
Tom Miller F 3-5-11
John Haswell F 1-2-4
Dick Froman F 1-2-4
Lewin Vermillion C 1-0-2
Jim Weber G 4-2-10
John Reiger G 4-0-8
Junior Siber C 2-0-4
Monday, February 21, 1949
Rex Ridenour, Sports Editor
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio
No comments:
Post a Comment