49 - Right Down The Line

Tuesday, February 22, 1949
Dover, Ohio


THE RUMORS that All -Ohio Senior forward Jack Ford's knee infection might seriously impair the Midvale Blue Devils' play in the final week of tournament action at Dennison this week must be very disquieting to Blue Devil fans.  It is not certain at this time however, that Ford will not be able to go at top speed.  We sincerely hope Jack can be there at peak efficiency.

Ford first flashed across the basketball horizon in last year's tournaments when he led the Blue Devils into the Regional finals at Youngstown.  Jack is a great competitor, a fine athlete.  This is his last year with the Blue Devils and aside from the painful nature of his injury, it would be bitter fate if he did not get to play the string out.

However, with or without Ford, the Blue Devils appear to be in for a battle if they reach the finals against either the Mineral City Tigers or the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates.  Midvale defeated both teams in League play, but the margin was comparatively narrow in each case.

Blue Devil stock jumped some with the return of Senior guard Jim Golder to the lineup last week, but Ford's absence would more than offset this advantage.

THAT MINERAL CITY-PIRATE collision on Wednesday night by the way, may be the tournament's top game.  The winner?  After watching the Bolivar Cardinals eliminate the Strasburg Tigers the answer is...we don't know!  If you do, you can add to your finances by playing your hunch.

UNLESS SOMETHING UNSUAL HAPPENS (and that, dear fans, is a possibility), the Walnut Creek's Cardinals will enter the Class B Sectional Tournament at Memorial Hall as the top-seeded team with a record of 23 straight wins.  Head Coach Abe Masts' Red Birds have only Glenmont to dispose of Thursday night before finishing a clean sweep in Holmes County this year.

Will there be any team in the Sectional tourney capable of halting the Cardinals march?  Solely on the basis of records and from what we have seen this year, probably not.  Midvale, granted the Blue Devils get there, will be the No. 2 seeded team in all probability and will not meet the Cards in the Sectional.

It is doubtful if the Dennison Railroaders, Dennison St. Mary's or Dover St. Joseph's, the 3 Tuscarawas County Independents, can turn the trick.  Sugarcreek-Shanesville, Bolivar and Gnadenhutten Indians, other Sectional probables at this time, have already bowed to the Cards, while Mineral City, Tuscarawas Broncos and Magnolia Panthers, other teams still in the Sectional picture, do not figure to have enough.  Walnut Creek is going to make a strong bid all the way this year.  No one knows better than Abe Mast how tough the trial will be, however.