51 - Right Down The Line

Wednesday, February 14, 1951
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio


LORIS HOSTETLER, the Dundee Bulldogs' fine center, scored the 1st points in the 1st round of the 29th Annual Tuscarawas County Class B Basketball Tournament last night at Memorial Hall.  Just how many more points will be scored before firing ends the night of February 23rd is anybody's guess, but it is sure to be plenty.

BIGGEST SURPRISES in the opening round were registered by the Stone Creek Golden Panthers and the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates.  Fourth-Year Head Coach Ken Newlon of Stone Creek, playing it smart and close to the belt, sent his Golden Panthers into last night's game with the Indians with orders to jam the Tribe center lane and shackle Senior Ron Kohl, the Indian ace.  The Panthers did just that for nearly 3 quarters before Junior Paul Brick and Senior Bob Blickensderfer found the range in the last half to upset the Cats' strategy somewhat.  Regardless, Stone Creek gave a very creditable showing and made the Warriors look less impressive than was expected.

Second-Year Head Coach Gerald Straley's Sugarcreek-Shanesville team seemed to run out of gas in the last half against the Tuscarawas Broncos after giving the Broncos a real scare in the 1st two frames.  Smooth-working Seniors John Lanzer and Dale Rehard carried the load for the Pirates; however, if not for the sensational set shooting by Senior Bill Tharp, the Ponies guard, the Corsairs would have scored the tournament's 1st upset.

STICKOUTS in the 1st round were Hostetler of Dundee, who topped all scorers with 25 points, Junior Roger Wigfield and Sophomore Ellsworth Tope of the Mineral City Tigers,  Brick and Blickensderfer of Gnaden, Sophomore Jerry Gasser and Junior Willis Ridenour of Stone Creek, Senior Jerry Rausch and Tharp of Tuscarawas and Lanzer and Rehard of Sugarcreek-Shanesville.

THE STRASBURG TIGERS, which tied for the County League lead with Tuscarawas and the Midvale Blue Devils, sees action tonight against the Port Washington Purple Riders, while the 3rd member  of the "Big 3," the Blue Devils, wait until Thursday night to open defense of its title against Gnadenhutten.  Officials Harold Johnson of Orrville and Max Kister of Shreve called good games last night.

SOME OF THE UNSUNG tournament figures will be timers R.M. Virtue of Gnadenhutten, J.F. Zack of Midvale, P.O. Cochran of Bolivar, Jerry Baird of Port Washington and M.R. Helwick of Strasburg.  Also on the unsung list of men who see that the show goes on are scorers Clarence Troyer of Baltic, Harry Gintz, R.C. Rehard, R.W. Stover and William Lewis and public address system manager Harold Everett of Tuscarawas.