The 1951 Dennison High School Railroaders Basektball Team. The Railroaders will launch play in the Class B District Tournament at Memorial Hall tonight against the Belmont Eagles. The Walnut Creek Powerhouse Cardinals also won a berth in the Sectional. FRONT: Bill Hilliker - Dave Allensworth - Bill Barth - Willard Hill - Rich Rizor and Rich Polen. BACK: Head Coach John Harmon - Bill King - Dave O'Hara - Don Sudduth - Carl Dudgeon and Ed Wagstaff.
The Big Three of the Dundee High School's Bulldogs who staged a terrific battle on Saturday night at Memorial Hall before bowing to the Dennison Railroaders 55-52 in the Sectional Tournament. Loris Hostetler, Dick Kate, 5-3 forward and one of the tournament stars and Louis Hostetler twin brother of Loris. Both Hostetler twins will be back in the Dundee lineup next year.
DOVER - The Walnut Creek Fabulous Cardinals and the Dennison Railroaders entered the Class B Eastern District Tournament play at Memorial Hall Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday of this week as a result of victories Saturday night in the qualifying round of the Sectional Tournament. Dennison will collide with Belmont on Wednesday and Walnut Creek clashes with Springfield Township Thursday. The Championship battle will be played in Dover Saturday night at Memorial Hall.
Walnut Creek rode into the District Tournament on the basis of an easy 81-59 victory over the Dennison St. Mary Blue Waves for their 23th victory, while Dennison (was forced to hang on in the final minutes to win 55-52 over the Dundee "Cinderella Kids" who came within seconds of forging one of the year's biggest upsets with a magnificent display of courage and fire. The Springfield Township Tigers (21-3) gained a berth in the District Tournament by defeating the Hopedale Comets Saturday night of Steubenville, while the Belmont Eag;es (24-3) earned a District ticket by turning back the Freeport Raiders 59-54.
Head Coach Joe Storaa's Tigers are Jefferson County Champions, while the Eagles, tutored by Harry Baurnan, copped the Belmont County Crown. Walnut Creek's "Whiz Kids," who have now won 22 in a row and have a 23-1 season mark, won going-away over a scrappy St. Mary's quintet, but Dennison needed all of the breaks to subdue Dundee, a team with an unquenchable fighting spirit.
Head Coach John Harmon's Dennison Railroaders (15-4), with Senior center Bill Barth and Senior guard Rich Rizor leading the attack, broke fast in the 1st quarter of play and raced to a 10-1 lead before the Dundee Bulldogs (6-2) (17-11) could unleash their offense. The Railroaders held a 16-4 quarter margin, but that was the last safe margin they could build up as the Dogs came surging back in the 2nd frame with a brilliant attack that had the 1,300 fans on their feet roaring.
With the Junior Hostetler twins, forward Louis and center Loris and Junior guard Merlyn Immel hitting, Dundee closed the gap to 25-19 at intermission. Barth, who becomes ineligible on March 14th following the District Tournament, was held to one free throw shot in the 2nd quarter as the Steamroller's attack faltered before the pressing zone tactics employed by the Bulldogs.
The Dogs rapidly cut down the Dennison lead at the start of the 3rd stanza with the Hostetler twins and Immel doing the offensive honors. It was 5 foot 3 inch Senior forward Dick Kate; however, who poured in the field goal midway in the period which put the Bulldogs out in front 27-26 for the last time. Kate, a superb little fellow with a fighting heart bigger than he is, flashed in under the nets and stole the ball from the rangy Railroaders to make the shot which sent the Dogs out front.
The Transporters, with its height and Class A schedule during the regular season paying off, managed to forge a 37-36 margin at the far turn. At the close of the quarter, disaster struck Dundee when Loris Hostetler was whistled off on personal fouls.
The Bulldogs, playing without their ace for the entire 4th canto, gave it a splendid try. Midway in the last period, Louis Hostetler sent the Bulldogs out in front 45-44, but that was the last lead they could muster; although, Dennison could not build more than a 4-point margin. With one minute left, the Railroaders held a 54-50 lead, but Immel whose driving was outstanding, closed it to 54-52 and the Bulldogs again had the Railmen against the wall.
With seconds left, the Dogs missed a chance to tie the score with a layup shot and Dennison was in. Immel and Loris Hostetler split scoring honors for the Bulldogs with 12 points each, while Louis Hostetler bagged 11. Forward Dave Allensworth hit 18 markers leading the winners as Barth dropped in 14 and Rizor 11 points respectively.
It was the end of the tournament trail for the Cinderella Kids who had upset the Midvale Blue Devils and Tuscarawas Broncos, County League Co-Champions, along the trail. Only one man, Kate, is a Senior and the little Dundee play-maker went out in a burst of glory last Saturday night.
DENNISON RAILROADERS - 55
Dave Allensworth F 7-4-18
Carl Dudgeon F 0-0-0
Rich Polen F 1-0-2
Bill Barth C 5-4-14
Don Sudduth C 1-0-2
Willard Hill G 0-0-0
Bill Hilliker G 3-2-8
Rich Rizor G 4-3-11
DUNDEE BULLDOGS - 52
Dick Kate F 2-1-5
Weldon Flynn F 2-2-6
Louis Hostetler F 4-3-11
Loris Hostetler C 5-2-12
Slemmer C 1-0-2
Curt Beamer G 1-2-4
Merlyn Immel G 5-2-12
Monday, March 5, 1951
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio
NOTE: RIGHT DOWN THE LINE HIGHLIGHTS
THERE MAY BE BETTER basketball teams in the State than the Dundee Bulldogs, but there isn't a team that can match its fighting heart. Head Coach Ike Wiseman's Bulldogs didn't quite make the grade to the District Tournament, but they gave it a try few of the 1,300 fans who saw their battle with the Dennison Railroaders on Saturday night will ever forget.
Sports writers are supposed to be an impartial breed (few are), but you couldn't help but want that magnificent little team to win Saturday night. You knew the odds were overwhelming, but as you watched the Dogs give it that final try, you weren't so sure they wouldn't make it. Even after they lost Junior Loris Hostetler, their ace, in the 3rd stanza, Dundee kept driving. Never once did they let up on those tall, experienced Railroaders.
And it nearly worked! The Bulldogs didn't get one break in that game and yet they actually played Dennison off its feet. For a school which has only 33 students in the upper 4 grades, the Dogs have to make apologies to no one. The story isn't yet finished. For Dundee there will be another year. Only Senior Dick Kate, a 5-3 bundle of fire and drive, graduated this spring.
Of Kate, brother of Paul Kate, former Bulldog star...if there were more of him there wouldn't be a better performer in the State. That kid rates tops in our book.
The Whiz Kids of Walnut Creek's Sensational Cardinals who annexed 5 berths in the Class B District Tournament at Memorial Hall Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday of this week by eliminating the Dennison St. Mary Blue Waves 81-59 last Sasturday night. FRONT: Ike Hostetler - Maurice Hershsberger - Jim Jaberg - Bob Troyer and Keith Miller. BACK: Head Coach John Ridley - Dick Troyer - Loyal Gerber - Bob Bahler - Ted Norrisberger and Ken Machan.
NOTE: THE REST OF THE STORY
The Dennison Railoraders (14-5) lost a thriller in their 1st game in the District Tournament to the Belmont Eagles 75-74.
The Walnut Creek Cardinals (26-2) (shown above) beat the Springfield Township Tigers in the District Tournament 68-46 and then slammed the Belmont Eagles 83-59 for the District Tournament Championship. At the Regional Tournament, The Cardinals (26-2) won their 1st game 56-41 against the Orange Lions (19-7) and then losts to the Waynesburg Mohawks (25-0) 52-48 in the Regional Tournament Championship game.
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