The 1953 Strasburg Tigers Cheerleaders. Senior Georgean Haswell - Senior Joelene Seese - Senior Betty Shutt and Junior Kuecher.
CANTON - The Canfield Cardinals (27-1) staggered to a 60-57 victory over the Strasburg Tigers (9-2) (26-5) in the Canton Class B Eastern Regional Tournment on Saturday night and earned the right to move on to the State cage carnival in the Cincinnati Gardens, but the Mahoning Countians were on the ropes and reeling when the final buzzer sounded. Head Coach Don Martin's Tigers roared from far behind and had the Red Birds cornered and ready for the knockout punch when the buzzer saved a victory for the Northern Ohio team.
Canfield literally flew into the lead at the close of the 1st quarter as they uncoiled a fast-break attack that swept the Tigers back. But the Eastern Ohio Class B Champion Bengals never conceded the ball game and turned on the heat in the last 2 quarters with a comeback that had the crowd of 2,655 shaking the rafters with cheers. A pressing defense, that had Strasburg fighting for room in which to maneuver, was the clamping factor that gave the Cardinals its early lead with its twin racers forwards, Rod and Ron Payne, ripping through to grab the ball and knife into scoring position.
But that superiority faded in the 3rd stanza and the Tigers cracked down with guard Don Tate's jump shot the difference between the 2 ball clubs. The Red Bird forwards poured 4 baskets through the nets to save their team from faltering completely. The victors slowed down to a walk in the final canto as they took but 6 shots after bombarding the nets for 48 in the 1st three quarters. Canfield went into a partial stall every time it had the ball in the last 2 periods as Head Coach Francis McLaughlin changed his tactics in an effort to stop the Bengal steamrollers that gained momentum with the waning minutes.
Strasburg trailed 37-23 going into the 3rd period. The Cardinals picked off the ball and held it in an effort to pull the Tigers away from the bucket, but the Bengals bided their time, stole the sphere and shot into the opening while springing from the floor with a 7-point punch that floored the confident Red Birds. With Strasburg threatening, Canfield took time out and after the rest, went into a sparring game. Tate, who led the victors with 17 points, scored 9 of those markers in the 3rd stanza as he traded baskets with the Tigers and kept his mates in the driver's seat.
But with Senior forward Jim Weinmann and Sophomore guard Jerry Haswell hitting from out front, the Bengals clipped off 5 points and crashed into the final canto with a renewed vigor. The Cardinals managed to hang on by means of a slick ball handling and dribbling on the part of the Payne twins as Strasburg couldn't get closer than 7 points until the last 3 minutes. With the score 55-47, Junior guard Eldon (Zeke) Mullett cashed in on a layup shot and 30 seconds later Sophomore Jerry (Moose) Von Kaenel netted another to make the score 55-51 with 2 minutes and 28 seconds left to play.
At this point, with the Red Birds stalling the ball and wasting the clock, Ron Payne came through with an important basket as he dribbled toward the side and cut in through the keyhole for a layup shot that widened the gap to 57-51 and dashed cold water on the scorching ambitions of the Tigers. But the Orange and Black got back into contention as Zeke canned 2 free throws to make the score 57-53 with 1:58 on the clock. Once again Canfield went into a stall and missed 3 out of 4 free throw chances, scoring one at the 1:30 mark to make the score 58-53.
Seconds later, Ron Payne followed center Loren Less, who was ousted with 2 and a half minutes to go in the 3rd period, to the showers on personal fouls. But Junior forward John Shetler missed the 2 tosses he was granted and Goose, who had missed but 2 out of 12 free throw shot attempts the entire game, missed one of 2 shots from the free throw line before Rod Payne ended the Cardinal scoring with 2 free throw shots to make the score 60-54 with a minute to go. Zeke canned a brace of free throws at the 54 second mark and after the Red Birds stalled precious seconds away, Shetler threw in one of 2 tosses to make the score 60-57 with 23 seconds left.
Canfield grabbed the ball and stalled with Strasburg getting the sphere just 2 seconds before the game ended. The Cardinals rushed to the lead at the outset of the game as Tate stole the ball and went all the way down to score and Rod Payne threw in a set shot. But the Tigers battled back with Haswell, Zeke, Goose and Weinman all chipping in points to take the lead 7-6 and deadlock the count at 8-8 with 2 minutes and 31 seconds left in the 1st quarter.
Less, Ron Payne and guard Keith West, took over at this point and with the press crowding the Bengals into the back court grabbed the ball and rattled the rims for 5 straight baskets before Strasburg could score again. The same trio ran up the margin in the 2nd frame with only Goose's scoring efforts helping stem the tide. The Red Birds had a 16-point lead 33-17 at one time in the 2nd frame and walked off the floor at halftime leading 37-23.
Canfield, a hard pressing defensive team, was assessed 23 personal fouls with the Tigers taking advantage of this and cashing in on 25 of 35 attempts at the charity line. The Bengals actually missed but 7 chances to score from the free throw line, 6 of these coming in the last canto. Strasburg was charged with but 7 misfactions and the Cardinals made 6 free throws on 12 attempts. The Red Birds; however, had a shooting percentage of 50 from the field and made 27 of 54 attempts, while the Tigers scored 16 field goals in 41 attempts for a percentage of 39.2.
Don Tate, Ron Payne and Keith West picked up 17, 14 and 11 points for Canfield, while Goose, Haswell and Zeke led Strasburg with 19, 11 and 10 points.
CANFIELD CARDINALS - 60
Rod Payne F 3-3-9
Ron Payne F 7-0-14
Meyerhoefer F 0-0-0
Loren Less C 3-1-7
Keith West G 5-1-11
Don Tate G 8-1-17
Hull G 1-0-2
STRASBURG TIGERS - 57
Jim Weinmann F 3-1-7
Max Bonifant F 2-1-5
John Shetler F 2-1-5
Jerry (Moose) Von Kaenel C 4-11-19
Jerry Haswell G 4-3-11
Eldon (Zeke) Mullett G 1-8-10
Monday, March 16, 1953
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio
THE REST OF THE STORY
At State...the Canfield Cardinals (27-1) went on to lose their 1st game to the Philo Electrics 51-49 in overtime.
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