Strasburg's Senior Forward Eldon (Zeke) Mullett jumps high for an action attempt in the 3rd stanza of the Strasburg Tigers-Baltic Eagles contest on Saturday night with Senior Guard Andy Hoffman, Junior Forward Fritz Syler and Senior Guard Wayne Everhart trying to stop him. Senior Guard John Shetler (30) of Strasburg, Junior Center Jerry (Goose) Von Kaenel of the Tigers and Senior Forward Tom Ott (14) of the Eagles watch for the rebound.
DOVER - The Strasburg Tigers (5-1) (26-1) and the Baltic Eagles (5-2) (22-5) both appeared to be tight in the 1st quarter of play and with the officials keeping a close check on the game, the 2 squads didn't loosen up until midway in the 2nd frame. The Tigers got but one field goal on a tip-in by Junior center Jerry (Goose) Von Kaenel, while Eagles' Senior forward Tom Ott meshed 2 for Baltic in that opening period. The Bengals claimed a 9-8 advantage and maintained the lead through the next 8 minutes.
With all of the starting 5 contributing to the Strasburg point-making, the Tigers began loosening in the 2nd frame and pulled away to a 28-20 lead at the halftime intermission. However, Junior forward Jerry Haswell, who was assigned to cover Ott in the Bengal's man-for-man defense, picked up his 4th personal foul with still a minute left in the half and was removed by Head Coach Don Martin.
Haswell was joined on the bench by Senior forward Eldon (Zeke) Mullett after he had picked up his 4th personal in the 3rd stanza and the Eagles, chiefly on the surge by Ott, closed the gap at the outset of the 3rd period and stayed within range all the way. Junior forward Jim Wallace swished a jump shot from the corner to give Baltic a 37-36 lead just as the stanza ended. The final canto was a see-saw hectic affair with the advantage changing hands 9 times before Bengals finally went ahead to stay. The Eagles lost their play-maker, Senior guard Andy Hoffman just after the final period got underway.
Head Coach Tom Bellville's crew stayed in the battle all the way; however, with Ott leading the way. Haswell and Zeke came back into the game for Strasburg at the 4-minute mark and with Senior guard John Shetler, pulled the game out of the fire. Shetler gave the Tigers a 46-45 edge at the 2:45 mark and 35 seconds later made it 48-45 with Zeke jumping the advantage to 50-45 in the next 10 seconds by tipping in a rebound.
That was it! Baltic stayed in the scrap, but the Bengals continued to pull away with Haswell and Shetler each counting from action twice with Senior guard Fred Peters adding one for good measure. Shetler's 15 points, 10 of which came in the final canto, were high for Strasburg with Haswell getting 14 and Zeke 12. Jerry (Goose) Von Kaenel, playing with a badly swollen hand injured in the Millersburg fracas Friday night, counted 9 and Peters had 8.
Ott's outstanding performance, his last in a basketball uniform for Baltic, brought in 29 points for the Eagle's cause, while Junior center Errol Jacobs added 11.
STRASBURG TIGERS - 60
Jerry Haswell F 5-4-14
Eldon (Zeke) Mullett F 3-6-12
Jim Kuecher F 0-2-2
Jerry (Goose) Von Kaenel C 4-1-9
Gale Huffman G 0-0-0
Fred Peters G 3-2-8
John Shetler G 6-3-15
BALTIC EAGLES - 53
Tom Ott F 10-9-29
Jim Wallace F 2-0-4
Fritz Syler F 1-1-3
Errol Jacobs C 2-7-11
Wayne Everhart G 2-1-5
Andy Hoffman G 0-1-1
Monday, March 8, 1954
Art Cicconetti, Sports Editor
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio
NOTE: Strasburg heads for the District Tournament!
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