54 - Right Down The Line

RIGHT DOWN THE LINE
With Art Cicconetti, Sports Editor
Wednesday, March 17, 1954
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

COMMUNITY SPIRIT seems to rally better around a winning athletic team than it does for anything else.  There are many projects that each community sponsors during the course of each year, but when the local high school hits a winning streak, the enthusiasm breaks out with a bang.  A good example of that right now is Tuscarawas.  That village of some 700 people is following its team almost to the last resident in town.  When the Broncos met the Strasburg Tigers down at Brilliant last week just about the entire population made the trip.

Those who remained at home listened to the broadcast of the game and it's said that they were just as enthusiastic as the rooters who jammed the Brilliant Auditoriam-Gymnasium.

HARVEY WILSON has used up several boxes of shells for his gun.  After every Tusky victory, Harvey goes outside and fires his gun into the air over the old canal bed.  He's got a new supply in now after using quite a few shells after the win over the Tigers last Friday night.  There's the parakeet of Mrs. Eva Williams.  This little bird we were told, was mum for quite a long time.  The spirit of the Tuscarawas boosters is spreading; however, and the parakeet uttered it's first words last week.

What were these words?  "Rah! Tusky" of course.  You see, the spirit of these backers is really infectious.  Then there's the cowbell that Mrs. Raymond Arthur rings after every Broncos win.  Add the cheering, the report of the gun and the bell ringing and you've got another cheering section that makes it sound like another New Year's Eve celebration when Tuscarawas wins a basketball contest.

THE VILLAGE has waited a long time for a Championship Team and now that it has one you can bet your boots that these boys are going to set the best backing any team could expect.  They say that back in 1946 when Tusky and Strasburg collided at Zanesville for the District Tournament Crown, the Muskingum County seat was crowded with boosters of both teams.  They stayed overnight for that one since the 2 teams played on 2 successive nights.  Tusky beat the Frazeysburg Red Raiders 63-47 and Strasburg downed the Zanesville St. Thomas Saints 61-50 to gain the finals.

Another big following is expected to make the trip to Younstown Friday and they'll be looking for the Broncos to win out and come back again on Saturday night.  Tuscarawas is getting set for an invation to the North and there is good reason to suspect that the Blue and White could emerge as the Regional Tournament winner and move onto Cleveland.

THE BEST ROUTE to reach the Youngstown South Fieldhouse according to the scribe from the Youngstown Vindicator, is by route 62.  This route goes through Canton and Alliance, but it comes into the southside of Youngstown and runs just a block away from the fieldhouse.  Route 62 goes into Market Street in Youngstown by following this to the Donnel Ford Garage where you can reach the tournament site.  Turn right at the garage and travel one block to the fieldhouse.

There are no reserved seating in the fieldhouse which holds around 3,500 people.  The doors are slated to open at 6:00PM, so it would mean an early departure from the county in order to get a good seat.  Since the seats are stepping up on either side of the playing floor, any seat would be a good one though.  If Tusky does win Friday night, county fans will have to buy their Saturday night tickets at Youngstown since the Broncos retinue will be staying overnight.

COLUMBIANA CLIPPERS (19-5) RECORD

REGULAR SEASON

*Fairfield Township 45-68
Springfield Township 79-47
New Waterford 52-50
Champion 47-45
North Lima Zippers 47-45
*Salem Quakers 50-51
Carey Blue Devils 76-64
Leetonia Bears 66-30
Lisbon Spartans 66-61
*East Palestine Bulldogs 44-47
Lowellville Rockeets 55-48
Canfield Fighting Cardinals 72-47
Springfield Township 73-29
Sebring Trojans 55-44
Minerva Lions 57-43
*East Palestine Bulldogs 47-61
McDonald Blue Devils 82-57
*Lisbon Spartans 59-62
Poland Bulldogs 69-66
Youngs North Bulldogs 79-59

SECTIONAL TOURNAMENT

Mineral Ridge Ramblers 70-55
Goshen Union 51-48

DISTRICT TOURNAMENT

Lorain St. Mary Fighting Irish 65-49
Northwestern 65-49

*Defeats