54 - Right Down The Line

RIGHT DOWN THE LINE
With Art Cicconetti, Sports Editor
Monday, March 22, 1954
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

THE CURTAIN HAS GONE DOWN on high school basketball in Tuscarawas County after what could be termed as one of the most successful seasons ever recorded.  Class A basketball was far below par...it's true.  The Uhrichsville Tigers boasted the best Class A mark in the county, but even they couldn't get past the 7th-place team in the Central Ohio League, Coshocton.

The Dover Tornadoes were a green ball club at the outset of the season, but showed signs of improving near the end of the campaign, while the New Philadelplhia Quakers had plenty of scrap.  The Newcomerstown Trojans likewise had a green ball club and the Trojans took plenty of lacing during the season.  The Newcomers will be back up towards the top next year as will the Tornadoes.  New Philadelphia and Uhrichsville, both of which will lose many Seniors, figure to get help from their respective Reserve Teams.

WHERE THEN WAS THE SUCCESS?  It was mostly in the Class B League.  The Dennison Railroaders were below par, while the Dover St. Joseph Ramblers slipped and finished with a 10-11 mark.  The Dennison St. Mary Blue Waves came out with the best record in the school's history; however, by winning 17 and losing only 5.  The Tuscarawas Broncos, Strasburg Tigers, Baltic Eagles and Port Washington Purple Riders deserve to be called back for more bows as these 4 teams could well be ranked in the top reaches of the State's Class B ranks.

The Eagles certainly need apologize to no one for the Flyers lost but 5 games in 25 starts.  Head Coach Tom Bellville's team was beaten twice by the Broncos and Tigers and once by the Purple Riders.  Baltic carried Strasburg to the limit before bowing in the last quarter each time and they came back to defeat Port Washington decisively after dropping a 3-point decision to the Purple Riders late in the regular season.

HEAD COACH BRAY TOOT'S RIDERS ended the season with what looked like a mediocre 13-9 record.  A closer glance reveals the fact that Port Washington came on with a rush at the end of the season to gain a 3-place tie with the Eagles.  Four straight defeats after opening with a win caused the Port record to fall.  The Purple Riders revenged 3 of those setbacks and nearly got the 4th when they dropped a 61-60 verdict to the Tigers in the County Tournament semi-finals.

The Riders also dropped 2 games each to Tuscarawas and the Bengals, the District finalists.  One loss was to Baltic and the other 4 were to the Gnadenhutten Indians, Midvale Blue Devils, Stone Creek Golden Panthers and the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates, a team Port Washington defeated in the county meet.  The Pirates beat the West Lafayette Generals, whose only other loss was to the Philo Electrics in the Sectional Tournament meet at Zanesville.  The Dundee Bulldogs clipped the Waynesburg Mohawks, Co-Champions in Stark County.  The Mineral City Tigers, also moved back up in the limelight during the season.

THE STRASBURG TIGERS' record 26-2 is one of the top in the State.  The Bengals lost only to the Broncos and claimed one of the 3 victories over the District Champions.  Elden (Zeke) Mullett, John Shetler and Fred Peters, all regulars and Gail Huffman and Lewis Frees, will be lost by graduation next year.  The Tigers will have a good nucleus for next year's team; however, with Senior Jerry (Goose) Von Kaenel and Senior Jerry Haswell, both of whom won honorable mention on the United Press All-Ohio, back  for their 4th season.

The Tuscarawas Broncos' record is the best, percentage wise, that the school has ever had and that first District Championship adds even more lustre to the 22-3 mark.  The Broncos were due for an under-par performance and they made it all the way to the Regional Tournament.  They still are one  of the best in the State according to their tournament appearance and that's getting up there.  Tusky also loses top-grade material in Larry (Doofy) Myers, Jim Henry, Ralph Vesco, who also earned an honorable mention berth on the UP All-Star Team and Harry Thompson, all regulars.  Jerry Briggs and Don Decker two reserve guards will also graduate.

WHILE WE ARE ON THE SUBJECT OF BASKETBALL we'd like to mention that still another idea for the use of a fieldhouse was added by Wilbur O. Jones  of Stone Creek.  Mr. Jones feels that top attractions like the Harlem Globe Trotters could be brought into the county.  He also feels that such a building could serve as a place to hold church conventions and other large meetings.  "I've been a resident of our county for 33 years," writes Mr. Jones, "and I've attended many tournaments both here and away.  From  my experience.  I find we are far behind and losing many good paying opportunities."  How True!

NOTE:  BASKETBALL BULLETS

1.  The Strasburg Tigers Team that went to State in 1933 were:

Clyde Denzer
Willis Haas
Bill Jones
Elwin Rieger
John Studer

2.  John Studer of the Strasburg Tigers.  His highest game was 40 points in a regular game against the Stone Creek Golden Panthers.

3.  Jim Lorenz of the Stone Creek Golden Panthers.  His highest game was 42 points in a regular game at Stone Creek.

4.  Jim Lorenz of the Stone Creek Golden Panthers.  Scored 427 points in 1954.  He was ineligible to play in this year's tournament due to his age of 20 years.  His last game was February 2, 1954.

5.  Eldon Harris of the Mineral City Tigers.  In 1929 he scored 52 points in a regular game against the Midvale Blue Devils who lost 96-4.

6.  Jim Lorenz of the Stone Creek Golden Panthers had 1,539 points in his 4 years at Stone Creek ending in 1954.