Senior Forward Jim (Lefty) Kuecher of the Strasburg Tigers and leading tally-maker flips the ball goal-ward against the Dennison St. Mary Blue Waves. Junior Forward Bob Beamer was too late as Kuecher hits another 2 points for the Tigers. (The Daily Reporter Photo by Ralph McKee)
Senior Forward Willie Rieger of the Strasburg Tigers is their ace rebounder and here drops in 2 points despite the efforts of Freshman Forward Paul Smolak of the Dennison St. Mary Blue Waves. Wilmer Bland (72) looks on, while partially visible behind him is Strasburg's Senior Center Ron Gray as the Bengals enter the Sectional Tournament co-finals. (The Daily Reporter Photo by Ralph McKee)
DOVER - Barring a major upset. the Midvale Blue Devils will join 2 other Tuscarawas County teams in the co-finals of the Class B Sectional Tournament at Dover's Memorial Hall tonight. The Strasburg Tigers, 5th-ranked team in the State, was entrenched in the Sectional Tournament finale for a 3rd straight year after the defending District Tournament Champs blasted the out-manned Dennison St. Mary Blue Waves 98-37 last night as the 1st string played only 19 minutes.
In the opener at the Dover gymnasium, the Dennison Railroaders advanced to one of the 2 Saturday night scraps as big 6-3 center Jerry Hill paved the way for an 83-61 conquest of a smaller, outclassed Berlin Panthers team. The bucket-bombing resumes tonight at 7:30 with the Malvern Green Hornets (6-13) the Carroll County standard-bearer, facing the Killbuck Bucks (16-5) the Holmes County titlist and Tuscarawas County Champion Midvale Blue Devils (19-5) going against the Millersburg Knights (5-13). Malvern and Millersburg drew byes, while in 1st round action, Midvale ousted the Dover St. Joseph Ramblers and the Bucks eliminated the Port Washington Purple Riders.
If the Blue Devils win tonight and it should get by the Knights, the Diablos and Tigers will be paired again. The game involving the Bengals will begin at about 8:45 following the 7:30 opener between the Railroaders and the Killbuck-Malvern victor. In the Tuscarawas County titular fuss, The Midvale Blue Devils ended Strasburg's 19-game winning streak. Last night a goodly crowd was on hand, but only a handful remained after Strasburg roared to a 43-13 intermission advantage over the Dennison St. Mary Blue Waves. Neither the Tigers nor the Railroaders had much trouble and both had identical shooting marks as each hit the hoop at a 46 percent clip.
With his team leading 53-15, Head Coach Ken Newlon of the Strasburg Tigers (3-1) (20-1) yanked his starters early in the 3rd stanza, but the 2nd stringers were a torrid-shooting bunch too as the Tigers clawed the Dennison St. Mary Blue Waves (4-15) in the nightcap. The "bench warmers," sparked by center Chuck Burris, added 45 points to the Strasburg total as they hit on 19 fielders in 37 shots. By the end of the 3rd quarter they were coasting 71-25 and probably would have reached the century mark if the Blue Waves had not slowed up the action in the fading moments of play.
Burris wound up with 19 points for game honors, while Senior Jim (Lefty) Kuecher, regular forward, was next with 16. Senior forward Willie Rieger and Junior guard Jerry Froman also scored in double digits, while Senior Bill Hensel of the 2nd Five bagged 12 markers. A set shot by Junior forward Bob Beamer sent St. Mary on top 2-0 as the game got under way, but Kuecher hit on a set from the corner and a one-hander by Senior guard Lloyd Deibel gave the Bengals a lead they never relinquished. It was 20-10 at the end of the 1st quarter and the Striped Cats padded their advantage by 21 points in the 2nd frame when the Dennison Saints garnered only 2 markers, those on a field goal by Sophomore Sub Charles (Pat) Hayes with 57 seconds left in the period.
The score was 43-12 at intermission and after the regulars showed they weren't about to be stopped, Coach Newlon sent in his 2nd team. With the starters making 23 goals in 51 shots, the Strasburg Tigers ended with 42 goals in 91 attempts for 46 percent. The Waves, with 12 action shots in only 30 shots, hit at 30 percent. High for the losers was Sophomore forward Jim Guida with 11 markers.
STRASBURG TIGERS - 98
Jim (Lefty) Kuecher 8-0-16
Willie Rieger 4-3-11
Ron Gray 3-3-9
Lloyd Deibel 3-0-6
Jerry Froman 5-1-11
Chuck Burris 7-5-19
Woody Norris 3-0-6
Bill Hensel 5-2-12
Bob Haswell 1-0-2
Hague 1-0-2
Don Weber 2-6-10
George Gessner 0-0-0
DENNISON ST. MARY BLUE WAVES - 37
Bob Beamer 4-1-9
Paul Smolak 1-0-2
Jim Guida 3-5-11
Ken Beamer 0-0-0
Still 1-0-2
Varcollo 0-0-0
Geary Bradley 1-4-6
Wilmer Bland 0-0-0
Charles Hayes 2-3-7
STRASBURG 20-43-71-98
ST. MARY 10-12-25-37
Friday, March 2, 1956
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio
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