The Strasburg Tigers have a new addition for their well-filled trophy case after finishing as a co-winner of the Sectional Tournament staged at Dover's Memorial Hall here on Saturday night. The Tigers are shown giving out a victory yell after nipping the Midvale Blue Devils in a 75-74 spine-tingler and thereby earning a berth, along with the Killbuck Bucks, in the District Tournament which opens Wednesday night at Brilliant. The Bengals will face the touted Yorkville Ductillites. (The Daily Reporter Photo)
BEDLAM. Head Coach Ken Kenlon and his jubilant Strasburg Tigers rush towards the Referee to get the Game Ball after bouncing back to nip the Midvale Blue Devils and earn the right to advance to the District Tournament joust at Brilliant this week. (The Daily Reporter Photo)
Senior Forward Larry Swinderman of the Midvale Blue Devils lets go with one of his jump shots in the 4th canto of Saturday night's hectic basketball contest at Memorial Hall in Dover as the Strasburg Tigers' Senior Forward Willie Rieger (77) attempts to block the shot.
The 1956 Midvale Blue Devils winners of the 34th Annual Tuscarawas County Class B Basketball Tournament. FRONT: John Beans - Dick Slano - Sandra Penick - Shirley Graber - Mary Varally - Wayne LeMasters and Tom Krocker. BACK: Assistant Coach Loren Beaber - Dave Belknap - Larry Swinderman - Dick (Dandy) Leggett - Dave De Mattio - Charles Seldennight - Loren Beans - Gary Haney - John Columbo - Jerry Benedum Lonnie Wolf and Head Coach Pete Hilliard.
DOVER - Those-Never-Say-Die Strasburg Tigers, who finished like Whirlaway to upend the Midvale Blue Devils in the co-finals of the Class B Sectional Tournament at Dover's Memorial Hall on Saturday night, will face the Yorkville Ductillites and the State's top "B" point-producer in the District Tournament at Brilliant on Wednesday evening. Strasburg's, 75-74 victor over Midvale before a howling, sardine-packed turnout and Yorkville, boasting Henry Josefczyk who has averaged over 45 points a game, will clash at 8:00 Wednesday night. The District eliminations open tomorrow night at 8:00 when 6-1 Ron "Butch" Arndt and his Killbuck mates do battle with once-beaten Holloway Railroaders.
The Killbuck Bucks earned a District Tournament berth in the Saturday night opener. With Arndt showing the way the Bucks (18-5) outlasted the spunky Dennison Railroaders 71-64. The Yorkville Ductillites (20-3) and Holloway Railroaders (21-1) were Co-Champions of the Sectional Tournament at St. Clairsville where the Yorks toppled the Freeport Red Raiders 41-21 as the Red Raiders tried a "freeze act" and the Railroaders spilled the Powhatan Point Indians 81-80.
The Ductillites, sparked by the 6-5 Josefezyk, have lost only to a pair of Class A schools. Steubenville Central whipped them twice and the other setback came at the hands of the Bellaire St. John Central Fighting Irish. Yorkville has Josefczyk, Ed Baran and Nick Gerolimos back from the club which was beaten by the Strasburg Tigers 118-71 in last year's District Tournament at Memorial Hall in Dover. The Tigers will enter the Wednesday setup with a record of 21 victories against the County Tournament final loss to the Midvale Blue Devils.
Holloway probably has the tallest team in the tournament. The Railroaders lost to Freeport 88-69 in a regular season fracas in which Holloway was without its wheel-horse and 2nd leading scorer, Al Helter. Leroy Bell, Holloway point leader, is averaging almost 35 points a game. The winners of the Tuesday and Wednesday contest will clash for a Regional Tournament berth at 8:00 on Friday night. The doors to the Brilliant Gym will open at 7:00, all 3 nights.
Strasburg fans may purchase tickets at the high school tomorrow and Wednesday. Five hundred tickets are available at the school. The 2 games at Memorial Hall Saturday night drew 1,306 paid admissions with the crowd being estimated at over 1,900. According to Tournament Manager W. E. Laws, the total attendance for the Sectional Tournament was 3,587, an increase of 73 over last year.
Just about everybody is saying it..."It's too bad the county can't send both teams to the District Tournament." But somebody had to lose and this time it was the fighting Midvale Blue Devils (5-1) (20-6) which came out on the short end of the deal...only because of a Strasburg Tigers (4-1) (21-1) aggregation which does not know the meaning of the word "quit."
In one of the greatest finishes ever witnessed on a local floor, the blazing Tigers coached by Ken Newlon came through in scintillating fashion as they moved into the District eliminations for a 3rd straight year. Strasburg trailed the hustling Blue Devils for the most part of the 1st half, once by as much as 10 points. The Bengals fought back to battle Midvale tooth and nail in the 3rd stanza and went into the final round on the long end of a 55-52 count.
But, the Diablos climbed back into the driver's seat at the 3:15 mark and a minute later was front-running by 5 points. A set shot by slight-built Junior forward John Columbo whittled the difference to 65-64 and a pair of fouls by sub Junior Dave De Mattio put the Devils ahead 66-65. De Mattio was fouled by Senior forward Jim (Lefty) Kuecher, the Strasburg basketbomber and it was Kuecher's 5th. With 3 minutes left little Senior forward Larry Swinderman hit on 2 free throws and 2 more by Columbo which gave the Midvale Blue Devils a 70-65 command.
The situation was anything but bright for the Tigers. But the irrepressible Junior Jerry Froman, Bengal guard, took over. Froman socked in a jump shot and was fouled as Midvale moved into a freeze act. He made one shot and the Tigers lagged by only 2. The Cats forced a jump ball, then got the sphere out of bounds and again Froman was fouled. This time he converted both tosses and it was all tied up with a minute and 34 seconds to go. The Blue Devils missed a shot from up close and the Strasburg Tigers were on the attack again. And in a matter of seconds, thanks to Froman, Strasburg was in front. He hit on another jumper and the place was going wild.
However, De Mattio was fouled. Again he sank 2 free throws, the scoreboard showed a 72-72 deadlock with 1:04 remaining. After one shot was blocked by Columbo, Froman got his hooks on the leather again and the Strasburg Bearcat, with only 16 seconds left and the house in bedlam, flipped in another jump shot. He was fouled, converted and there was the Tiger edge.
At the buzzer red-haired Junior guard Dick (Dandy) Leggett was fouled, but the Tiger fans rushed onto the floor and Leggett never had a chance to toe the penalty line. Consequently, he was awarded 2 free points. The Bengal stars were hoisted onto the shoulders of celebrating rooters and after considerable shouting, back-pounding and tear-spilling, the Cats and Killbuck were presented the Co-Championship trophies.
It was a mighty cruel blow for Head Coach Pete Hilliard's gang. But, they can look back to many happy moments and can be especially proud of their conquests which gave the Blue Devils the County Tournament Crown. Both Kuecher and Swinderman, point leaders for their teams, failed to reach their average, but turned in fine games. It was Froman and Columbo who took honors for the night.
Froman wound up with 29 points, despite the fact he made only 3 field goals in 13 tries during the 1st half. Kuecher pitched in 12 and "Chuck" Burris, a Sophomore who moved into the pivot after the Tiger offense sputtered in the 2nd session, proved a pleasant surprise as he bagged 11. Mite Senior Bill Hensel was terrific in a relief role. He took over the guard spot when Senior guard Lloyd Deibel became loaded with personal fouls before the 1st quarter was over. Senior forward Willie Rieger was again a rugged customer on the boards as was Senior center Ron Gray when he was in action. It was strictly a united effort and one which followers of the Orange and Black will long remember.
Columbo, shining especially as the Diablos barged ahead in the 1st half, canned 27 points on 10 field goals in 18 shots and 7 for 8 at the free throw line. He tossed in 14 markers during the initial quarter, 10 of them on 5 action shots in 6 attempts. Swinderman, who had nightmarish luck on his shots in the 2nd half, contributed 14, while Leggett and Junior guard John Beans finished with 13 apiece. Both teams made 36 percent of their shots. Strasburg had the greater amount of opportunities, 80, while Midvale shot 61 times.
The talented Tigers unleased a 29-goal attack and made 17 of 35 free throws, while the Blue and Gold hit for 22 doubledeckers and was sensational at the white stripe. Hilliard's team had 40 free throw shots and missed only 10 times. The score was tied 3 times before a jump shot by Swinderman sent Midvale in front 9-7 in the opening quarter. With Columbo hotter than a giant firecracker the Blue Devils moved on to a 25-19 advantage going into the 2nd frame and goals by Leggett and Beans hiked the count to 10 points. The Newlon-coached bunch battled back to knot the count at 33-all on a set by Hensel, but a layup by Leggett and 2 free throws by Leggett gave Midvale a 4-point spread at intermission.
The 3rd stanza was action packed. Strasburg tied the score 4 times before taking a 49-48 margin at 2:44, but 2 free throw tosses by Beans made it 50-49. A rebound bucket by Froman regained the lead for the Bengals before a jumper by Columbo put Midvale in the van once more. However, 2 gratis pegs by Froman with 58 seconds left in the session sent Strasburg on top and Jerry came back with a posher to make it 55-52 entering the final round.
STRASBURG TIGERS - 75
Jim Kuecher 6-0-12
Willie Rieger 1-4-6
Ron Gray 3-2-8
Jerry Froman 10-9-29
Lloyd Deibel 1-0-2
Bill Hensel 3-1-7
Chuck Burris 5-1-11
MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS - 74
Larry Swinderman 4-6-14 (562)
John Columbo 10-7-27) (304)
Chuck Seldenright 0-1-1 (115)
John Beans 4-5-13 (261)
Dick (Dandy) Leggett 3-7-13 (477)
Loren Beans 0-0-0
Dave De Mattio 1-4-6
STRASBURG 19-33-55-75
MIDVALE 25-37-52-74
Monday, March 5, 1956
Charlie Powell, Sports Editor
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio
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