DOVER - With the field already being narrowed to 27 teams in both the Class A and AA in the Regional Basketball Tournament, the Midvale Blue Devils will be battling tonight to be one of the 16 finalists when they clash with the Vienna Mustangs tonight at 7:15 in the Canton Regional at Memorial Fieldhouse. Head Coach Pete Hilliard's cagers, who have been working out on the Fieldhouse floor and at the Uhrichsville Gym the past week to get the experience of a bigger floor, are scheduled to leave for Canton sometime late this afternoon by car.
A large following from the area is assured as it was reported that no less than 880 tickets were sold by yesterday and at least 150 were to be sold last night so that the Blue Devils will have better than 1,000 fans following them to Canton. The Mustangs bring a 23-3 record into the fracas, while the Diablos, labeled the "dark horse" of the tournament, has an 18-9 record, after ending the season with a mediocre 10-8 mark.
The game, which will be broadcast locally, is the 1st of 2 tilts. In the nightcap, slated to start at 8:45, Savannah (24-3) takes on the Falcons (14-8). Tonight's winners battle at 8:00 tomorrow night for the Eastern Regional Championship and a berth in the State semi-finals which will be held at St. John's Arena in Columbus next weekend. After tonight only 16 high school basketball teams will remain in tournament play, 8 in each Class.
Probable starting lineup for the Devils will see:
Dick (Dandy) Leggett - Forward
John Colombo - Forward
Russ Hobart - Center
Lonnie Wolfe - Guard
John Beans - Guard
Head Coach Pete Hilliard's 1st Line Reserves:
Tom Krocker
Gary Haney
Starters for the Horsemen will probably be:
Jim Clark - Forward
Tom Wilson - Forward
Ken Mishorich - Center
Jim Mizicko - Guard
Bob Rappach - Guard
A giant pep rally will give Midvale a big send off this afternoon when students and faculty gather in the auditorium this afternoon. Cheerleaders will be leading the yells tonight and this afternoon. The Blue Devils Cheerleaders are:
Mary Varally
Arlene Zontine
Bonnie Hobart
Linda Anderson
In other Class A action tonight at Athens will be Newark St. Francis (21-2) taking on the Bethel Tigers (25-1) with the winner meeting the New Boston Tigers (23-0) on Saturday night for the Championship.
At Troy, Plain City (21-2) meets Lockland Wayne (19-5) and Gratis (24-1) takes on Bradford (19-5) with the winners battling on Saturday night. And finally, at Lima, the New Bremen Cardinals (20-3) squares off with Holmes-Liberty (21-1) and Ayersville (25-1) clashes with Ottawa's St. Peter and Paul (16-10).
Ottawa is the only team remaining with a record worse than that of the Midvale Blue Devils.
Friday, March 15, 1957
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio
When I was an 11 year old kid at Tippecanoe in Harrison County, I remember the excitement of Midvale going to the state tournament. I thought, though, the center on that team was named some thing like Bill Hausel. I do remember Dick Legget (I think the younger brother of Dave Leggett, QB on OSU's 1954 Rose Bowl championship football team), but otherwise, my memory must be fading!
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