The Gnadenhutten Indians 6-0 Senior Center Tom Roth, pouring in another 23 points for the 2nd night in a row, rolled over Head Coach Pete Hilliard's Midvale Blue Devils 80-67. Roth has accumulated 83 points in 5 games for a average of 16.7 points per game. (Photo...1958 Yearbook)
The Midvale Blue Devils cheering section was shrouded in gloom last night when Ralph McKee, The Daily Reporter Photographer, snapped this picture near the end of the 4th quarter. The Blue Devils were dropped from the Sectional Basketball Tournament circuit on an 80-67 loss to the Gnadenhutten Indians.
The 1958 Gnadenhutten Indians Basketball Team. LEFT: Ron Bradley - Ed Shull - Paul Gooding and Stephen Hamilton. CENTER: Larry Gooding. RIGHT: Tom Roth - Al Cappel - Tom Frank - Bill Horsfall and Larry Clark. (Photo...1958 Yearbook)
DOVER - GNADENHUTTEN 80 - MIDVALE 67! That score signals the end of a 3-month dynasty of the Midvale Blue Devils, who swept, plundered and turned back all opposing forces that dared to stand in their way.
This is until they met the Gnadenhutten Indians in last night's Sectional Tourney here at Dover's Memorial Hall. And the the Warriors did what they couldn't accomplish in 3 previous meetings with the Blue Devils. Since December 10th when they lost to the Strasburg Tigers 80-77 the defending State semi-finalists, had won 17 straight contests, including 3 in the County Tournament which netted them the Championship Crown and made them strong favorites to take the local Sectional meet.
But last night the Indians out-rebounded the Blue Devils under both boards in addition to outfighting the Diablos at practically every move. The 1st time the 2 teams collided was on December 17th when the Devils copped an easy 68-37 triumph, but from there in margins became closer and closer. On January 17th the Tribesmen were dropped 82-73 in a County League game and the finals of the County Tournament when the Blue and Gold of Midvale won by only 7 points, 67-60.
But last night, with a berth in the finals on Saturday night at stake along with a possible trip to the District Basketball Tournament meet at Brilliant next week the Scarlet and Gray of Gnaden were not to be denied. The Gnadenhutten Indians opponent will be the Millersburg Knights, who turned back the Dennison Railroaders 62-52 in the opener.
The Midvale Blue Devils ended its season with a 19-3 record and Dennison with a 2-17 mark. The Indians and Knights will carry records of 19-6 and 11-7 respectively, into the finals on Saturday night at 8:00. Tonight at 8:00 the other trip to the District Tournament will be decided when 2 Holmes County quintets, the Berlin Black Panthers and the Big Prairie-Lakeville Panthers collide. The Black Panthers, winners of the Holmes League Championship, has a 19-4 record and the Panthers are 17-6.
The 1st quarter appeared to be just another repetition of all other Gnadenhutten-Midvale games with the Gnadenhutten Indians (4-1) (6-2) (18-6) looking strong in the opening minutes, but fading just enough near the end of the period for the Midvale Blue Devils (3-1) (8-0) (19-3) to grab a 17-12 margin. But somewhere, somehow, the Indians found the needed punch and began to creep up on the Blue Devils until the score stood 26-23 midway in the canto. And with the fires burning high the Scottsmen poured on the steam and rumbled past the Hilliardmen as they tallied 8 straight points for a 31-26 lead with 2 minutes to go in the 1st half.
Midvale found itself momentarily and narrowed the gap to 33-31 at intermission. Gnadenhutten continued on the warpath in the 3rd stanza with the No.1 Warrior being 6-0 Senior center Tom Roth, who led the uprising with 16 points. The quarter found the Diablos battling gamely to keep pace with the torrid attack and then they went ahead 42-41 with 4 and 1/2 minutes to go in the period. But that was the last time they saw the lead because Gnaden took over again at 3:45. The Tribesmen were in front 57-52 at the frame's end.
In the final canto the Scarlet and Gray of Gnaden faltered momentarily and the Devils cut their lead to 57-55, but they regained stride and hit for 7 more points to boost their margin to 64-55. They finished the quarter with 23, while holding the Blue and Gold of Midvale to 15 to spring the upset. Percentage-wise the Gnadenhutten Indians had the edge with 34.7 accumulated when it clicked on 32 of 93 action shots. The Midvale Blue Devils had a 34.4 mark, making 26 of 72 attempts. The Indians tallied 16 free throws and the Blue Devils 15.
A well-balanced scoring attack was the key to the Gnadenhutten triumph. Leading Gnaden was Roth with 10 field goals and 3 free throws for 23 points. Senior 5-8 forward Larry Clark was next with 20, while 6-1 Senior center Larry Gooding and 5-11 Senior forward Ron Bradley had 15 and 14 respectively. Junior 5-10 guard Tom Krocker and 6-2 Senior center Russ Hobart were the big guns as they dropped in 20 and 19 each for Midvale. Sophomore 5-11 guard Ron Breniser added 14 more markers.
GNADENHUTTEN INDIANS - 80
Ron Bradley 6-2-14
Larry Clark 7-6-20
Larry Gooding 5-5-15
Tom Roth 10-3-23
Ed Shull 2-0-4
Al Cappel 2-0-4
MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS - 67
Dave Belknap 4-0-8
Russ Hobart 8-3 19
Bill Housel 1-1-3
Tom Krocker 7-6-20
Ron Breniser 5-4-14
Vince De Noi 1-0-2
Jim Clark 0-1-1
GNADEN 12-33-57-80
MIDVALE 17-31-52-67
Friday, February 29, 1958
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio
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