59 - Inside Sports

Sports Editor
Tuesday, December 16, 1958
The Daily Times
New Philadelphia, Ohio



From all appearances there will be only 8 Class "A" County "system" schools next year due to predicted increased enrollment of Tuscarawas Valley High School at Bolivar.  Tusky Valley; although, not AA this year, went to a 3-year high school last spring to stay under the 150 boy limit.  With about 140 males enrolled in the top 3 grades, the up-county school managed to stay in the smaller ranks.  Next year, according to estimates at this time, the school will become Class AA whether it stays a 3-year high school or not.

Consequently, the County League will drop to 8 schools next fall as compared to an 11-school circuit only a few years ago.  Recent consolidations of Mineral City and Bolivar brought on the birth of Tuscarawas Valley, while Garaway was wrought by putting Sugarcreek-Shanesville and Dundee students together.  Tusky Valley, with about ninty 8th graders this year, is expected to have about 180 boys in the top 3 grades next year.  And, because of this, school officials reason that it will probably go back to the 4-year plan, giving them about 200 boys in high school when school resumes after the 1959 summer vacation.  They now have about 50 Seniors.

Garaway was also asked if it might become Class AA next year.  But, executive head C. M. Zimmerman told this writer that from all indications it will not become double-A for several years.  It has also been surmised that Garaway might soon start a football team.  Here, again, the head man at the Sugarcreek School said plans do not call for it for at least 2 years.

The School District of Garaway is expected to seek a bond next November.  From that revenue, on a long-range plan, the school then hopes to build up its athletic facilities and thereby include football by maybe 1960-61.  Despite the fact that Tuscarawas Valley is planning on the switch from A to AA, the school will remain in the Tuscarawas Valley Conference with Tuscarawas, Midvale, Malvern, West Lafayette and Strasburg next year.  Another team, Conotton Valley, (Leesville - Sherrodsville - Bowerston) will also be in the League next fall, making it a 7-team circuit...the biggest in its history.  The Tuscarawas Valley Conference has done much to add interest in football among the smaller schools in this county.  Additional schools may be seen by 1960 or 1961.

Of the total 12 single A schools in Tuscarawas County, only 4 do not play football...Gnadenhutten, which once played 6-man football, Stone Creek, Port Washington and Baltic.  None have announced any plans for the gridiron sport; although, the possibility has been toyed with on several occasions.  In addition to the 9 single A schools already mentioned as having football, Dennison, Dennison St. Mary's and Dover St. Joseph's also field gridiron squads in this county.

As far as the loss of TV next year is concerned in basketball, the county will still be authorized to send 2 teams from its League Tournament into Sectional Tournament play.  The county would have to drop to 5 teams before the 2 teams were not eligible.

NOTE:  Right Down The Line With Norm Singleton

Sports Editor
Monday, December 15, 1958
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

Terry Deems of Tuscarawas and Eldon Miller of Gnadenhutten were leading point-getters in Wittenberg College's 64-51 victory over Mount Union Saturday night.  Deems, the Ohio Conference's Most Valuable Player last year, hit for 17 points and Miller had 14.

Larry Clark, another former Gnadenhutten cager, is a member of the Junior Varsity at Wilmington College.  Rod Reinhart, who played at Stone Creek, is playing at West Virginia Wesleyan.