Head Coach Ralph "Pete" Hilliard of the 1959 Midvale Blue Devils is in his 5th year with the Diablos. He graduated from Tuscarawas High School and Kent State. (Photo...Yearbook)
The 1959 Midvale Blue Devils VARSITY TEAM. Tom Krocker - Dave Bellnap - Ron Breniser Hanes Hairston and Bill Housel. (Photo...Yearbook)
NEW PHILADELPHIA - Injuries to key personnel may dim the Midvale Blue Devil's hopes to continue as one of Tuscarawas County's most potent Class A basketball powers when the Blue Devils open their season against the Augusta Blue Devils on Saturday night. Head Coach Pete Hilliard, who has gained the reputation as one of the county's top coaches and last year's "Coach of the Year", is not pessimistic. The head mentor, who has 3 lettermen in his 1st unit, could have floored a squad with 4 lettermen had it not been for an injury to Senior Tom Krocker.
Krocker, the team's top playmaker, who tallied 354 points last year and was a member of the All-County squad, will not join his teammates until after the 1st of the year because of a broken leg suffered in a football game. Vince De Noi, although not a lettermen last year, saw plenty of duty, but is out with a football shoulder injury too, but the Junior hopeful may join the Devils soon. He has been at the gym with a cast on, but is unable to compete.
"We're going to lose games," Hilliard said, when asked about this year's squad. "I wouldn't have predicted a perfect year even with Krocker, but now we'll be more subject to drop more contests without him," he continued. Midvale went through an 8-game League card with an unblemished record and finished with an 19-2 mark. It lost only to the West Lafayette Generals, 72-71, in the 2nd game last year and to the Strasburg Tigers 80-77 in the 4th tilt. The Blue Devils ended with a 19-3 record when they were dropped in Sectional Tournament play by the Gnadenhutten Indians 80-67.
The Diablos will have fair size and could round into a good ball club after Krocker and De Noi returns. In his 1st five, Hilliard will send 5-9 Senior Dave Belnap, 5-8 Sophomore Jim Hobart, 5-10 Junior Ron Brensier, 6-2 Senior Bill Housel and 6-2 Junior Hanes Hairston.
Housel will probably be one of the Devil's top scorers this year, while Coach Hilliard has hopes that Belknap and Brensler will continue where they left off last year. The 2 lads tallied 442 points last year. Belknap had 244, while Breniser netted 198. Last year Housel collected 177, but injuries hurt him all year. In Hairston, Hilliard had a lad who could very well fit into his program. Hanes is a transfer student from Walnut Cove, North Carolina, where he played at London High School.
To give Midvale bench strength, the head mentor will have Senior Jim Clark, a 5-11 lad who saw limited duty last year and 6-1 Len De Mattio, a Sophomore up from the Reserves. Other members of the squad include Juniors John Everett, Dick Housel, Dale Stansbury, Ron Kaderly and Jim Bieleski; Sophomores, Gary De Mattio, Ralph Labus and Warren Legett. Freshman Jerry Phillips is also a member of the squad.
Wednesday, November 19, 1958
The Daily Times
New Philadelphia, Ohio
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