Junior 5-11 Ron Breniser of the Midvale Blue Devils led the Devils to a 96-79 triumph over the Conotton Valley Rockets to win the Blue Devils their 7th District Championship. Ron scorched the nets for 26 markers. He has amassed 103 points in 6 tournament games for a 17.1 average. (PHOTO...The Daily Reporter 1958)
NEW PHILADELPHIA - For the 2nd time in 3 years the Midvale Blue Devils under Head Coach Ralph "Pete" Hilliard, became full fledged members of the "Sweet 16 Club." In claiming the school's 7th Eastern Ohio Class A District Championship by polishing off a good Rocket quintet 96-79 last night. Midvale thereby becomes one of the last 16 survivors in the State of Ohio for next week's Regional Tournament. The victory was the 22nd in 23 contests for the Diablos and their 16th straight since being edged out by the Gnadenhutten Indians 78-76 in early December.
The Conotton Valley Rockets' hopes are still alive for Regional play; however, as they now move to Dennison to clash with the once-beaten Old Washington Warriors (26-1) which lost in the Marietta District last night 68-64 in overtime. Conotton Valley (17-7) and the Warriors will clash at 8:00 tonight. The Gold and Blue of Midvale whose coach and Superintendent J.F. Zack, will join 3 other schools...the winner at Dennison tonight and 2 from Canton District...at the drawings in Canton on Sunday. Next week's Regional action will be played at the Memorial Field House.
Some sort of history was also made by the Midvale Blue Devils with their phenomenal balanced scoring attack. In scoring several hundred games, this writer needs only a couple of fingers to recall how often he has seen a "different" boy take scoring laurels in each quarter. It happened last night before a sellout crowd, as 6-3 Senior Bill Housel netted 10 points in the 1st, followed by 5-11 Junior Ron Breniser's 12 in the second, 5-10 Senior Tom Krocker's 10 in the 3rd and 5-9 Senior Dave Belknap's 8 in the final canto. Truly one for the book! After the score was knotted 8 times in the 1st quarter, the Blue Devils finally took a 21-19 lead as the period closed. From then on, Midvale led the remainder of the way including a 20-point gap in the final quarter.
The Diablos' record of 7 District crowns is 2nd to none in Tuscarawas County. In reaching within 2 games of the colorful State Tournament at Columbus. The Devils never appeared more brilliant in tourney play. Its ball handling was almost unbelievable. But, let there be no doubt...the road ahead will be rough.
But, if the Hilliardboys can retain some of the polish they displayed last night against the Conotton Valley Rockets, "this could be the year." The Blue and Gold has gone this far before, but never has it cleared every hurdle. Three times...1940, 1941 and 1951...the Midvale Blue Devils have been to Columbus, but each time the big one has eluded them. The game began with the Rockets taking a 2-0 lead on a fine drive in shot by 5-11 Junior Larry Allen. Housel, the Blue Devls' hustling center, matched it with a spin and the game was tied. Seven more times in the 1st, the 2 clubs were deadlocked, with Midvale finally taking the lead for good at 21-19 just as the 1st buzzer sounded on another spin by Housel.
The Diablos ' lanky center tallied 10 big points in that 1st quarter, while it was Breniser who was the big man in the 2nd quarter as he potted 6 layups on drive-ins to lead the Devils to a 48-37 advantage. In the 2nd frame, the Blue and Gold led by as much as 15 points at 42-27 and by no less than 11 at the period's end. Leading 68-54 going into the 4th, thanks to the outside swishing of Krocker who canned 5 straight 2-pointers in the 3rd stanza to lead the attack. The Midvale Blue Devils continued to roll, leading once by 21 points. Then with 2:15 minutes remaining and the Blue Devils leading 96-77 and the fans yelling for the century mark, Head Coach Hillard called time out and told his players to study up on the "stall game", they might need it. And, who need's 100 points anyway.
It was once again 5 men in double figures for the Diablos with Breniser leading the way last night with 26 points, while Housel tallied 25. Krocker hit for 18 markers, Belknap scored 16 and jumpin' Hanes Hairston scored 11. Junior 6-0 Lanty Smith, despite a defense aimed at trying to stop him, led Conotton Valley of Head Coach Al Girone with 23 points, while 6-3 Sophomore Jack Buckley hit 20 and 5-10 Junior Walt Enold ended with 14.
The fleet-footed Devil Squad, which got its big men in good positions under the board, caused the Missiles of Conotton Valley to commit many personal fouls. With 29 fouls called against them, the Boosters lost 4 men via this route, all in the 4th frame. The Blue and Gold, who picked up 18 personal fouls, lost only Hairston in the last canto. The Midvale Blue Devils potted 32 of 73 shots from the filed for 43 percent, including field goals and attempts by quarters of 7 of 21, 10 of 23, 7 of 16 and 7 of 15. The Conotton Valley Rockets hit 31 of 83 flings for 37 percent, making, by quarters, 8 of 19, 6 of 18, 7 of 20 and 9 of 26.
The Blue Devils took full advantage of the over-agressive Rockets, sinking 32 of 45 free throws, while Conotton Valley made 17 of 29.
MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS - 96
Dave Belknap 2-12-16
Tom Krocker 8-2-18
Bill Housel 6-12-25
Ron Breniser 12-2-26
Hanes Hairston 4-3-11
Jim Clark 0-0-0
CONOTTON VALLEY ROCKETS - 79
Lanty Smith 9-5-23
Larry Dunlap 2-0-4
Jack Buckley 8-4-20
Larry Allen 3-2-8
Walt Enold 6-2-14
Earl Heavlin 0-2-2
Rippeth 3-1-7
Copland 0-1-1
McCarthy 0-0-0
MIDVALE 21-48-68-96
CONOTTON 19-37-54-79
Saturday, March 7, 1959
Don Wagner, Sports Editor
The Daily Times
New Philadelphia, Ohio
NOTE: Conotton Valley Rockets vs Old Washington Warriors
DISTRICT TOURNASMENT RUNNER-UP. The Conotton Valley Rockets, will return to action tonight at Dennison following its 96-79 loss to the Midvale Blue Devils last night. Proudly exhibiting the award are: Co-Captain Earl Heavlin - Head Coach Al Girone and Co-Captain Lanty Smith. The Rockets will take a 17-7 mark against the Old Washington Warriors (26-1) this evening at 8:00 for an additional Regional Tournament berth. (PHOTO...The Daily Times By Bob Fisher)
The Old Washington Warriors, Champions of Guernsey County, will move into Dennison's gymnasium tonight to do battle with the Harrison County Champions the Conotton Valley Rockets. In the surprise decision at the Marietta District Class A finals last night, the Warriors, victorious in 26 straight games, was dropped by Maysville, Muskington County Champions.
Maysville, now 18-6, lost in regular season to the Old Washington club 83-58 and therefore was a heavy underdog last night. Maysville won out 68-64 in overtime, after once trailing the Guernsey Countians 11-1. The Rockets (17-7) were paired with the Warriors by token of its 96-79 loss to the Midvale Blue Devils last night. The game is to start at 8:00 today.
The winner of the special playoff, the 1st such event in history whereas a team can move on after losing past county affairs...will get a berth in the Canton Class A Regional Tournament representing the Eastern District with Midvale. The special playoff is a result of the Eastern District being authorized 3 teams to advance instead of the usual two. Maysville moves to the Athens Regional.
Old Washington's probable starters include:
6-3 Bill Reese
5-10 Lloyd Kerr
6-2 Art Gray
5-11 Jim Tomak
6-0 J.D. Burris
6-2 Bob Hare (The 6th Man)
Conotton Valley is expected to go with the same lineup that faced the Blue Devils of Midvale at Dover last night.
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