43 - Bolivar Falls To Kent State University High School 34-32 (3-19-43)

KENT - Their hopes for a crack at the State Class B High School Cage Championship blasted by a smart, fast and rugged Kent State University High School Blue Devils foe in their 1st appearance at the Kent Regional Tournament last night.  Head Coach John Major's Bolivar Cardinals (6-2) (17-10) today packed their basketball toggery away for the season consoled by the fact that they had gone further in tournament play than any team in the history of the school.  The Cardinals were nosed out 34-32 in a thrilling tilt after battling the highly touted Kent Staters to a standstill the greater part of the fracas, outcome of which was in doubt until the timer's gun ended hostilities.

The Kent passers advanced to the finals of Regional Tournament play where tonight they will battle Waynesburg, conquerers of Hartville, for a place in next week's State finals tournament to be held at Columbus.  The Cardinals end a highly successful season of campaigning with a record of 17 victories and 10 defeats.  They were runner-up to the Gnadenhutten Indians in the Tuscarawas County Tournament and then swept the Sectional and District titles before moving into Regional play which in ordinary years corresponds to the early rounds of the State Tournament.

The Cards fought an uphill battle throughout last night's game, played before a capacity crowd at the Kent State University Gym which is the home court of the Kent State High School Blue Devils.  The latters fact was perhaps the deciding factor in Bolivar's defeat since the Red Birds tried noticeably in the final half on the huge playing floor.  The victors opened strong in the initial period to build up a 12-2 lead, but the Cardinals came back in the 2nd quarter with Captain Senior forward Warren Klink showing the way and cut the margin to a single point at halftime which ended 18-17.

Klink took a pass from guard Keene Lebold on the opening tip-off of the 2nd half to score from close in and repeated with another field goal on a fast break to put his team ahead 21-18, but the Blue Devils came from behind again to take a 30-26 edge at the end of the 3rd quarter.  Bolivar fought desperately in the final quarter, but were never able to catch the Kent cagers.

The game was clean and fast throughout, only 6 personal fouls being assessed against each team.  Klink led the Cardinal attack with 14 points (7 field goals), but he trailed forward Dick Benson, Kent scoring ace, who amassed 17 points (8 field goals and a free throw).  Bolivar's center Russ Ross played a brilliant defensive game and notched 8 points for the losers.  Benson's teammate, guard B. Smith, followed him up with 6 points.  Kent secured their victory margin in the field goal department where they outdistanced the losers 15-14.  Both teams caged 4 points at the free throw line.  Every player on the floor scored!

KENT STATE UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL BLUE DEVILS - 34

Dick Benson F 8-1-17
Lukdick F 1-0-2
Renkert C 0-1-1
J. Smith G 2-0-4
B. Smith G 2-2-6
Steuber G 2-0-4

BOLIVAR CARDINALS - 32

Warren Klink F 7-0-14
Keene Lebold F 1-1-3
Russ Ross C 3-2-8
Bill Zutasvern G 1-1-3
Jim Augsberger G 1-0-2
Paul Lab G 1-0-2


Saturday, March 20, 1943
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

43 - Bolivar Wins 1st District Championship 38-33 (3-13-43)

HAIL THE KINGS...Happy as larks in a summer meadow, the basketball team of the Bolivar High School Cardinals is shown here celebrating their Eastern District Tournament Championship in their dressing room after their victory over last year's District Champions, the Gnadenhutten Indians on Saturday night.  Head Coach John Major (extreme left) and his Red Birds also had just cause to be happy, winning the school's 1st District Tournament Title.  The "mugger" is Warren Klink, Cardinals Captain and scoring ace (29).


DENNISON - The Bolivar Cardinals (6-1) (17-9) won its 1st Championship in the finals of the Eastern District High School Basketball Tournament at Dennison Saturday night.  Head Coach Dutch Furbay's Dover Crimson Tornados won the Class A District against the Philadelphia Quakers 45-30 as well.  Coach John Major's Bolivar cagers turned back a favored Gnadenhutten Indians (6-1) (20-5) 38-33 for the Class B Crown.  As Champions they succeed Gnaden in Class B basketball.  Last year the Indians gained the crown by beating the New Concord Little Muskies 46-40.

As a result of the Cardinals triumph over the Indians, the team will now advance to Regional Competition at Kent, Ohio.  Playing before a sell-out crowd of nearly 2,500 fans, Dover and Bolivar ably displayed the prowess that enabled them to climb to the peak.

The Bolivar-Gnaden game see-sawed throughout the 1st six minutes of play in the final quarter and then Coach Major's Cardinals pulled out to a 35-33 edge and began to stall with Gnaden's over-anxiousness to break up the stall netting the Cardinals their last 3 points on free throws in the last 15 seconds of play.

Carried by the stellar Senior forward Bill Lockett, the Indians took a 6-2 lead in the opening quarter with Lockett scoring all the points, while Senior forward Warren Klink contributed Bolivar's only pair of points.  In the 2nd period; however, the Cardinals fought a brilliant up hill battle and emerged at the half with a 16-15 lead, outscoring Gnaden 14 to 9 in the period.  Center Russ Ross set the pace for the Red Birds and picked up 3 baskets and a free toss, while Klink had 2 field goals, forward Keene Lebold one and guard Jim Augsberger a free throw.

Standing flat-footed and completely divorced from the smooth operation that marked their game with Quaker City Thursday night, the Indians were outscored again in the final 2 quarters, with Bolivar taking a 10 to 8 edge in the 3rd and 12 to 10 nudge in the final.

After the intermission Bolivar pushed to a 26-23 lead in the 3rd period on 2 field goals and a pair of free throws by Lebold and baskets by Klink and guard Bill Zutavern.  Lockett; meanwhile, was sparking the Gnadenhutten attack, picking up 2 buckets in eachof the 2 middle periods.  At the start of the final period lockett dribbled in for an easy looper and Senior guard Ken Kohl tallied a free throw to knot the count at 26-all, but Bolivar slipped ahead on a follow-up by Klink.  Then a free throw by Lockett and a long shot by Kohl put Gnaden out front 29-28 with Zutavern tying it up on a free throw shot with minutes remaining.

Quick baskets by Sophomore forward Bill Martin of Gnaden and Ross of Bolivar boosted the count to 31-all and a free throw by Ross gave Bolivar a narrow 32-31 edge with 2 and a half minutes to play.  At the 2 minute mark Junior guard George Schupp tied it up with a free throw shot that completed the Indian scoring.

Then Klink scored on a jump shot from the corner and Zutavern put the Red Birds out front 35-33 with a minute and 50 seconds to go.  He was fouled a 2nd time by Lockett and took the ball out of bounds to begin the Bolivar stall.  Ross fouled Lockett with only 40 seconds remaining and the Gnaden ace missed both shots.  At the 15-second mark Kohl fouled Klink and the latter tallied the free throw to open the margin to 3 points.  Almost as the gun cracked, Lockett fouled Augsberger and the latter was given 2 tosses at the basket, both of which he scored after the other players had left the floor and the game had ended.

Gnaden's Lockett led the individual scoring with 17 points (7 field goals and 3 free throws), while Klink topped the Bolivar cagers with 13 markers (6 field goals and a free toss).  Ross tallied 10 more for the Cards, Lebold 8, Augsberger 3 and Zutavern 4 points.  Kohl backed up Lockett with 8 points for the Indians.

BOLIVAR CARDINALS - 38

Warren Klink F 6-1-13
Keene Lebold F 3-2-8
Russ Ross C 4-2-10
Jim Augsburger G 0-3-3
Bill Zutavern G 1-2-4
Paul Lab G 0-0-0

GNADENHUTTEN INDIANS - 33

Bill Lockett F 7-3-17
Bill Martin F 2-0-4
Ralph Long F 0-0-0
Ken Kohl C 3-2-8
George Schupp F 2-0-4
Chuck Glauser F 0-0-0
Bill Kilchenman F 0-0-0


Monday, March 15, 1943
Clyde Shaffer, Sports Writer
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

REGIONAL TOURNAMENT FRIDAY 3-19-43

Bolivar Cardinals vs Kent State University High School Blue Devils
Hartville vs Waynesburg

ALL-DISTRICT TEAMS

1ST TEAM

FORWARD - Warren Klink (Bolivar Cardinals)
FORWARD - Bill Lockett (Gnadenhutten Indians)
CENTER - Russ Ross (Bolivar Cardinals)
GUARD - Ken Kohl (Gnadenhutten Indians)
GUARD - Dick Hupp (Hopewell Blue Tornadoes)

2ND TEAM

FORWARD - Bill Martin (Gnadenhutten Indians)
FORWARD - Keene Lebold (Bolivar Cardinals)
CENTER - Miller (Quaker City)
GUARD - Jim Augsberger (Bolivar Cardinals)
GUARD - Cooperrider (Hopewell Blue Tornadoes)

43 - Bolivar Drops Hopewell 32-26 (3-12-43)

Bolivar Cardinals Senior Forward Warren Klink poured in 19 points gathering game honors and leading the Cardinals to a win over the Hopewell Tornadoes 32-26.  Warren has amassed 104 points in 6 contests of tournament play for an average of 17.3 points per game.


DENNISON - An all Tuscarawas County final for the Eastern Ohio District Basketball Tournament will come off at Dennison tonight, the 1st such event since 1939 when the Dennison Railroaders and Strasburg Tigers squared-off with the Railroaders winning going away 47-34.  Head Coach John Major's Bolivar Cardinals (5-1) (16-9) ousted the Hopewell Tornadoes of Muskingum County 32-26 before a crowd of nearly 1,200 at Dennison's High School Gym in a semi-final game.  Bolivar had a bit of difficulty with a smooth-working Hopewell combination that fought to the bitter end against a Cardinal quintet that was far from the top condition it showed in the county tournament.

Coach Major's Red Birds from Bolivar placed their usual dependence on Senior forward ace Warren Klink and center Russ Ross, but it remained for guard Jim Augsberger, punching in 3 buckets in the 3rd quarter, to furnish the spark when most needed for the Cardinals to down the Muskingum County combine.  Klink cameout with 19 points (6 field goals and 7 free throws), for individual honors and Augsberger's 3rd period push netted him 8 markers.  Forward Dick Hupp paced Hopewell with 12 points (6 field goals).

Bolivar led 9-7, 14-11 and 22-18 at the period ends as the flatfooted Hopewell offense fell apart at the seams against the Cardinal zone defense and the Blue Tornadoes dropped out of the race in the last 4 minutes when Bolivar forged ahead to a 28-26 lead.  Four times in those last 4 minutes Hopewell elected to take the ball instead of a free throw, but every time the effort proved futile and the Tornadoes went scoreless through the last half of the final quarter.

BOLIVAR CARDINALS - 32

Warren Klink F 6-7-19
Keene Lebold F 1-1-3
Russ Ross C 1-0-2
Bill Zutavern G 0-0-0
Jim Augsberger G 4-0-8
Paul Lab G 0-0-0
Homer Class F 0-0-0

HOPEWELL TORNADOES - 26

Dick Hupp F 6-0-12
Hursey F 2-1-5
Binckley C 1-3-5
Kreager G 1-0-2
Cooperrider G 1-0-2
Caughenbaugh G 0-0-0
Brownfield G 0-0-0


Saturday, March 13, 1943
Clyde Shaffer, Sports Writer
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

DISTRICT SATURDAY 3-13-43

Bolivar vs Gnaden 7:30PM

NOTE:  This is the 1st mention of a Regional Tournament.  While the winner of tonight's Class B will not be known where it competes in the Regional Tournament until after a draw with the winner of the Steubenville Class B meet, one of the two Class B winners will go to Kent and the other to Athens, but the 2 winners will have to draw for the place, according to Harold Meyer, Manager of the Dennison event.

43 - Gnaden Slams Quaker City 61-30 (3-11-43)

Gnadenhutten Indians Senior Forward Bill Lockett who gained game honors by spliting the hoops for 25 points (11 field Goals and 3 free throws) leading the Indians to an eye-popping 61-30 smashing of the Quaker City Panthers.  Bill has 82 points in 6 tournament games for an average of 13.7 points per game.


DENNISON - Paired with the Dover Class A team on a program that attracted nearly 1,300 fans...1,195 of them cash customers, Head Coach Ralph W. "Blonde" Gartrell's Gnadenhutten Indians (6-0) (20-4) came through with an easy 61-30 triumph over the Quaker City Panthers of Guernsey County to give Tuscarawas County at least 2 teams in the finals tomorrow night.

Coach Gartrell's Gnaden club ran red hot and sizzled from one end of the court to the other against the inadequate Quaker City crew.  Although held to a 9-6 advantage in the 1st quarter, the Indians really poured it on the Panthers the rest of the way home.  They outscored them 19 to 7 in the 2nd period, 17 to 6 in the 3rd stanza and then 16 to 11 in the final as the Gnadenhutten regulars went to the bench to make way for a full string of reserves.

Senior forward Bill Lockett showed the way for the Indians, potting the basket with uncanny skill from all angles, but particularly from the corners.  His 25 points tied the tournament's scoring mark set in the opening round by Coshocton's Class A team member Decon Gross.  Senior center Ralph Long and Sophomore forward Bill Martin followed up Lockett's performance with 12 points each of their own.  Quaker City's guard Rigel found 10 points to lead his team in a losing cause.

GNADENHUTTEN INDIANS - 61

Bill Lockett F 11-3-25
Bill Martin F 6-0-12
Ralph Long C 4-4-12
Ken Kohl G 2-1-5
George Schupp G 1-0-2
Ray Huebner F 1-0-2
Bill Kilchenman G 1-0-2
Chuck Glauser C 0-1-1
Bill Long G 0-0-0
Walter Gutenson F 0-0-0

QUAKER CITY PANTHERS - 30

Carpenter F 0-0-0
Stubbs F 3-0-6
Miller C 3-2-8
Betta G 0-0-0
Rigel G 5-0-10
Bates C 1-1-3
Johnson F 0-1-1
Steele G 1-0-2


Friday, March 12, 1943
Clyde Shaffer, Sports Writer
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

DISTRICT SCHEDULE FRIDAY 3-12-43

Bolivar vs Hopwell 7:30PM

43 - Bolivar and Gnaden Qualify For District Tournament

DOVER - The Gnadenhutten Indians (5-0) (19-4) and Bolivar Cardinals (4-1) (15-9), Champion and runner-up of Tuscarawas County's 21st Annual Class B Basketball Tournament, will carry the banner of the county and the Northern Section of the Eastern Ohio District into the District basketball finals at Dennison come the weekend.

Upholding the traditions of the Tuscarawas County Class B Basketball League, the 2 combinations qualified for the District Tournament event in the finals of a Sectional Tournament at Memorial Hall on Saturday night.  Gnaden's Redskins, coached by Ken "Blondie" Gartrell, defeated the Walnut Creekers and its fabulous center Dick Hamsher 46-43 in a high class thriller and Bolivar triumphed over the Dennison Railroaders 30-26.

Dover High School Faculty Manager, Wayne J. Fisher, who subbed for Head Coach Dutch Furbay in direction of the tournament, reported a crowd of a thousand at the finals.

While Bolivar built up a narrow lead over Head Coach Meyer's Railroaders in the 1st three quarters and then clung to it in the stretch drive, while the Gnadenhutten Indians had to stage a last-minute uprising to wrench a victory from the hands of the Cardinals of Walnut Creek.

In 1942, the Gnadenhutten Indians were the District Champions.   The District Tournament began in 1929.

Monday, Mardch 8, 1943
Bill Wendling, Sports Writer
Dover, Ohio

43 - Gnaden Beats A Tough Walnut Creek Squad 46-43 (3-6-43)

Gnadenhutten High School Indians 2nd-Year Head Coach Ralph W. "Blondie" Gartrell

Gnadenhutten Indians Sophomore Forward Bill Martin heats up the hoops for 15 points sharing game honors with Walnut Creeks' Rick Hamsher, while leading the Indians to victory over the Cardinals 46-43.  Martin has collected 48 markers in this year's tournament play.  He is averaging 9.6 points per game.


DOVER - Head Coach Gartrell's Gnadenhutten Indians (5-0) (19-4) held a 33-29 lead over the Walnut Creek Cardinals at the end of the 3rd quarter and quickly expanded it to 39-31 before the Cardinals rallied and in the 1st 4 minutes cut the Red's lead in half with Gnaden still leading 41-37 when the automatic time-out was called.

But even the rest didn't cool the Creekers and then went back to work.  Although they missed 4 straight free throws, they lhit the hoop 3 times from action and took a 43-41 lead with less than 3 minutes to play.  An action shot by Gnadenhutten's Junior guard George Schupp from the edge of the foul circle tied the score at 43 with only one minute remaining.

There one of the Redskin's season-long heroes, Captain Senior forward Bill Lockett, stepped into the breach and tallied a bucket from close under the hoop.  He was fouled in the effort by forward W. Gerber of Walnut Creek and sank the free toss to give his team the final winning points.

Although less than a minute remained, the Cardinals made a frantic bid to catch their foes and missed numerous shots under the hoop and 2 from the free throw line given when Senior forward Chuck Glauser of Gnaden committed 2 consecutive violations.

Center Captain Rick Hamsher of the losers was held to 15 points and shared individual scoring honors with Sophomore forward Bill Martin of Gnaden.  W. Gerber of Walnut Creek contributed 13 points to his team's total and Senior center Ralph Long potted 12 for the Indians.

Gnadenhutten goes to DISTRICT!

GNADENHUTTEN INDIANS - 46

Bill Lockett F 3-1-7
Bill Martin F 6-3-15
Ralph Long C 5-2-12
Ken Kohl G 3-0-6
George Schupp G 3-0-6
Bill Kilchenman F 0-0-0
Chuck Glauser F 0-0-0

WALNUT CREEK CARDINALS - 43

W. Gerber F 6-1-13
John Gerber F 1-1-3
Rick Hamsher C 6-3-15
Harry Gerber G 2-1-5
Virgil Troyer G 1-1-3
L. Mast G 1-0-2
Bob Shrock F 1-0-2


Monday, March 8, 1943
Bill Wendling, Sports Writer
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

DISTRICT THURSDAY 3-11-43

Gnaden vs Quaker City Panthers 7:30PM

43 - Bolivar Sends Dennison Home 30-26 (3-6-43)

DOVER - The Bolivar Cardinals (4-1) (15-9), whose victory over the Dennison Railroaders 30-26, marked the 2nd time this season that Head Coach John Major's Red Birds have bested the Railroaders.

Dennison took a one-point, 7-6 lead in the opening quarter, but Bolivar came back and outscored the Dennisonians in the 2 middle quarters to build up the lead that carried the Cardinals to their victory.  Bolivar outscored Dennison 7 to 4 in the 2nd chukker and stepped out front 13-11 at the halftime intermission and was never again headed; although, Dennison's stubborn fight prevented the Cardinals from opening a safe gap in the score.

The Railroaders' real triumph was in turning back Bolivar's Captain Senior Warren Klink, who went back to his forward position for this game, with only 8 points.  The Cardinal star, who has averaged almost twice that number all season, was turned back with only 2 field goals and 4 free throws and finished 3rd in the individual scoring race.  Top honors went to Dennison's Fair who collected 4 field goals and 4 free throws for 12 points.  Center Russ Ross of Bolivar and guard Morgan of Dennison tied for runner-up honors with 9 each.

H. W. Staley of Coshocton and Harold Johnson of Orrville, who referred all games in the tournament, banished only 2 players on personal fouls, forward Wanoski and center Weber, both of Dennison.  Each teammissed 6 free throws.

Bolivar goes to DISTRICT.

BOLIVAR CARDINALS - 30

Warren Klink F 2-4-8
Keene Lebold F 2-0-4
Russ Ross C 3-3-9
Bill Zutavern G 3-1-7
Jim Augsberger G 0-2-2

DENNISON RAILROADERS - 26

Fair F 4-4-12
Wanosik F 0-1-1
Weber C 1-0-2
Hostetler G 1-0-2
Morgan G 4-1-9
Hargraves C 0-0-0
Downey G 0-0-0
Marley F 0-0-0


Monday, March 8, 1943
Bill Wendling, Sports Writer
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

43 - Friday Nights Sectional Wrap-up

DOVER - Tuscarawas County is assured of at least one place in the Eastern Ohio District Class B Basketball finals at Dennison next week and might easily grab both allotted to the Sectional meeting here as a result of play at Memorial Hall last night when both county entries came through with flying colors.

Head Coach John Major's Bolivar Cardinals eliminated the August Blue Devils of Carroll County 54-23, while Gnadenhutten Indians took out the Berlin Blue Jays of Holmes County 42-35 and Walnut Creek Cardinals toppled the Millersburg Knights 43-37 before a crowd of more than a thousand fans in the Sectional's opening program last night.

Bolivar started slow against Augusta and then worked up to a high-geared attack in the 3rd quarter to snow their foes under a rugged 16-point attack.  Head Coach Ken "Blondie" Gartrell's Indians triumphed in a bitter battle with Berlin and Walnut Creek simply put Rick Hamsher at the point of a flying wedge and outraced Millersburg's Spartans who had defeated the Creekers earlier in the season.


Saturday, March 6, 1943
Bill Wendling, Sports Writer
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

TONIGHT'S SECTIONAL SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 1943

Dennison Railroaders vs Bolivar 8PM
Gnaden vs Walnut Creek Cardinals 9PM
(Winners go to the Eastern Ohio District Tournament)

43 - Gnaden Sinks Berlin 42-35 (3-5-430

Gnadenhutten Indians Senior Forward Bill Lockett poured in 16 points for game honors while leading the Indians to a 42-35 win over the Berlin Blue Jays.  Lockett has locked up 50 points in 4 tournament games for an average of 10 points per game.

DOVER - The Gnadenhutten Indians (4-0) (18-4) found the Berlin Blue Jays an exceptionally tough opponent in the 1st two quarters of play and had to fight uphill in the 2nd period to come out with a 17-all tie at halftime intermission.  The Blue Jays, led by J. and R. Miller, took an 11-9 lead in the 1st period, but the Redskins, with Senior forward Bill Lockett leading the way with a pair of field goals, fought their way back to the deadlock.

After intermission, Senior center Ralph Long stepped into the breach and potted 8 points (3 field goals and a trio of free throws...to spark Gnaden to a 16-6 advantage in the scoring and a 33-23 lead at the start of the final period.  Berlin; meanwhile, was shut off with 6 points, 3 field goals by R. Miller and had great difficulty in coping with the Indian attack.

The Blue Jays recovered in the opening minutes of the 4th period and in the 1st four minutes tied the score at 33-33, holding Gnadenhutten scoreless.  But there the Redskins surged ahead 38-33 and then 40-35 before slipping under the wire 42-35.

Long's 8 points in the 3rd chukker gave him a total of 9 for the game, but Lockett came up with 7 field goals and a pair of free throws for 16, while their teammate Senior guard Ken Kohl scored 10 points.  All of Berlin's team points were scored by Miller.  Every team member with the last name of Miller scored in this game.  Forward R. Miller and center J. Miller hit the hoops for 12 points each to lead the Blue Jays in scoring.

GNADENHUTTEN INDIANS - 42

Bill Lockett F 7-2-16
Bill Martin F 2-1-5
Ralph Long C 3-3-9
Ken Kohl G 4-2-10
George Schupp G 1-0-2
Ray Huebner G 0-0-0
Chuck Glauser G 0-0-0
H. Long F 0-0-0

BERLIN BLUE JAYS - 35

Aling F 0-0-0
R. Miller F 6-0-12
J. Miller C 6-0-12
O. Miller G 4-0-8
L. Miller G 1-1-3
D. Stutzman C 0-0-0


Saturday, March 6, 1943
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio