44 - The Week's Wash

DOVER - Those of us who saw it, are still wondering how it happened...that upset of the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates by the Philo Electrics at Zanesville last Friday night.  To be very brutally Frank, we don't believe Philo belongs in the same gymnasium with the Pirates...but still the Electrics won.  And on top of that they went right back on Saturday night and beat the West Lafayette Generals which was rated on even terms with Sugarcreek-Shanesville.

After trying to analyze the trouble and talking to Head Coach Earl Sundheimer, one thing stuck out more than any other:  The Pirates were over-cautious in their play and because of their cautiousness in trying to avoid personal fouls passed up opportunities, not only to score themselves, but also to stop Philo baskets.  This was particularly true under the Philo bucket where the Pirates went the long way around to avoid fouling.

Part of the trouble might have been caused by a bit of misunderstanding and mixup in the official score book which caused 3 personal fouls to be assessed against the Buc Star, Gene Mast, in the 1st half.  The foul was the 1st called in the game and the officials very definitely called it on No. 6 signaling the number with their fingers and calling it out.  The foul; nevertheless, was charged to Mast.  Five sports writers unanimously charged the personal foul to Warren Craigo, who was No. 6.  Mast's number was 9.

Some place along the line Coach Sundheimer found out about the foul being charged to Mast and called for an understanding.  The official asked Al Hartman of Dover,one of the referees, about the foul and Hartman immediately declared it called on Craigo.  Philo beefed, but the foul was changed.  That put things back in order except for the fact that it probably left the Pirates a little upset and perhaps too foul-conscious.  The press club, hastily organized in the corridor between halves and smokes, finally decided that Mast committed the foul, but that the official charged it to Craigo and that the scorekeeper was trying to correct the officials.

Another thing that didn't help the Pirates, but of course it may have been a handicap to Philo; although, not as much because they played their county tournament there, was the terrible baskets and bankboards.  The baskets are so loose they rattle and the whole bankboard sways.  It does a ball player no good to shoot a "dead" ball and expect to get a "break" from the bounces, because when the ball hits the ring, it knocks it away from the place where the ball comes down...and a very small fraction of an inch is the difference between whether the ball falls inside or outside.  And this season they've been playing that the ball has to go inside.

A couple of other things worth noting about the Zanesville meet:  Practically all of Sugarcreek-Shanesville and most of Walnut Creek were on hand for the games and many planned to stay over.  But if they did, they turned in a good job of disappearing.  Only the official high school parties were around the hotel Saturday morning.  Virgil Harris, the Philo boy who threw 6 straight baskets from the middle of the floor...a thing that didn't help the Pirates much...wore spectacles during the game for the 1st time in his career.  They seemed to do him some good, too.  He hasn't missed yet.

Big Bill Shurtz, the West Lafayette center, is almost everything claimed for him by his No. 1 tub thumper...Howdy House of the Coshocton Tribune.  Against Walnut Creek on Friday Shurtz showed almost everything; he's big, about 6-3, lightning fast, a good shot, a great team man and playmaker and knows how to tap the ball around the basket, a trick almost unknown in the Class B ranks.  Bill's biggest weakness was on rebounds.  The Cardinals did a mighty big job under the hoops, but Shurtz still tipped in about 3.  Other than Bill's play, West Lafayette looked like "just another ball club;" one that the Pirates shouldn't have had too much trouble getting past...if they had just reached them.

Defeat at the hands of Philo last Friday night was the 1st ever suffered in high school basketball by Bob Lanzer, Ernie Raber and Junior Miller of the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates.  They were members of a Reserve Team that won 16 straight last season and their varsity was unbeaten until Philo.


Tuesday, March 14, 1944
Clyde Shaffer, Sports Editor
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

NOTE:  On Wednesday, March 22, 1944, 2 members of the Sugarcreek-Shanesville High School's basketball team received Honorable Mention in the Annual Associated Press All-Ohio Class B cage selections.  The two are center Robert Lanzer and forward Gene Mast.

NOTE:  MCMASTERS RESIGNS AT BOLIVAR - Woodie McMasters, former Unrichsville High School athlete who coached the Bolivar High School Cardinals during the past basketball season, has resigned his post to go to the West Coast, Supt. Karl Muster announced.  Since Bolivar has only intramural softball as a spring sports program, McMasters' place will not be filled for the remainder of this term and a successor will be sought to take over next fall at the beginningof the new term,
Muster said.  Bolivar's Cardinals, Eastern Ohio District Champions a year ago, had only a mediocre season this year.

Members of the Mineral City graduating class, for which Commencement exercises will be held on May 19th are, FRONT:  Maxine Martin - Annie Marie Houze - Caroline Houston - Melva Jean Steinbaugh and Marie Albert Reed.  MIDDLE:  Shirley Johnson - Donna Jean Knotts - Patricia Hoover and Betty Pealy.  BACK:  Donna Blasenhauer - James Johnson - Isabelle Collins and Ruth Dillon.  James Johnson, the only boy in the class, who is pictured above, left May 2nd for service in the Army Air Corps.  Baccalaureate services will be held May 14th.

44 - Oh! Oh! Electrics Shock The Pirates! 32-30 (3-10-44)

Philo Electrics 1944 Basketball Team.  FRONT:  Forest Cale - Bob Kilpatrick - Captain Bob Clapper - Dallas Cale and Virgil Harris.  BACK:  Manager Jim Corder - Bob Ryan - Ike Sheppard - Jim Dickson - Russel Swingle - Warence Fye - Manager Gene Arnold and Head Coach Sam Hatfield.


ZANESVILLE - The long reign of Northern Division teams over the Eastern District Class B Basketball ranks came to a sudden end here last night when the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates and Walnut Creek Cardinals were both eliminated from District Tournament play.  The magnificent 26-game winning streak of Head Coach Earl Sundheimer's Sugarcreek-Shanesville cagers was snapped by an upsetting crew of Electrics from Philo by a 32-30 score, while Walnut Creek bowed out to a superior West Lafayette Generals combination 40-29.

Nearly 2,000 fans crowded Zanesville's City Auditorium for the games and filled the hall with a roar that continued for 5 minutes after the timer's buzzer sounded the death knell for the undefeated Pirates.  And so tonight a team from the Southern Division will be crowned Champion of the District for the 1st time since 1934 when Chandlersville won the bunting.  New Matamoras from the Steubenville Section won in 1935 and Dennison and Amsterdam in 1936 when the tournament was split and from then on it has been a steady stream of Tuscarawas combinations.

The Electrics and the Generals will play their title game tonight at 8:30PM.

A combination of several things brought about the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (5-1) (26-1) downfall before a team not near so well versed in basketball, but blessed with great height and an intense competitive spirit.  To start with, the Bucs were not up to their usual par.  They appeared lethargic at crucial times, a trait that they haven't displayed all season.

The Philo Electrics' great height in center Forrest Cale, 6-foot 4-inches and his brother guard Dallas Cale, 6-foot 3-inches, put the shorter Creekers' combine in a bad hole at the outset.  Another thing was the fact that while the Pirates were unable to make their shots stick time after time they dipped in and then came back out.  The Philos took the blankets off a lad by the name of Virgil Harris, a forward  who pitched 6 straight field goals from the middle of the floor without a miss.

The Pirates started out in good fashion and fought their way to a 13-8 advantage in the opening period with Senior forward Warren Craigo clipping 5 points and Captain Gene Mast, a forward, boosting in 6 points with 3 field goals.  Guard Ernie Raber contributed the other Pirate field goal.  Philo was held to single baskets by Harris, guard Captain Bob Clapper and the Cale brothers during the period.

In the 2nd quarter the Tuscarawas County cagers opened the gap to 8 points outscoring the Electrics 7 to 4 with Mast and Raber scoring baskets and Junior center Bob Lanzer hitting a field goal and a free throw.  Clapper scored all of Philo's points.  The Muskingum County Champions stasrted to fight their way backinto the ball game in the 3rd stanza when the Pirates started to miss.  Harris fired 3 times and 3 times the ball went through the hoop for his team's entire 6 points in the period.

In the meantime Sugarcreek-Shanesville was collecting only 3 markers, a field goal by Mast and a free throw by Craigo, thus as they entered the final quarter Philo was still trailing 23-18, but coming up fast, while lthe Pirates were fading.  Craigo hit twice more from action and Mast hit once from the field and once from the free throw line for all the points the Bucs could muster.  Philo doubled that 7 count with Hasrris hitting 2 more long ones, Forrest Cale popping 2 through and Clapper getting another pair.

Philo moved up to 25-24 and then went ahead 26-25 with 4 minutes to play.  Mast dropped one from the side to regain the advantage for the Bucs, but an instant later Forrest Cale hit one from under the hoop and the victors had a lead they did not again lose.  Mast led the scoring with 13 points for the Pirates, while Harris' 6 field goals brought him in 1st for Philo.  Craigo had 10 for the Pirates tying Clapper of Philo.

PHILO ELECTRICS - 32

Virgel Harris F 6-0-12
Bob Kilpatrick F 0-1-1
Forrest Cale C 3-0-6
Bob Clapper G 4-2-10
Dallas Cale G 1-1-3
Bob Ryan F 0-0-0

SUGARCREEK-SHANESVILLE PIRATES - 30

Warren Craigo F 4-2-10
Gene Mast F 6-1-13
Bob Lanzer C 1-1-3
Junior Miller G 0-0-0
Ernie Raber G 2-0-4
Bill Neff F 0-0-0


Saturday, March 11, 1944
Clyde Shaffer, Sports Writer
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

West Lafayette Generals 1944 Basketball Team.  FRONT:  Jack Botimer - Dick Miller - Bill Shurtz - Don Shaw and Don McCleary.  BACK:  Manager Carpenter - Bob Crouso - Linday Van Dusen - Bob Householder - Al Huff - Bill Trenor and Head Coach W.C. McKee.

NOTE: Philo went on to win the District Title with a 33-28 win over the West Lafayette Generals.  The Electrics' last contest was in the State semi-finals game where they lost to Akron Ellet 47-37.  Philo's Little guard Virgil Harris had 21 points in that game.  Akron then went on to win the State Championship contest 49-39 against Worthington.

44 - Midvale No Match For Sugarcreek-Shanesville In 42-24 Loss To The Pirates (3-4-44)

DOVER - The prestige and chances of the Northern Division of the Eastern Ohio District to produce another Class B Basketball Champion will be carried into the District finals at Zanesville Friday and Saturday by the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates and the Walnut Creek Cardinals, victors in Sectional finals at Memorial Hall on Saturday night.

The Pirates, undefeated in 26 starts this season, vanquished the Midvale Blue Devils 42-24, while the Cardinals of Walnut Creek, whose only losses have been to the Pirates, eliminated the Dennison Railroaders 34-31.  The games were staged before a crowd of nearly 1,500 of whom 1,020 were paid admissions.

Head Coach Earl Sundheimer's Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (5-0) (26-0) Saturday night took the Midvale Blue Devils (5-2) out by easy stages, working up an 11-7 advantage in the 1st quarter and never relinquishing the lead.  The Pirates took an 11-0 edge before the Blue Devils scored, but then went scoreless the remainder of the stanza.  Each team scored 9 points in the 2nd period, but in the next 2 sessions Sugarcreek-Shanesville demonstrated their superiority by taking 12 to 5 and 10 to 3 advantages in the scoring there.

Junior center Bob Lanzer set the scoring pace for the Pirates with 11 points, tallied on 5 field goals and a free throw, but Midvale's Junior center Gene Hawkins copped individual honors with 14 points (5 field goals and 4 free tosses).  Forward Gene Mast and guard Ernie Raber scored 9 and 8 points, respectively, for the Blue Devils. 

Sugarcreek-Shanesville and Walnut Creek head to Zanesville for this year's District Tournament.

SUGARCREEK-SHANESVILLE PIRATES - 42

Gene Mast F 4-1-9
Warren Craigo F 2-2-6
Ernie Raber G 3-2-8
Bob Lanzer C 5-1-11
Junior Miller G 2-2-6
Bill Neff G 1-0-2
Bill Doll G 0-0-0

MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS - 24

Jack Rennicker F 2-0-4
Gil Bartles F 1-0-2
Sam Booth G 1-0-2
Gene Hawkins C 5-4-14
Dave Stevenson G 0-0-0
Jim Morgan G 0-3-3


Monday, March 6, 1944
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

NOTE:  The only Class B Ohio teams to remain undefeated at this point are Sugarcreek-Shanesville and Ashville.

DISTRICT TOURNAMENT AT ZANESVILLE FRIDAY 3-10-44

Sugarcreek-Shanesville (26-0) vs Philo Electrics (23-2)
Walnut Creek (20-2) vs West Lafayette (27-1)

NOTE:  CLASS B TOURNAMENT HERE BIGGEST IN THE STATE.  Tuscarawas County's 22nd Annual Class B Cage Tournament, held at Dover Memorial Hall last month, was the biggest county tournament held in the State this year.  H.R. Townsend, Commissioner for the Ohio High School Athletic Association advised Tournament Manager W.E. Laws here today.

In his final report submitted to Mr. Townsend, Laws revealed that the local joust attracted 6,895 customers who paid admission totaling $2,894.15 at the 6 sessions.  The record breaking "gate" resulted ijn distributionof bonuses of $195 to each of the 11 competing schools.  The State Athletic Association reveives only $35.00.

Expenses of the tournament totaled $794.81 nearly half of which represented federal and state taxes.  The previous attendance record was 5,856 in 1941 and the previous receipt record was established in 1942 when $1,952.55 was taken in.

Attendance at the 6 sessions this year, in the order they were played, was:  1173, 887, 1153, 1510, 441 and 1,728. (TDR Tuesday, March 7, 1944)

44 - Midvale Sends Magnolia Home 44-34 In A Tight Game (3-3-44)

Midvale Blue Devils looking forward to  their 1st Sectional Tournament contest.  BACK:   Baumholtz, B. Hensel - Melvin Davis - W. Beahon - Jim Morgan and Manager Duane Smith  FRONT:  Sam Booth - Dave Stevenson - Gene Hawkins - Jack Rennicker - Gil Bartles and Head Coach Travis U. White.


Three of the 4 teams in the final 2 games of the Sectional Class B Basketball Tournament at Memorial Hall tonight will carry the colors of Tuscarawas County as a result of semi-finals last night when the 3rd entry was named.  The Dennison Railroaders and Midvale Blue Devils gained the playoffs last night, each scoring a 10-point victory, the Railroaders over the Dover St. Joseph Ramblers and the Blue Devils over the Masgnolia Panthers.  Dennison won 37-27 and Midvale triumphed 44-34.

Both games were won in the final quarter after nip-and-tuck battles staged before a crowd that included 646 cash customers.  Midvale's last-period margin over Magnolia was 19 to 8 after the Magnolia Club led 26-25 at the start of the stretch drive.  Behind the all-star shooting of Junior center Gene Hawkins, who banged in 5 field goals in the final chukker...the Blue Devils romped home with their triumph.

They had led 7-4 at the 1st quarter, but trailed 18-14 at intermission and then gained equal footing in the 3rd stanza with Hawkins sitting on the bench.  He was benched by Head Coach Travis White after drawing his 3rd personal foul near the end of the half and kept there until the start of the final quarter.

Once back in the game he sparked the Blue Devils to a 36-26 lead before Magnolia found pay dirt and then continued to lead his team to a saw-off the remainder of the way home.  Hawkins came out of the encounter with 17 points (8 field goals and a free throw).  Forward T. Crowe and center Houze led Magnolia with 10 points apiece.  Midvale ace, forward Jack Rennicker followed up Hawkins with 13 points.

MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS - 44

Jack Rennicker F 6-1-13
Gil Bartles F 3-0-6
Gene Hawkins C 8-1-17
Sam Booth G 3-1-7
Dave Stevenson G 0-1-1
Jim Morgan G 0-0-0

MAGNOLIA PANTHERS - 34

T. Crowe F 5-0-10
Trushel F 3-2-8
Hamilton C 3-0-6
Houze G 4-2-10
J. Crowe G 0-0-0
Markle G 0-0-0


Saturday, March 4, 1944
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Oho

SECTIONIAL 3-4-44

Dennison vs Walnut Creek 8PM
Sugarcreek-Shanesville vs Midvale 9PM

44 - Sugarcreek-Shanesville Rolls Over Big Prairie 62-31 (3-2-44)

DOVER - Two of the 3 Tuscarawas County Class B high school basketball teams to go to the boards in the Sectional Tournament at Memorial Hall returned victorious last night and will continue in the eliminations, while the 3rd fell by the wayside.  Triumphant were the Dennison Railroaders, 41-30 victors over the Millersburg Knights and the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates, easy winners over Holmes County's Big Prairie Bulldogs by a 62-31 count.  The lone loser was the Tuscarawas Broncos, runner-up for the county tournament title, which fell before the Walnut Creek Cardinals by a 54-33 score.

With 1,013 cash customers in the stands, the county entrants more than held their own, but Walnut Creek loomed as a definate threat to anything the entire district can offer.  This despite their 2 regular season losses to Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates.

Eleventh-Year Head Coach Earl Sundheimer's Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (4-0) (25-0) rolled over the Big Prairie Bulldogs with ease, outscoring their foes 10 to 6, 15 to 6, 22 to 7 and 15 to 12 in the 4 quarters as they coasted under the wire.  In addition to the 18 points Senior forward Warren Craigo chalked up, forward Gene Mast nitched 13 points through the hoops, guard Ernie Raber 12, guard Junior Miller 10 and Junior center Bob Lanzer 8, before Sundheimer sent 3 substitutes into the fray in the final stanza.  Big Prairie's guard Jacobs pushed through 12 points, while forward Schmidt followed up with 10 points.

Referees Dave Long of Uhrichsville and Dana Whitmire of Newcomerstown whistled down  Dennison and Millersburg 37 times to assess personal fouls and 6 members of the 2 teams were banished.

SUGARCREEK-SHANESVILLE PIRATES - 62

Gene Mast F 6-1-13
Warren Craigo F 9-0-18
Bob Lanzer C 3-2-8
Ernie Raber G 6-0-12
Junior Miller G 4-2-10
Bill Neff C 0-0-0
Bill Doll G 0-0-0
Doyle Schumaker F 0-1-1

BIG PRAIRIE BULLDOGS - 31

Miller F 1-1-3
Schmidt F 5-0-10
Lee C 1-1-3
Jacobs G 6-0-12
Wachtel G 1-1-3
Batterraley F 0-0-0


Friday, March 3, 1944
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

SECTIONAL TOURNAMENT 3-3-44

Magnolia vs Midvale 8PM
Dennison vs Dover St. Joseph 9PM

44 - Walnut Creek's Defense Stops Tusky Cold In 4th Quarter for 54-33 Win (3-2-44)

Walnut Creek Cardinals 1944 Basketball Team.  FRONT:  Don Miller - Art Wilhelm - Don Schrock - Harry Gerber - Luther Mast and Manager Truman Hershberger.  BACK:  Coach E.J. Miller - John Gerber - Virgil Troyer - Bob Schock - Clay Hershberger and Rich Hostinberget.

DOVER - Setting a terrific pace from the very outset, the Walnut Creek Cardinals kept the Tuscarawas Broncos (3-2) on the short end at all times after the 1st few minutes of the period in an Eastern Ohio Sectional Tournament game.  During the 1st quarter the winners led the entire way, but by narrow margins and the Broncos succeeded in knotting the count at 14-all in the 2nd chukker before they fell behind never to catch up.

Virgil Troyer, slight-built Cardinals forward, was the bellwether in the scoring department, hitting the hoops with 10 field goals and a free throw for 21 points and individual honors of the evening; although, for the latter honor he barely nosed out his teammate, forward Harry Gerber, who had 19 points on 7 field goals and 5 free tosses.

Walnut Creek gained a 12-10 bulge on Tuscarawas in the opening period and then built their advantage to 26-20 before intermission.  They continued to outscore the county team 19 to 11 and boost their lead to 45-31 in the 3rd quarter.

Tusky's attack fell apart in the 4th period and the Broncos were turned back with a mere 2 points, a field goal by Sophomore forward John Vesco.  The Cardinals meanwhile, were adding 9 more to their total and stalled around through the last few minutes of the game.  Vesco led Tusky in the scoring column with 13 points (5 field goals and 3 free throws) and teammate Junior forward Dick Bonvechio pushed in 8 points (3 field goals and 2 free tosses).

WALNUT CREEK CARDINALS - 54

Virgil Troyer F 10-1-21
Harry Gerber F 7-5-19
Clay Hershberger C 1-2-4
Luther Mast C 1-2-4
Bob Schrock G 4-1-9
Rich Hostinberget G 0-0-0

TUSCARAWAS BRONCOS - 33

John Vesco F 5-3-13
Bob French F 0-0-0
Chuck Lorenz C 1-0-2
John Donahue G 0-1-1
JohnKopp G 0-0-0
Dick Bonvechio F 3-2-8
Bob Minnich G 2-1-5
Dick Shumaker F 2-0-4
Gene Dessecker G 0-0-0


Friday, March 3, 1944
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

44 - 22nd Annual Tuscarawas County Class B Basketball Tournament Stats For 1944

 

 

TOURNAMENT STANDINGS

1.  Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (Earl Sundheimer-11) 3-0 1.000 (TC)
2.  Midvale Blue Devils (Travis White-1) 4-1 .800 (CC)
3.  Tuscarawas Broncos (Jim Rogers-1) 3-1 .750 (TR-U)
4.  Strasburg Tigers (Emmett Riley-1) 3-2 .600 (CR-U)
5.  Baltic Eagles (John M. McCormick-2) 2-2 .500
6.  Dundee Bulldogs (Unknown) 1-2 .333
7.  Port Washington Purple Riders (Unknown) 1-2 .333
8.  Stone Creek Golden Panthers (Gintz-1) 1-2 .333
9.  Bolivar Cardinals (Woodie McMaster-1) 0-2 .000
10. Gnadenhutten Indians (Laird Isenogle-1) 0-2 .000
11. Mineral City (Bill Sattler-1) 0-2 .000

TOURNAMENT SCORES

THURSDAY 2-17-44

Midvale 34 - Baltic 21
Strasburg 47 - Gnaden 27
Tusky 48 - Bolivar 35
Port 36 - Stone Creek 31

FRIDAY 2-18-44

Sugarcreek-Shanesville 77 - Mineral City 24
Midvale 48 - Dundee 26
Baltic 43 - Gnaden 36 (C)

SATURDAY 2-19-44

Stone Creek 36 - Bolivar 32 (C)
Dundee 36 - Mineral City 24 (C)
Tusky 44 - Strasburg 39

THURSDAY 2-24-44

Baltic 39 - Stone Creek 27 (C)
Tusky 36 - Midvale 31
Sugarcreek-Shanesville 49 - Port 31
Strasburg 56 - Dundee 32 (C)

FRIDAY 2-25-44

Midvale 28 - Baltic 23 (C)
Strasburg 54 - Port 49 (C)

SATURDAY 2-26-44

MIDVALE 32 - Strasburg 29 (CC)
SUGARCREEK-SHANESVILLE 37 - Tusky 36 (TC)

STATE TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES

Strasburg Tigers 1928
Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates 1932
Strasburg Tigers 1935
Midvale Blue Devils 1937
Strasburg Tigers 1938
Midvale Blue Devils 1940
Midvale Blue Devils 1941
Gnadenhutten Indians 1942

MOST POINTS IN A SINGLE GAME THIS TOURNAMENT

1.  Max Regula (B) 29
2.  Jack Rennicker (M) 26
3.  Blaine Gilmore (P) 20
4.  Gene Mast (SS) 19
5.  Don Neidenthal (S) 19
6.  Jack Rennicker (M) 19
7.  Bill Martin (G) 18
8.  4 tied with 16

MOST FIELD GOALS IN A SINGLE GAME THIS TOURNAMENT

1.  Max Regula (B) 14
2.  Jack Rennicker (M) 13
3.  Jack Rennicker (M) 9
4.  Blaine Gilmore (P) 9
5.  Don Neidenthal (S) 9
6.  Gene Mast (SS) 9
7.  Bill Martin (G) 8
8.  Don Neidenthal (S) 8
9.  Ernie Raber (SS) 8
10.  3 tied with 7

MOST FREE THROWS IN A SINGLE GAME THIS TOURNAMENT

1.  Fankhauser (D) 5
2.  Fankhauser (D) 4
3.  Bill Martin (G) 4
4.  Clarence Linard (P) 4
5.  Floyd Eiler (B) 3
6.  Gene Hawkins (M) 3
7.  Gene Hawkins (M) 3
8.  Klein (D) 3
9.  Gene Schlarb (B) 3
10. Smith (MC) 3

MOST POINTS IN THIS TOURNAMENT

1.  Jack Rennicker (M) 69
2.  Max Regula (B) 63
3.  Don Neidenthal (S) 60
4.  Dick Bonvechio (T) 54
5.  Gene Hawkins (M) 47
6.  Blaine Gilmore (P) 44
7.  Jack Reiger (S) 44
8.  Gene Mast (SS) 39
9.  Dallas Yackey (SS) 38
10. 2 tied with 35

MOST FIELD GOALS THIS TOURNAMENT

1.  Jack Rennicker (M) 32
2.  Don Neidenthal (S) 27
3.  Dick Bonvechio (T) 25
4.  Jack Reiger (S) 20
5.  Blaine Gilmore (P) 19
6.  Gene Hawkins (M) 19
7.  Gene Mast (SS) 19
8.  Dallas Yackey (S) 18
9.  Ernie Raber (SS) 16
10. Glen Stille (S) 16

MOST FREE THROWS THIS TOURNAMENT

1.  Fankhauser (D) 10
2.  Gene Hawkins (M) 9
3.  Chuck Lorenz (T) 7
4.  Bob Minnich (T) 7
5.  Blaine Gilmore (P) 6
6.  Bill Martin (G) 6
7.  Don Neidenthal (S) 6
8.  8 tied with 5

ALL TOURNAMENTS

1923-1933 - See 1933 Tournament
1934 - Strasburg Tigers (6) (1) - Dundee Bulldogs (0) (2)
1935 - Tuscarawas Broncos (1) (0) - Bolivar Cardinals (1) (2)
1936 - Bolivar Cardinals (2) (2) - Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (2) (3)
1937 - Strasburg Tigers (7) (1) - Tuscarawas Broncos (1) (1)
1938 - Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (3) (3) - Baltic Eagles (0) (1)
1939 - Strasburg Tigers (8) (1) - Midvale Blue Devils (1) (2)
1940 - Midvale Blue Devils (2) (2) - Strasburg Tigers (8) (2)
1941 - Midvale Blue Devils (3) (2) - Dundee Bulldogs (0) (3)
1942 - Gnadenhutten Indians (2) (3) - Tuscarawas Broncos (1) (2)
1943 - Gnadenhutten Indians (3) (3) - Bolivar Cardinals (2) (3)
1944 - Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (4) (3) - Tusky Broncos (1) (3)

CONSOLATION DIVISION TOURNAMENT

1934 - Mineral City Tigers (1) (0) - Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (0) (1)
1935 - Strasburg Tigers (1) (0) - Midvale Blue Devils (0) (1)
1936 - Midvale Blue Devils (1) (1) - Strasburg Tigers (1) (1)
1937 - Midvale Blue Devils (2) (1) - Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (0) (2)
1938 - Strasburg Tigers (2) (1) - Midvale Blue Devils (2) (2)
1939 - Tuscarawas Broncos (1) (0) - Gnadenhutten Indians (0) (1)
1940 - Gnadenhutten Indians (1) (1) - Baltic Eagles (0) (1)
1941 - Gnadenhutten Indians (2) (1) - Strasburg Tigers (2) (2)
1942 - Bolivar Cardinals (1) (0) - Strasburg Tigers (2) (3)
1943 - CANCELED - Due to war rationing
1944 - Midvale Blue Devils (3) (2) - Strasburg Tigers (2) (4)

TOTAL STANDINGS

1.  Strasburg Tigers (1923) 58-17 .773
2.  Midvale Blue Devils (1928) 37-18 .673
3.  Sugarcreek-Shanesville (1924) 38-24 .613
4.  Gnadenhutten Indians (1923) 33-25 .569
5.  Bolivar Cardinals (1923) 34-26 .567
6.  Tuscarawas Broncos (1923) 21-26 .447
7.  Baltic Eagles (1926) 20-30 .400
8.  Dundee Eagles (1923) 17-30 .362
9.  Stone Creek Golden Eagles (1933) 11-22 .333
10. Mineral City Tigers (1923) 9-30 .231
11. Port Washington Purple Riders (1927) 7-28 .200

MOST POINTS IN A SINGLE GAME ALL TOURNAMENTS

1.  Harland Sliffe (SS) (1927) 30
2.  Max Regula (B) (1944) 29
3.  Lester Price (D) (1928) 27
4.  Bill Ridenour (SC) (1943) 27
5.  Paul Class (BC) (1936) 26
6.  Luke Warner (S) (1925) 26
7.  Jack Rennicker (M) (1944) 26
8.  Warren Klink (BC) (1943) 25
9.  Bill Ridenour (SC) (1942) 24
10. 2 tied with 23

MOST FIELD GOALS IN A SINGLE GAME ALL TOURNAMENTS

1.  Warren Klink (BC) (1943) 20
2.  Bill Lockett (G) (1943) 15
3.  Harland Sliffe (SS) (1927) 14
4.  Bill Ridenour (SC) (1943) 14
5.  Max Regula (B) (1944) 14
6.  Luke Warner (S) (1925) 13
7.  Ralph Long (G) (1943) 13
8.  Bill Martin (G) (1943) 13
9.  Jack Rennicker (M) (1944) 13
10. 2 tied with 12

MOST FREE THROWS IN A SINGLE GAME ALL TOURNAMENTS

1.  Warren Klink (BC) (1943) 12
2.  Bill Ridenour (SC) (1943) 12
3.  Lester Veigel (T) (1937) 11*
4.  Paul Class (BC) (1936) 10
5.  Fred Yenny (S) (1940) 9
6.  Carl Yackey (S) (1943) 9
7.  5 tied with 8

TOTAL POINTS

1.  Warren Klink (BC) (1940-41-42-43) 188
2.  Frank Baumholtz (M) (1934-35-36-37) 177
3.  Bill Stevenson (M) (1937-38-39) 143
4.  Paul Class (BC) (1933-34-35-36) 141
5.  John Metzger (G) (1939-40-41-42) 139
6.  John Studer (S) (1931-32-33-34) 130
7.  Bud Ross (BC) (1938-39-40-41) 128
8.  Cliff Moomaw (SS) (1935-36-37) 114
9.  Paul "Pete" Haswell (S) (1935-36-37-38) 110
10. Bill Ridenour (SC) (1941-42-43) 104

TOTAL FIELD GOALS

1.  Warren Klink (BC) (1940-41-42-43) 79
2.  Frank Baumholtz (M) (1934-35-36-37) 61*
3.  Bill Stevenson (M) (1937-38-39) 60
4.  John Metzger (G) (1939-40-41-42) 58
5.  Paul Class (BC) (1933-34-35-36) 55
6.  Bud Ross (BC) (1938-39-40-41) 53
7.  John Studer (S) (1931-32-33-34) 52
8.  Ward Kreis (BC) (1935-36-37) 46*
9.  Cliff Moomaw (SS) (1935-36-37) 46*
10. 2 tied with 45

TOTAL FREE THROWS

1.  Frank Baumholtz (M) (1934-35-36-37) 41*
2.  John Harmon (SS) (1934-35-36-37) 32
3.  Paul Class (BC) (1933-34-35-36) 31
4.  Warren Klink (BC) (1940-41-42-43) 30
5.  John Studer (S) (1931-32-33-34) 26
6.  Ott Haager (D) (1934-35-36-37) 25
7.  Leland Goettge (G) (1936-37-38) 24
8.  Ed Lorenz (SC) (1936-37-38-39) 23*
9.  Bill Stevenson (M) (1937-38-39) 23
10. John Metzger (G) (1937-38-39-40) 23

TEAM HIGH GAME

1.  Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (1944) 77
2.  Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (1927) 61
3.  Bolivar Cardinals (1937) 61
4.  Strasburg Tigers (1933) 60
5.  Strasburg Tigers (1934) 60
6.  Midvale Blue Devils (1940) 60
7.  Stone Creek Golden Panthers (1943) 59
8.  Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (1943) 58
9.  Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (1938) 57
10. 2 tied with 56

1000 CAREER POINT CLUB (League-Non League-All Tournaments)

John Studer (1934) 1, 052

*Missing 1 Game

44 - Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates Wins 22nd Annual Tuscarawas County Class B Basketball Tournament (2-26-44)

Winners of 24 straight games and the Tuscarawas County Class B Basketball Championship are the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates of 11th-Year Head Coach Earl Sundheimer, pictured above.  On the photo are:  BACK:  Doyle Shumaker - Junior Miller - Captain Gene Mast - Bill Doll and Arios Gerber.  MIDDLE:  Warren Craigo - Bill Neff - Ernie Raber - Bob Lanzer and Blair Miller.  FRONT:  Manager Jim Showers and Coach Sundheimer.

Pictured above are Captain Gene Mast of the Pirates (left) and Bob Minnich of the Broncos (right) with County School Supt. W.E. Laws who awarded the trophies.  The Daily Reporter award (on the left) to the Champions and the Sanitary Milk Award to the runner-up.  Midvale carried away the Runner-up Trophy, individual medals went to the members of the Sugarcreek-Shanesville and Tuscarawas teams..  The winners, runners-up and Consolation Division winner advance to the Sectional Tournament.

DOVER - Sugarcreek-Shanesville High School basketballing Pirates extended their winning streak to an even 24 games and bundled up their 1st County Class B Basketball Tournament Championship in 6 years at Memorial Hall Saturday night when they nosed out the Tuscarawas Broncos 37-36.

The Championship game, which brought to a close the county's 22nd Annual Tournament...a record breaking competition in every respect...followed a ConsolationDivision final in which the Midvale Blue Devils won out over the Strasburg Tigers 32-29 to qualify for Sectional Tournament play along with the Pirates and Broncos.  The Sectional opens on Thursday night at Memorial Hall.

One of the greatest finals program ever produced by the tournament in its long history, the 2 games were played before a sell-out, turn-away crowd estimated at more than 2,000 with actual paid admissions totaling 1,662, breaking the record of Thursday night when 1,513 paid to see the semi-finals.  Total figures for the 2 weeks of play reached 6,846 admissions, another new record, breaking the previous mark of 5,846 set in 1941, according to W.E. Laws, Tournament Manager.

As the attendance records were broken, so was the record for hotly contested ball games...and they are legion in the tournament...but the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (3-0) (38-24) (24-0) and the Tuscarawas Broncos (3-1) (21-26) battle which ran right down to the final buzzer before the Championship Crown settled on the heads of the Pirates.  At a gruelling, punishing pace the 2 quintets fought with grimness and inspiration through the entire game with the Pirates barely beating their foes under the wire to chalkup their 4th title and entered the Sectional play for the 7th time.

In conquering Tusky, the Pirates turned back the tournament's most aggressive combination and one that under direction of 1st-Year Head Coach Jim Rogers gave the tournament some of its best basketball and with so much team work that it became almost impossible to single out a star.  The one-point triumph was the narrowest squeak the Bucs have had all season and much of the credit for it goes to Captain Gene Mast, a forward, who stood out as the competition's greatest individual star.  He practically single-handedly clinched the banner for his team Saturday in 2 plays right at the end of the ball game.

The first saw him bob up out of nowhere to grab the ball out of a Tusky player's hands and toss it neatly through the hoop for 2 points.  And the other saw him hurtle through the air almost half way across the gym floor to intercept a Broncos fast-break pass and break up a play for an almost sure basket...one that would have changed the outcome of the game.  His greatest competition came from Junior Dick Bonvechio, Tuscarawas' ace forward, who like Mast, changed the aspect of the game in the final seconds.

After a tight race through the 2nd and 3rd quarters, which had ended with Sugarcreek-Shanesville leading 19-18 and 28-26 the Pirates pulled up to a 30-26 lead, but the Broncos came back and gained a 31-30 edge on baskets by Bonvechio and guard Bob Minnich and a free throw by Junior forward Chuck Lorenz.  Guard Junior Miller tossed a free throw for the Pirates to tie the score and them guard Ernie Raber potted a field goal on a follow-up to give the Pirates a lead they never lost.

They hiked the lead to 35-32 with 2 minutes remaining and 37-32 with one minute to go.  There were only 48 seconds left on the clock when Bonvechio broke loose twice in rapid fire succession and scored a pair of field goals that boosted the Tuscarawas total to 36, just one point behind the Pirates.  He was fouled on the 2nd basket and in the tiniest speck of time in the entire tournament missed the free throw that would have tied the score.

Those baskets were scored and the free throw missed all in 21 seconds and with 27 remaining, the Pirates' Junior Miller was fouled by Tusky's Senior guard John Donahue and took the ball out of bounds, the new Champions stalling away the remaining time.

Mast collected scoring honors for the evening with 19 points, tallied on 9 buckets and a free throw, while Bonvechio came in as runner-up with 14 points (7 field goals).  Tusky's Minnich scored double figures by throwing in 11 points as well.

SUGARCREEK-SHANESVILLE PIRATES - 37

Warren Craigo F 2-1-5
Gene Mast F 9-1-19
Bob Lanzer C 1-2-4
Junior Miller G 0-2-2
Ernie Raber G 3-1-7

TUSCARAWAS BRONCOS - 36

Dick Bonvechio F 7-0-14
Dick Shumaker F 2-1-5
Bob Lorenz C 1-1-3
Bob Minnich G 5-1-11
John Donahue G 0-1-1
John Vesco G 1-0-2
Phil Lahm F 0-0-0


Monday, February 28, 1944
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

NOTE:  Reports come back that Charmis Davis, former Tuscarawas High School cage coach for 15 years and is now in the Army, is coaching a service team in the Southwest that has won 40 straight games...

NOTE:  Jakc Rennicker, Midvale forward tallied 69 points ijn the county Class B cage tournament which closed Saturday night at Memorial Hall to set the pace for all the scorers; although, Baltic's Max Regula hit the highest average.  Rennicker played in 5 games and averaged 13.8 per game, while Regula, who played in only 4, hit 63 points for an average of 15.8.  The figures disregarded Bill Martin of Gnadenhutten who played in only 2 games where he chalked up 34 points.  Don Niedenthal of Strasburg, who also played in 5 games, finished with 64 points behind Rennicker.  Following is the list showing the number of games, field goals, free throws and total:

Jack Rennicker - Midvale Blue Devils 5-32-5-69
Don Neidenthal - Strasburg Tigers 5-29-6-64
Max Regula - Baltic Eagles 4-30-3-63
Dick Bonvechio - Tuscarawas Broncos 5-25-4-54
Gene Hawkins - Midvale Blue Devils 5-20-9-49
Blaine Gilmore - Port Washington Purple Riders 3-19-6-44
Jack Reiger - Strasburg Tigers 5-20-4-44
Gene Mast - Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates 3-19-1-39
Dallas Yackey - Strasburg Tigers 5-18-2-38
Glen Stille - Strasburg Tigers 5-16-3-35
Bill Martin - Gnadenhutten Indians 2-14-6-34
Ernie Raber - Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates 3-15-2-32
Warren Craigo - Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates 3-13-5-32
R. Kugler - Stone Creek Golden Panthers 3-12-4-28
Bob Minnich - Tuscarawas Broncos 4-9-7-25

THE DAILY REPORTER ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1ST TEAM

FORWARD - Dick Bonvechio (Tuscarawas Broncos)
FORWARD - Don Neidenthal (Strasburg Tigers)
CENTER - Bob Lanzer (Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates)
GUARD - Gene Mast (Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates)
GUARD - Max Regula (Baltic Eagles)

2ND TEAM

FORWARD - Jack Rennicker (Midvale Blue Devils)
FORWARD - Bill Martin (Gnadenhutten Indians)
CENTER - Bob Minnich (Tuscarawas Broncos)
GUARD - R. Kugler (Stone Creek Golden Panthers)
GUARD - Ernie Raber (Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates)

3RD TEAM

FORWARD - Warren Craigo (Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates)
FORWARD - Glen Stille (Strasburg Tigers)
CENTER - Gene Hawkins (Midvale Blue Devils)
GUARD - Blaine Gilmore (Port Washington Purple Riders)
GUARD - Junior Miller (Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates)

NOTE:  The 9 teams taking part in the Class B Sectional Tournament opening at Memorial Hall on Thursday night, will draw for opponents at a meeting at Dover High School tonight at 7:30PM.  Head Coach Dutch Furbay of Dover High School, Manager of the Tournament, will be in charge.

The 9 teams are:

Big Prairie Bulldogs of Holmes County
Dennison Railroaders of Tuscarawas County
Dover St. Joseph Ramblers of Tuscarawas County
Magnolia Panthers of Carroll County
Midvale Blue Devils of Tuscarawas County
Millersburg Knights of Holmes County
Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates of Tuscarawas County
Tuscarawas Broncos of Tuscarawas County
Walnut Creek Cardinals of Holmes County

The teams surviving the tournament will be qualified for the District Tournament finals at Zanesville from where the one winner will advance to the Regional Tournament at Logan.

SECTIONAL TOURNAMENT 3-2-44

Dennison vs Millersburg 7PM
Tusky vs Walnut Creek 8PM
Sugarcreek-Shanesville vs Big Prairie 9PM

SECTIONAL TOURNAMET 3-3-44

Magnolia Panthers vs Midvale Blue Devils 8PM

44 - Midvale Blue Devils Win 10th Annual Consolation Division Tournament Championship (2-26-44)

DOVER - The Midvale Blue Devils (4-1) (37-18), whose only loss was to the Tuscarawas Broncos 36-31, and their 32-29 win over the Strasburg Tigers (3-2) (58-17) marked the 2nd time in the tournament that the Tigers of Head Coach Emmet Riley was upset, playing in another dog-eat-dog contest that went to Head Coach Travis White's Blue Devils of which only the strength of their play in the final quarter when they came from behind and outscored Strasburg 8 to 2.

The teams played on even terms in the 1st 2 quarters, tying at 5-all in the 1st and with Midvale taking a 15-11 edge at the intermission.  Strasburg recovered in the 3rd chukker and outscored the Blue Devils 16 to 9 to take over a 27-24 lead at the end of the stanza.  Only 2 points were scored, a filed goal by the Tigers' forward Jim (Jack) Rennicker, in the 1st 4 minutes of the final quarter, but after the automaticf time-out Midvale quickly ranintothe lead with Sophomore guard Dave Stevenson, Rennicker and Junior forward Sam Booth each tossing field goals to give them a 32-27 edge.  Strasburg's Junior forward Gene Bayer scored his teams last points with a long shot with more than a minute of playing time remaining.

Rennicker of the Blue Devils copped scoring honors with 11 points, while Captain Senior center Dallas Yackey led the Strasburg attack with 8 points.  Junior center Gene Hawkins followed up for Midvale with 9 points and Senior guard Glen Stille and Junior forward Don Neidenthal each had 8 points for Strasburg.

MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS - 32

Jim (Jack) Rennicker F 5-1-11
Gil Bartles F 1-2-4
Gene Hawkins C 3-3-9
Dave Stevenson G 3-0-6
Sam Booth G 1-0-2
Jim Morgan G 0-0-0

STRASBURG TIGERS - 29

Don Neidenthal F 2-2-6
Gene Bayer F 2-1-5
Dallas Yackey C 4-0-8
Glen Stille G 3-0-6
Jack Haas G 0-0-0
Jack Reiger G 2-0-4


Monday, February 28, 1944
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

44 - Strasburg Sweats-Out 54-49 Win Over Port (2-25-44)

DOVER - The stage was set today with all the fancy lace trimmings close competition can give for the finals of the county's 22nd Annual Class B Basketball Tournament which will be staged at Memorial Hall tonight.  Two games are on the program, a Consolation Division final and a Championship final, with 3 of the 4 competing teams qualifying to play in the Sectional Tournament here next week.

The Strasburg Tigers and Midvale Blue Devils gained playoff berths in the Consolation Division semi-finals last night before a crowd of 441 customers, the Tigers nosing out the Port Washington Purple Riders 54-49 in a "meller drammer" finish and Midvale nudging under the wire ahead of the Baltic Eagles 28-23.

While only 441 paid last night, the crowd that jammed its way into the hall for tonight's program is a cinch to break the all-time tournament attendance record of 5,856 set in 1941.  Thus far the annual show of the B Cagers has drawn 5,164 through the turn-stiles and thus needs less than 700 to go over the mark, according to County Supt. W. E. Laws, Tournament Manager.

First-Year Head Coach Emmet Riley's Strasburg Tigers (3-1) (58-16), favored with the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates at the beginning of tournament play, had one of the narrowest of narrow escapes last night with the Port Washington Purple Riders (1-2) (7-28) rising on their hind legs and striking with almost superhuman force.  Only a timely bit of shooting by Junior guard Jack Reiger in the final quarter saved the day for the Tigers after much of their progress was made by Junior forward Don Neidenthal, slick little forward.

Strasburg had things pretty much their own way in the 1st half, taking a 13-6 lead in the 1st quarter and forging ahead 24-16 at the half.  But in as hot a 3rd stanza as the current meeting has seen, the Port Washington traded shot-for-shot with the Tigers in the 3rd period and then popped in a few of their own to outscore the favorites 21 to 17 and get back in the ball game.

After Strasburg had led as much as 14 points, 34-20, the Purple Riders began their rally and with Senior center Blaine Gilmore and Junior forward Clarence (Elmer) Linard potting 14 points between them, cut the gap to 2 points, 39-37, just before the end of the period.  A follow-up by Neidenthal right at the end gave theTigers a 41-37 edge at the opening of the final chukker.  The Bengals were quick to follow up their advantage in the 4th quarter and moved ahed 48-37 in rapid-fire fashion.  But, Port took a time out, settled down and then returned to action.

After Blaine Gilmore potted another basket, Reiger boosted the Tigers' total to 50 and from there until the final minute Strasburg went scoreless.  Meanwhile, the Riders slowly closed the gap, moving their own score from 39 to 41, 43, 45, 47, and 48 and then 49 with less than 2 minutes to play.  Reiger then blew 2 successive free throws and with one minute left Senior guard Glen Stille hit an action shot from the foul circle to give his club a 3-point advantage and ice the contest.  Reiger completed the scoring with a field goal under the basket just as the buzzer ended the game.

Neidenthal and Gilmore staged a 2-sided scoring duel with the Port Washington ace winning game scoring honors hitting 20 points to 19 points after Neidenthal was chased to the showers with 4 minutes remaining in the final chukker.  He was the only player chased.  Both Neidenthal and Gilmore had 9 field goals, but Blaine had 2 free throws to Don's one.

Reiger finished with 13 points for Strasburg, while his fellow cager Senior center Dallas Yackey scored 10 points.  Port Washington's scoring ace Linard swished the hoops for 11 and Senior forward Ray Ludwig ended with 8 points.

STRABURG TIGERS - 54

Don Neidenthal F 9-1-19
Gene Bayer F 3-1-7
Dallas Yackey C 5-0-10
Glen Stille G 2-0-4
Jack Reiger G 6-1-13
Jack Haas F 0-0-0
R. Haas F 0-1-1

PORT WASHINGTON PURPLE RIDERS - 49

Ray Ludwig F 3-2-8
Clarence (Elmer) Linard F 5-1-11
Blaine Gilmore C 9-2-20
Duane Gilmore G 2-2-6
Jim Stocker G 0-0-0
Lorin Johns G 2-0-4

Saturday, February 26, 1944
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

GAMES TONIGHT 2-26-44

Strasburg vs Midvale 7:30PM (CC)
Sugarcreek-Shanesville vs Tusky 8:30PM (TC)