45 - Strasburg Tigers Wins 23th Annual Tuscarawas County Class B Basketball Tournament (2-24-45)

Pictured above are the victors dividing the "spoils" in the Tuscarawas County 23th Annual Class B Basketball Tournament which closed on Saturday night at Memorial Hall with the Strasburg Tigers winning the bunting.  The photo shows 2nd-Year Head Coach Emmet Riley and his Tigers flashing their victory smile in the dressing room after the game.

This photo shows the presentation of the trophies:  Captain center Ernie Raber of the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates, Co-Captains Seniors forward Gene Bayer and forward Don Neidenthal of Strasburg, County Supt. W.E. Laws, Captain Senior forward Rich Bonvechio of the Tuscarawas Broncos (Consolation Division Winners); County Music Supervisor James Baker who was Master of Ceremonies and J.A. Godfrey, President of the Dover Chamber of Commerce, who made the presentations.


DOVER - To a great Strasburg High School Basketball Team...one that refused to commit itself to the type of ball its opponent tried to play...today went the spoils of the Championship of the 23rd Annual County Class B Tournament.

Playing before a crowd of only 1,700, which fell below the standard set in the semi-final round, the Tigers of Head Coach Emmet Riley carried off the banner and The Daily Reporter trophy by defeating the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates 51-38 at Memorial Hall Saturday night.  It was a great triumph for Coach Riley and his Bengals, giving them a 2-out-of-3 margin over their ancient and traditional rivals from Sugarcreek-Shanesville and extending a winning streak started during the season to 15 straight games.

The Sugarcreek-Shanesville team the Tigers defeated has been one of the best teams in the section all season and shared with Strasburg the League Championship gained over the long pull of the season.  The Pirates of 12-Year Head Coach Earl Sundheimer were never really out of Saturday night's Championship game until the clock ticked off their doom, but their lapse in the 2 middle quarters, coupled with the apparent strategy of trying to force the game into a free-scoring scramble which Strasburg refused to recognize, caused their downfall.  Both the finalists and 2nd-Year Head Coach Jim Rogers' Tuscarawas Broncos, who defeated the Gnadenhutten Indians 42-36 in the Consolation Division final which preceded the Championship game, qualified for the North Eastern Ohio Sectional Tournament which will be staged at Memorial Hall on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

Drawings for the Sectional in which those 3, Dover St. Joseph, Dennison, Millersburg, Walnut Creek, Berlin and Magnolia will compete, will be held at Dover High School at 7:30 tonight in charge of Dick Poling, Assistant Dover High School Coach and Tournament Manager.  The winners will advance to the Eastern Ohio District finals at Dennison next week.

The county tournament which closed Saturday night will go down as one of the best in the event's long history, despite the fact that the attendance fell below the all-time mark set last season.  It produced almost no upsets, but steadily furnished fans with thrill-packed games and individual stars to create all the color essential to the success of a tournament.

Coach Sundheimer's Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (3-1) (20-4) (41-25), dead-shots to a man, started early to bang the baskets with everything they had from all angles.  During the 1st quarter they outscored the Strasburg Tigers (3-0) (20-2) (61-17) 11 to 9, but their lapse which started in the 2nd period when their shooting eyes dulled, paved the way for the Tigers to take away a 14 to 6 advantage in the scoring and take a 23-17 lead the Tigers never lost.

The Pirates' scoring lethargy extended into the 3rd stanza and Strasburg continued to pour it on, taking a 12 to 8 advantage there...35-22 Strasburg.  Sugarcreek-Shanesville snapped out of it in the stretch drive and banged in 16 points, but the Tigers clinched the decision by matching them point-for-point.

When Strasburg refused to commit themselves to an all-out scoring spree such as the Pirates tried to dictate, they played their ace.  It led them to a more restrained game, but an extremely effective one which, with their height advantage, gave them control under both bankboards.  And Sugarcreek-Shanesville a little below par in the shooting department, the game was made to measure for the Tigers.

Big Raber, Pirate ace, and Neidenthal, star Tiger forward, shared scoring honors, albeit Raber topped Neidenthal by one point, 15 to 14.  Raber hit only 2 field goals, but pitched 11 of 14 free throws for his total.  Neidenthal had 6 field goals and 2 free tosses.  Senior guard Jack Rieger added 11 to the Strasburg total and Senior forward Bill Neff got 10 points for the Pirates.

STRASBURG TIGERS - 51

Gene Bayer F 3-2-8
Don Neidenthal F 6-2-14
Junior Yackey C 4-0-8
Jack Reiger G 5-1-11
Bob Haas G 3-1-7
John Garver F 1-1-3
Tom Haswell F 0-0-0

SUGARCREEK-SHANESVILLE PIRATES - 38

Bill Neff F 4-2-10
Doyle Schumaker F 3-2-8
Bob Lanzer G 0-0-0
Ernie Raber G 2-11-15
Ken Miller G 2-1-5
Immel C 0-0-0


Monday, February 26, 1945
Clyde Shaffer, Sports Writer
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

THE DAILY REPORTER ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1ST TEAM

FORWARD - Rich Bonvechio (Tuscarawas Broncos)
FORWARD - Bill Neff (Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates)
CENTER - Ernie Raber (Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates)
GUARD - Don Neidenthal (Strasburg Tigers)
GUARD - Jack Reiger (Strasburg Tigers)

2ND TEAM

FORWARD - Gene Hawkins (Midvale Blue Devils)
FORWARD - Elmer Lindard (Port Washington Purple Riders)
CENTER - Max Regula (Baltic Eagles)
GUARD - Bill Frankhauser (Dundee Bulldogs)
GUARD - John Vesco (Tuscarawas Broncos)

SECTIONAL TOURNAMENT THURSDAY 3-1-45

Walnut Creek Cardinals (18-4) vs Millersburg Knights (10-10) 7PM
Dover St. Josephs Ramblers (21-4) vs Strasburg Tigers (20-2) 8PM
Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (20-4) vs Dennison Railroaders (3-16) 9PM

SECTIONAL TOURNAMENT FRIDAY 3-2-45

Tuscarawas Broncos (16-5) vs Magnolia Panthers (15-6) 8PM
Berlin Blue Jays (19-5) vs Walnut Creek-Millersburg Winner 9PM

45 - Tuscarawas Broncos Wins 11th Annual Consolation Division Tournament Championship (2-24-45)

DOVER - In the Consolation Division final, the Tuscarawas Broncos (4-1) (16-5) (25-26) found the Gnadenhutten Indians (2-2) (14-7) (35-27) a rather tight fix before they squeezed in ahead, stalling away part of the last few minutes.  And again it was Captain Senior forward Rich Bonvechio who sparked the Broncos when he hit the hoop 8 times from action and 7 out of 10 times from the free throw line to score 23 points before he was banished on personal fouls late in the 3rd period.

Behind Bonvechio's lead, the Broncos rushed to a 13-8 lead in the 1st quarter and clung to their 5-point margin in the 2nd period when both teams tallied an even dozen points.  With Tusky holding a 25-20 lead going into the 3rd stanza, the Broncos attempted to maintain their advantage, but the Indians of Head Coach Jim Stubbins quickly went after Tuscarawas trailing 25-24 succeeded in gaining the lead at 31-28 and 33-30 before the Rogersmen fought back to a 37-35 edge at the period's end.

The Tribe had tossed their Sunday punch; however, and faltered badly in the stretch where Tusky gained a 5 to 1 edge as both teams tired, the result of playing 3 games in 3 nights.  The Broncos rolled up a 42-35 advantage in the 4th quarter and then took the ball out of bounds 3 times to use up the remaining time.

Following up Bonvechio's 23 markers for Tuscarawas was Junior center John Vesco who dropped in another 8 points.  Gnadenhutten was lead by Seniors forward Bill Martin and center Ray Huebner who were tied with 12 points each.  A third player in double figures on the team, Sophomore forward Bill Roche tossed in 10 points.

TUSCARAWAS BRONCOS - 42

Rich Bonvechio F 8-7-23
Ellsworth Fox F 0-0-0
John Vesco C 4-0-8
Bob Schmaker G 1-1-3
Fred Walton G 1-1-3
Dick Donahue G 1-1-3
Chuck Lorenz F 1-0-2
Jay Hearing G 0-0-0

GNADENHUTTEN INDIANS - 36

Bill Martin F 5-2-12
Bill Roche F 4-2-10
Ray Huebner C 4-4-12
Bud Goettge G 0-2-2
Junior Hearing G 0-0-0
Dean Kopp C 0-0-0


Monday, February 26, 1945
Clyde Shaffer, Sports Writer
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

45 - Tusky Ousts Baltic 61-46 (2-23-45)

DOVER - The 11 teams that started out in the county's 23rd Annual Class B Championship Basketball Tournament were whittled down to 4 today and those 4 will have at each other in the finals of the competition at Memorial Hall tonight naming a tournament Champion and qualifying 3 for the Sectional Tournament meeting here next week.  Latest casualties in the event were the Baltic Eagles and Dundee Bulldogs who fell by the way last night in the Consolation Division semi-finals.  Baltic bowed to the Tuscarawas Broncos 61-46 and Dundee fell before the Gnadenhutten Indians 53-43, leaving Tusky and Gnaden to fight it out for the Division's Consolation honors.

As a result of last night's games, tonight's finals will pit ancient rivals in both ends of the doubleheader program:  Tuscarawas vs Gnadenhutten at 7:30PM and the Strasburg Tigers vs Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates at 8:30PM.  Strasburg and Sugarcreek-Shanesville, who tied for the League Championship, will be fighting for the tournament title with both automatically qualified for the Sectional.  Both games tonight will be a continuation of rivalries that extend far back over the years and boast the partisanship of a Dover-New Philadelphia or Uhichsville-Dennison contest.

During the season Strasburg and Sugarcreek-Shanesville split a pair of games, while Tusky won twice over the Indinas (45-28 and 54-48) in regular seasonal play.  But with the chips down tonight and all the teams showing the fanatics caused by tournament pressure, anything can happen...and usually does!

The Consolation Division semi-finalists last night all showed signs of the long and gruelling schedule they have been playing in the tournament.  In the Tuscarawas Broncos (3-1) (15-5) (24-27) and Baltic Eagles (1-2) (9-7) (21-32) contest, Seniors forward Rich Bonvechio of Tusky and Big center Max Regula of Baltic, put on a personal scoring duel for the handful of fans in the stands in their encounter and came out all even with 21 points apiece.  Each had 9 field goals and 3 free throws.

The Eagles held a continual threat over the heads of the Broncos of Head Coach Jim Rogers and Baltic was never out of the game until the 3rd quarter when a rally cut Tusky's lead to 5 points, 43-37, before a new surge carried the Broncos ahead and kept them there.  The Rogersmen had only a 2-point lead in the 1st quarter 12-10.  Tusky continued to lead at the end of every quarter.  In the 2nd period the Broncos expanded their lead to only 4 points at 27-23.  The 3rd stanza had the Riders expand once again to 9 points when Tuscarawas picked up 20 points and Baltic 15 markers at 47-38.  The last and final quarter found the Broncos' defense kick in to hold the Eagles to just 8 points wrapping up the game.

Bonvechio and Regula won game honors with 21 points apiece for their respective teams.  Baltic's Junior guard Doren Pepper was the only other player on the team who scored in double figures with 10 markers.  Junior center John Vesco dropped in 17 points and Senior guard Bob Schmaker grabbed 11 markers for the Broncos.

Attendance last night was only about 400 or so with 372 paid admissions, according to tournament Manager W.E. Laws.  At the same session last year the tournament drew 441.

TUSCARAWAS BRONCOS - 61

Rich Bonvechio F 9-3-21
Chuck Lorenz F 0-2-2
John Vesco C 7-3-17
Bob Schmaker G 5-1-11
Fred Walton G 4-0-8
Dick Donahue F 1-0-2

BALTIC EAGLES - 46

Paul Brown F 0-0-0
Dennis Schlarb F 1-0-2
Max Regula C 9-3-21
Doren Pepper G 3-4-10
Gene Schlarb G 2-4-8
Adrian Ott G 2-0-4
Ed McQueen F 0-1-1


Saturday, February 24, 1945
Clyde Shaffer, Sports Writer
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

SATURDAY 2-24-45

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

45 - Gnaden Knocks Off Dundee 53-43 (2-23-45)

The players above are Seniors Forward Bill Martin (Top) and Center Ray Huebner (Below) of the Gnadenhutten Indians.  They were tied for game honors with 12 points each as the Indians held off the Dundee Bulldogs 53-43.  Both played 3 games so far in the tournament.  Martin has 33 points with an 11.0 average and Huebner has 31 points with a 10.3 average.


DOVER - The Dundee Bulldogs (2-2) (5-11) (19-32), in losing to the Gnadenhutten Indians (2-1) (14-6) (35-26), appeared at almost every instant ready to catch fire with a rush that would turn back the Indians as the Bulldogs turned back Port Washington 63-62 the night before.  But each time the flame surged up, a Gnaden puff of a basket or 2 snuffed it out with the result that the Indians won going away...expanding a 6-point lead at the end of the 3rd quarter to 10 points as the game ended.

Dundee led 10-6 at the end of the 1st quarter.  In the 2nd period, Gnadenhutten regained the lead when they scored 17 points, while the Indians' defense held the Bulldogs to just 9 markers and the score stood at 27-23.  Both teams played well in the 3rd stanza and by the end of the quarter it was 47-38 (Gnaden got 20 points in the quarter and Dundee 15).  The Tribe again outscored the Dogs in the last quarter to pocket the victory.

Martin and Huebner led Gnadenhutten in scoring with 12 points apiece while regaining the lead in the 2nd quarter and keeping it.  Teammate Senior guard Bud Goettge was also in double figures with 11 points.  Center Smith and guard Bud Walters of Dundee lead their team in a losing cause with 11 points each.  And forward Rich Kline and guard Bill Fankhauser followed up with 8 points each for the Bulldogs.

GNADENHUTTEN INDIANS - 53

Bill Martin F 5-2-12
Bill Roche F 4-0-8
Ray Huebner C 6-0-12
Bud Goettge G 5-1-11
Junior Hearing G 4-0-8
Dean Kopp F 1-0-2

DUNDEE BULLDOGS - 43

Philabaum F 1-1-3
Rich Kline F 3-2-8
Smith C 3-5-11
Bill Fankhauser G 4-0-8
Bud Walters G 5-1-11
Kate G 1-0-2
Gardner G 0-0-0


Saturday, February 24, 1946
Clyde Shaffer, Sports Writer
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

45 - Tusky Rips Midvale 61-49 (2-22-45)

DOVER - The Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates and Strasburg Tigers, currently co-Champions of the county's Class B Basketball League and perennial bell-wethers of the B teams in the cage business heresbout, thundered into the finals of the county's 23rd Annual class B Tournament before a sell-out crowd of 1,800 fans at Memorial Hall last night.

They will meet for the Tournament Championship and The Daily Reporter Trophy Saturday night at 8:30PM, an hour after the Consolation Division finalists...to be named in tonight's competition...settle their differences.

Last night's victories...Sugarcreek-Shanesville's 64-43 triumph over the Gnadenhutten Indians and Strasburg's 54-41 romp over the Baltic Eagles, automatically qualified both teams for the Sectional Class B Tournament at Memorial Hall next week.  The 3rd team from the county's 11 League contestants will be the winner of the Consolation Division final.

The Tuscarawas Broncos (2-1) (14-5) (23-27) had no problem what-so-ever with the Midvale Blue Devils (39-20) (12-10) (39-20) as the Broncos rolled over the Blue Devils 61-49 in the final game played at Memorial Hall last night.  Tusky led at every quarter stop.

Tuscarawas Sprung to a 17 point lead in the 1st quarter of play 22-5.  Midvale managed to out-score Tusky in the 2nd period 18-12, but continued to hold on to an 11 point lead at 34-23.  Both teams were point-for-point in most of the 3rd quarter with the Broncos scoring 16 and the Blue Devils getting 14 at the end of the stanza holding a 13 point lead 50-37.  The Rogersmen and the Whitemen scored equally getting 12 points each, but Tuscarawas sewed up the game maintaining a 12 point lead at the end of the 4th quarter.

Tusky had 4 players in double figures and Midvale had two.  Junior guard Fred Walton led Tuscarawas with 16 points (8 field goals),while Junior center John Vesco had 15, Senior forward Chuck Lorenz picked-off 12 and Senior Forward Rich Bonvechio followed up with 10 markers.  Senior center Gene Hawkins won scoring honors for the game by dropping in 21 points (7 field goals and 7 free throws, while Junior forward Dave Stevenson managed another 15 points for the Blue Devils.

TUSCARAWAS BRONCOS - 61

Rich Bonvechio F 4-2-10
Chuck Lorenz F 5-2-12
John Vesco C 5-5-15
Bob Schumaker G 0-0-0
Fred Walton G 8-0-16
John Kopp G 0-0-0
Ellsworth Fox F 0-1-1
Dick Donahue G 2-0-4
Jay Hearing G 1-1-3

MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS - 49

Sam Booth F 3-0-6
Dave Stevenson F 5-5-15
Gene Hawkins C 7-7-21
Roland Platz G 2-0-4
Joe Carlisle G 1-1-3
Jim Morgan G 0-0-0


Friday, February 23, 1945
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

FRIDAY 2-23-45

Gnaden vs Dundee 7:30PM (C)
Tusky vs Baltic 8:30PM (C)

45 - Strasburg Over Powers Baltic 54-41 (2-22-45)

DOVER - Like the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates, the Strasburg Tigers (2-0) (19-2) (60-17) was unstoppable in their Baltic Eagles (1-1) (9-6) (21-31) encounter.  Appearing to be regaining the edge that has carried them through 14 straight games without a defeat, 2nd-Year Head Coach Emmet Riley's Tigers simply sported too much power for the Eagles of 3rd-Year Head Coach John McCormick.

The Bengals started off with a 16-3 edge in the 1st quarter of play and led the Birds throughout the game.  Baltic out scored Strasburg in the 2nd period 15 to 14 as the Tigers pulled up at intermission leading 30-18.  And again in the 3rd stanza, the Eagles outscored the Bengals 12 to 11, but Strasburg maintained an 11 point lead at 41-30.  The Rileymen locked up the game in the 4th quarter by out scoring the McCormickmen 13 to 11 as Baltic swapped baskets point-for-point in the last 3 periods in a losing cause.

Six-foot-four, 1 inch Freshman center Junior Yackey of Strasburg, carried off scoring honors for the winners, potting 6 field goals and 3 free throws for 15 points, but he bowed to Baltic's Senior guard Gene Schlarb for individual honors with Schlarb hitting 8 field goals and a pair of free throws for 18 points.  Senior forward Don Neidenthal contributed 14 markers to the Tigers total.

The meeting of Sugarcreek-Shanesville and Strasburg int he Championship contest will be the "rub" meeting of the ancient rivals this season.  In their 1st game, a non-League encounter at Sugarcreek, the Pirates retuned triumphant 51-30, but when they next met...in the League game played at Strasburg...the Tigers came out on top by a 44-29 score.  That victory was the only defeat suffered by the Bucs in League play and enabled the Tigers to tie them in the League and share the circuit pennant.  The Tigers had previously lost one League game, that to the Tuscarawas Broncos.

Thus, the final contest of the tournament, in addition to being merely a Championship encounter between 2 chance teams, will be colored by the traditions lthat surround Strasburg-Sugarcreek-Shanesville competitions and all the elements possible to sum up from a season in which the 2 ran such a dead heat.

STRASBURG TIGERS - 54

Gene Bayer F 4-2-10
Don Neidenthal F 7-0-14
Junior Yackey C 6-3-15
Bob Haas G 1-1-3
Jack Rieger G 3-0-6
John Garver G 3-0-6

BALTIC EAGLES - 41

Paul Brown F 0-0-0
Dennis Schlarb F 1-0-2
Max Regula C 3-2-8
Doren Pepper G 5-1-11
Gene Schlarb G 8-2-18
Adrian Ott F 1-0-2
Ed McQueen F 0-0-0


Friday, February 23, 1945
Clyde Shaffer, Sports Writer
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

45 - Sugarcreek-Shanesville Takes-Down Gnaden 64-43 (2-22-45)

Gnadenhutten Indians Cheerleaders For 1945:  Verna Mishler - Roberta Parker and Jean Kopp.


DOVER - Fighting to defend the Championships they won last year when they marched through their regular season and the tournaments to roll up a string of 26 consecutive victories before being halted in Regional Tournament play at Zanesville, Head coach Earl Sundheimer's Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (3-0) (20-3) (41-24) had less than half the trouble with the Gnadenhutten Indians (1-1) (13-6) (34-26)  that was expected for them as won going away 64-43.  The Pirates also won their only game this year, a League game, 60-28.

Blessed with red hot shooting by forward Doyle Schumacher and center Ernie Raber and a floor game that worked smoothly throughout and confounded the best efforts of Head Coach Jim Stubbins' Indians, the Pirates hopped to an early lead and never looked back.

Sugarcreek-Shanesville went out front 15-6 in the 1st quarter and then paced their foes 33-22 by intermission.  By the end of the 3rd stanza it was clear Gnaden didn't have what it takes to overcome a 49-30 deficient against the Pirates.

Schumacher hit 9 field goals and 3 free throws for 21 points, the same number amassed by Raber with 6 field goals and 9 free throws.  Bud Goettge led Gnadenhutten with 16 points (7 field goals and 2 free throws) and sparked the Indians after their Captain, Senior forward Bill Martin, went out in the 2nd quarter on fouls.

SUGARCREEK-SHANESVILLE PIRATES - 64

Bill Neff F 4-7-15
Doyle Schumaker F 9-3-21
Bob Lanzer C 1-0-2
Ken Miller G 2-1-5
Ernie Raber G 6-9-21
Immell C 0-0-0
Weiss G 0-0-0
Kuhn G 0-0-0
Hamsher G 0-0-0
Gerber G 0-0-0

GNADENHUTTEN INDIANS - 43

Bill Martin F 2-0-4
Bill Roche F 4-2-10
Ray Huebner C 0-2-2
Bud Goettge G 7-3-16
Junior (Orrin) Hearing G 0-1-1
Gene Mishler F 1-2-4
Bill Drumm F 0-0-0
Bob Hearing C 0-0-0


Friday, February 23, 1945
Clyde Shaffer, Sports Writer
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

45 - Dundee Outslugs Port 63-62 (2-22-45)

DOVER - Junior forward Elmer Linard, the "arithmatic boy," of 1st-Year Head Coach I.A. Arrington's Port Washington Purple Riders (1-2) (9-10) (8-29), bowed out of the county Class B basketball tournament last night, but before he went almost battered the historic hoops of Memorial Hall dizzy, rolling up 32 points for a single game's performance.  While the semi-finalists in the regular tournament are expected to play for plenty of blood, Linard and his Riders and the Dundee Bulldogs (2-1) (5-10) (19-31) set the pace of a 4-game program with one of the fastest scoring exhibitions Memorial Hall has seen in many moons.

The 2 teams were playing in the Consolation Division of the tournament and eventually Dundee won 65-62, despite the almost efforts of Linard to outscore the Bulldogs single-handed.  Dundee and Port Washington put on an unbelivable show here.  At a pace of nearly 4 points a minute the rivals fled through the 4 quarters of the game and then through another 3 minutes of overtime period before the Bulldogs wrenched away the victory for 1st-Year Head Coach J.H. Proper.

The teams finished the regular game in a 57-all tie, with Dundee coming from behind in the final seconds on field goals by forward Rich Kline and guard Bill Fankhauser.  Both combinations kept up their red hot pace in the overtime.  Dundee went ahead on an action shot by Kline, but Junior forward Sonny Johns hit for Port and tied it up at 59.  Then guard Bud Walters put Dundee ahead with a field goal.  Linard sank a free throw for the Purple Riders and Dundee led 61-60.  A field goal by forward Kate gave the Bulldogs a 63-60 edge which was cut a second later by Linard who sank one from close in.  In those final seconds Dundee had gone into a stall and made things plenty difficult for Port Washington.

While Lindard was adding up his 32 points (which by the way is a Class B tournament record passing Sugarcreek-Shanesville's Harland Sliffe who scored 30 points in a 1927 game) Johns was collecting 23 more points for Port, giving those 2 the bulk of the markers.  Dundee's scoring was better distributed.  Fankhauser, who sparked the Bulldogs, tallied 21, while Kline got 15, Walters 9, Philabaum 8, Kate 6 and Smith 4.  Linard's performance, the last of the season since the defeat knocks his team out of the competition, brought his season's scoring total to 371 points for 20 games, including 2 appearances in the tournament.  During the regular season the Riders star collected 329 points in 18 games for an average of 18.2 and with the 42 points he scored in 2 tournament games uped the figure to 18.6.  In his 1st tournament appearance Linard suffered a leg injury and played only part of the game.  He did not play at all in Port's 2nd game.

But he certainly added up a lot of points in the others.

DUNDEE BULLDOGS - 63

Rich Kline F 6-3-15
Philabaum F 3-2-8
Smith C 2-0-4
Bill Fankhauser G 10-1-21
Bud Walters G 4-1-9
Kate G 2-2-6

PORT WASHINGTON PURPLE RIDERS - 62

Elmer Linard F 14-4-32
Sonny Johns F 11-1-23
Bob Roenbaugh C 1-3-5
Dave Goettge G 1-0-2
Charles Gallion G 0-0-0
Harold Huston G 0-0-0


Friday, February 23, 1945
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

45 - Sugarcreek-Shanesville In Close-Call Against Tusky 42-40 (2-17-43)

DOVER - Proving conclusively their right to share the county Class B League's basketball title, 12th-Year Head Coach Earl Sundheimer's Sugarcreek-Shanesville High School Pirates came from behind to nose out the Tuscarawas Broncos 42-40 in a quarter-final game at the county tournament at Memorial Hall on Saturday night.

With a crowd of nearly 1,600 held riveted to their seats in one of the most thrilling early round games the tournament has ever produced, the Pirates beat the Broncos under the wire to qualify for the lower bracket semi-final where they will play the Gnadenhutten Indians Thursday night at 7PM.  The Strasburg Tigers and Baltic Eagles meet in the upper bracket semi at 8PM.  In 2 other games Saturday night, the Dundee Bulldogs defeated the Bolivar Cardinals 48-38 and Midvale Blue Devils turned back the Stone Creek Golden Panthers 60-25.

Living up to its pre-game dope as a clash of titans, the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (2-0) (19-3) (40-24) and the Tuscarawas Broncos (1-1) (13-5) (22-27) game gave the fans every thrill promised them and a few more.  A great 2nd period drive carried Tusky out front and with the Pirates unsettled,it appeared that the Warwick Township quintet of 2nd-Year Head Coach Jim Rogers would unseat the Bucs two-fisted attack in the 3rd quarter.  But the latter hit back with a chukker, swung the pendulum back in their favor and then hung on through the final stanza, winning on a long shot fired from the side of the court in the last 5 seconds by Senior forward Bill Nett.

Neff's game winning shot broke a 10-all tie created by the Broncos' Dick (Rich) Bonvechio when only 30 seconds remained.  Bonvechio, thus far the tournament's outstanding individual star and leading scorer, calmly tied up the game with a free throw shot in the midst of a bedlam of noise as the crowd screamed its approval and disapproval.

Coach Sundheimer's combine took a 7-3 lead in the 1st quarter as the rival teams felt each other out.  At the start of the 2nd period the Broncos found themselves and with Bonvechio leading the way rolled up 14 straight points before the Pirates managed to get in a field goal and thus once led the Pirates 17-7.  The rush brought Tusky 20 points to 10 for the Bucs with Bonvechio scoring 12 of them.  In the 3rd stanza, Sugarcreek-Shanesville began early to whittle away the 6-point 23-17 edge of the Rogersmen and finally tied the score at 26 and again at 28 when only a minute and a half remained in the quarter.  The count was tied again at 30 and then the Pirates gained a 32-30 edge as the period ended, finally taking a 15 to 7 bulge in the scoring for the period.

At the start of the 4th quarter Neff dropped in a long shot to up his team's lead to 34-30, but Bonvechio matched the score and then center Ernie Raber and Neff came through with field goals to up the Pirates' lead to 38-32, their longest of the period.  Senior forward Chuck Lorenz hit for Tusky and Raber sank a free throw for the Pirates and then Bonvechio hit a field goal to make the count 39-36.  With 2 minutes left, Bonvechio and forward Doyle Schumacher were fouled and each sank the effort.  Then Lorenz hit another fielder for the Broncos.

Sugarcreek-Shanesville then resorted to a stall.  Raber took the ball out of bounds when fouled  by Junior center John Vesco, but the effort was broken up by Schumacher and Bonvechio again and the Tusky ace sank the score-tying heave which was followed by Neff's basket that clinched the decision.

Bonvechio's efforts netted him 22 points (7 field goals and 8 free throws) which with the 20 points he scored Tuesday night gives him 42 points and the honors in the individual race.  Neff came out with honors for Sugarcreek-Shanesville tallying 14 points, Raber accounted for 12 points and Schumacher grabbed 11.

SUGARCREEK-SHANESVILLE PIRATES - 42

Bill Neff F 6-2-14
Doyle Schumaker F 5-1-11
Bob Lanzer C 0-0-0
Ernie Raber G 4-4-12
Ken Miller G 2-1-5

TUSCARAWAS BRONCOS - 40

Chuck Lorenz F 3-0-6
Rich (Dick) Bonvechio F 7-8-22
John Vesco C 1-0-2
Bob Schmaker G 1-0-2
Fred Walton G 3-2-8
Ellsworth Fox C 0-0-0


Monday, February 19, 1945
Clyde Shaffer, Sports Writer
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

THURSDAY 2-22-45

Port vs Dundee 6PM (C)
Gnaden vs Sugarcreek-Shanesville 7PM
Strasburg vs Baltic 8PM
Midvale vs Tusky 9PM (C)

45 - Midvale Blows-Out Stone Creek 60-25 (2-17-43)

DOVER - The Midvale Blue Devils (2-1) (12-9) (39-19) picked up an easly win against the Stone Creek Golden Panthers (0-2) (1-15) (11-24) by a score of 60-25 last night in the 3rd game played in the Consolation Divison finishing up the Golden Panther's season.

The Blue Devils took a giant leap in the 1st quarter racing ahead to a 25-4 score by the end of the period.  The 2nd quarter looked more like a tournament game when Midvale picked up 12 points and Stone Creek hit 7 markers leaving the Blue Devils with a 26-point advantage.  Midvale's defense continued to impead the Panthers' scoring effort by holding them to but 5 points, while the Devils continued to surge with another 17 points in the 3rd stanza...Midvale 54-16.  With the game already locked up Head Coach Travis White looked to the reserves to finish the game.

Senior center Gene Hawkins of Midvale finished the game with 20 points (10 field goals) earning him game honors, while Junior forward Dave Stevenson scored 16 points in support.  Stone Creek was lead by guards Gray and Don Arbogast knocking in 6 points each.

MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS - 60

Sam Booth F 4-1-9
Dave Stevenson F 6-4-16
Gene Hawkins C 10-0-20
Roland Platz G 2-0-4
Karl Baumholtz F 3-0-6
Joe Carlisle G 1-2-4
Max Shaar C 0-1-1
Jim De Mattio G 0-0-0
Gil Bartles G 0-0-0
Jim Morgan F 0-0-0

STONE CREEK GOLDEN PANTHERS - 25

Dick Reinhart F 0-2-2
Lorenz F 0-0-0
Duane Arbogast C 1-2-4
Gray G 2-2-6
Don Arbogast F 2-2-6
Reifenschneider G 2-0-4
Gasser F 2-1-5


Monday, February 19, 1945
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

45 - Dundee Sends Bolivar Home 48-38 (2-17-45)

DOVER - In the 2nd Consolation Division game to be played so far, the Dundee Bulldogs (1-1) (4-10) (18-31) outclassed the Bolivar Cardinals (0-2) (6-16) (34-28) in a 48-38 triumph to stay alive.  The Bulldogs staged a comback of sorts after getting hit hard by the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates 57-33.

Dundee maintained advantages in all 4 quarters of play.  In a close 1st quarter the Bulldogs edged the Cardinals 13-10.  In the 2nd quarter, both teams were clicking in the offensive department with Dundee dropping in 19 points and Bolivar hitting 13; however, the Bulldogs were sitting on a 9 point lead come intermission...Dundee 32-23.  In the 3rd stanza, both teams hit 9 points in a point-for-point period...Dundee 41-32.  The Bulldogs tucked the game away with 7 points to the Red Birds' 6 markers in the final quarter.

Forward Rich Kline was high for Dundee with 17 points, while forward Philabaum hit 13 points.  Bolivar guard Chuck Renner also had 17 markers, sharing game honors with Kline.

DUNDEE BULLDOGS - 48

Rich Kline F 5-7-17
Philabaum F 6-1-13
Smith C 1-1-3
Fankhouser G 3-1-7
Bud Walters G 3-0-6
Gerber G 0-0-0
Kate F 1-0-2

BOLIVAR CARDINALS - 38

Haut F 2-0-4
Chuck Renner F 6-5-17
Junior Lundenberger C 3-0-6
Murray G 2-1-5
Williams G 0-0-0
Russell F 0-2-2
Don Baad F 2-0-4


Monday, February 19, 1945
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio