ATHENS - The Strasburg Tigers (9-1) (28-1), winners of 28 straight games and one of the greatest teams in the records of the school, today had packed away their basketball uniforms and returned to scholastic work after losing out by a single-point margin in the Regional Class B Tournament on Saturday night 32-31 to the Worthington Cardinals (29-4). The Tigers took its 1st defeat when the Cardinals turned the trick in the final moments of a great ball game.
Strasburg, who compiled the best tournament and season record of any club in the history of the Strasburg school, fell short, just one step away from the State semi-finals when they played a slow 1st half and the final whistle caught them behind for the 1st time this year. Although they lost out only 2 games away from a State Class B Championship, Head Coach Emmet Riley's club is holder of 3 Championships...the Tuscarawas County Class B League, the Tuscarawas County Tournament and the Eastern District Class B title.
The defeat of Strasburg left the State with only one undefeated Class B school, Waynesburg, which edged Akron Ellet 41-39 Saturday night at Youngstown for the right to enter the State finals weekend at Springfield. A late start in the Worthington game, plus a bit of bad luck in the final 20 seconds of the contest spelled defeat for the Tigers after they had overcome a 9-point deficit and were apparently destined to snatch the game out of the fire.
Worthington drew 1st blood in the opening quarter when center Tom Hartman sank a shot from the pivot and countered again with a free throw. It was the 2nd time he had been fouled by Sophomore Clarence "Junior" Yackey, big Tiger center, in the 1st few minutes. Yackey tipped in a 2-pointer, but forward Earl Nash hit a field goal and a free throw to give the Cards a 6-2 lead before Sophomore forward Tom Haswell connected with an action shot. Bill Hamilton hit a bucket before Haswell counted again and forward Joe Neds scored another before Senior forward John Garver cut the margin to 9-8 with a basket. Hamilton hit 2 more buckets to give the Cardinals a 13-8 lead at the end of the quarter. Haswell counted another field goal early in the 2nd quarter to reduce the lead to 13-10, but Strasburg failed to click for some time, while Hamilton, Nash and Hartman hit baskets to give Worthington a 19-10 lead. Garver and Senior guard Joe Diebel slipped in field goals shortly before the half ended and Strasburg was behind 19-14.
Starting out the 3rd stanza, Strasburg sparked back into its old form and outscored Worthington 8 to 5 to cut the lead to 24-22 at the quarter end. Junior forward Marvin Jeffers, who turned in a fast game during the 2nd half, opened the rally by hitting 2 free throw shots before Nash scored a bucket, but Haswell came back with a 2-pointer and a free toss to cut the lead to 21-19. Nash counted a free throw, Yackey matched it and then Garver dropped in a field goal to knot the count at 22-all before Hartman hit a field goal to give Worthington the 24-22 nod at the end of the stanza.
Neds got away for a field goal at the start of the 4th quarter to give the Cards a 4-point lead, but Senior guard Fred Aul started hitting with an action shot, Jeffers added another and with a brilliant bit of passwork, Aul scored a lay-up with 4 minutes and 47 seconds to go to give the Tigers a 28-26 lead. Kayner hit a field goal to tie the count and Jeffers counted a free throw and Strasburg was leading 29-28 with a little more than 3 minutes to go. Jim Sheaf, substitute Cardinal forward, hooked a jump shot which rolled around the hoop and fell in and then Neds hurled a jump shot which bounded off the bankboard and plopped in to give Worthington a 32-29 lead with 3 minutes and 13 seconds left.
Aul hit another bucket for Strasburg and Worthington started to stall, doing it successfully until Hamilton tried to dribble through Garver and knocked him down, giving Garver a free throw with ony 20 seconds left and the count at 32-31. Garver shot the ball striking the left side of the hoop and making one complete circle around before it dropped into a scramble of players. Yackey was in the No. 1 position on the other side of the bucket, but couldn't get to it and the final whistle sounded before the Tigers got another chance.
In the final analysis, Worthington's 13-8 lead inthe 1st quarter of play paid off for the Cardinals for that wasw the only period during which they outscored the Tigers. Strasburg made only 5 of 13 of their free throws, while the Red Birds were scoring 4 of 7 chances. The Tigers had 8 personals and the Cardinals 11.
Haswell led Strasburg with 9 points,while Garver and Aul each got 6 and Jeffers turned in a neat 5, while Yackey was hitting 3 and Deibel 2. Hamilton scored 4 field goals in the 1st half to lead Worthington with 8 points, while Hartman and Nash each got 7. Worthington would go on to lose the State Championship game to Farmer 36-32.
The preliminary game saw Glenford defeat Wheelersburg 59-47 for the Consolation Trophy.
WORTHINGTON CARDINALS - 32
Joe Neds F 3-0-6
Earl Nash F 2-3-7
Tom Hartman C 3-1-7
Bill Hamilton G 4-0-8
Kayner G 1-0-2
Jim Sheaf G 1-0-2
Arthur F 0-0-0
STRASBURG TIGERS - 31
John Garver F 3-0-6
Tom Haswell F 4-1-9
Junior Yackey C 1-1-3
Fred Aul G 3-0-6
Joe Deibel G 1-0-2
Marvin Jeffers G 1-3-5
Ed Gasser G 0-0-0
Monday, March 18, 1946
John Stratton, Editorial Staff
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio
NOTE:
STRASBURG GIVEN BEST WISHES BY BIGGEST RIVALS
The Strasburg Tigers weren't only representing Strasburg, but Tuscarawas County and the Eastern District when they played in the Athens Regional Tournament and their biggest rivals let them know it in a fine gesture of sportsmanship.
Tuscarawas High School, beaten 4 times by the Tigers and in games that were hard to lose, sent Strasburg a letter wishing them good luck and Head Coach Jim Rogers called Saturday night to wish the team the best of luck.
Zanesville St. Thomas, eliminated by Strasburg in the Eastern District meet at Zanesville, sent a letter signed by all members of the team.
To top it off Friday morning the Strasburg High School received a letter from the Sugarcreek-Shanesville High School Student Council congratulating the Tigers on their undefeated season and wishing them luck in the tournament. Strasburg broke the Pirates' record of 26 consecutive wins.
NOTE:
TIGERS LOSE BUT CITIZENS FIX BIG WELCOME ANYWAY
When the Strasburg Tigers came home from Athens at 3:30 yesterday afternoon after their 1st defeat, they were a little gloomy and not expecting such a welcome...but they were wrong. At the corporation line they found the village fire truck, 40 automobiles and several hundred people waiting for them and a welcome, which couldn't have been any better even if they'd won the Regional title.
The players were placed on the fire truck, which bore a large sign "WELCOME TIGERS" and the school banner and away they went through the town, the siren blowing and automobile horns sounding. Citizens who weren't in cars lined the streets and cheered as the team went by. At the high school several cheers were given outside and the team was taken in for a short program.
Supt. G.W.Jeandrevin contratulated the team on its fine work and congratulated the citizens for their fine support before turning the meeting over to John B. Garver who also congratulated the Tigers and Head Coach Emmet Riley, who introduced the players. Captain John Garver, Fred Aul and Joe Deibel, all Seniors, were 1st to speak and were followed by Ed Gasser and Marvin Jeffers, Juniors, Clarence "Junior" Yackey, Tom Haswell, Roland Malcuit and Dean Beitzel, all Sophomores and JimWeber, a Freshman.
The Cheerleaders, Norma Lee Lullett, Doris Haswell, Joan Huffman and Lillith Ball, led several more cheers before Mr. Garver took over and called on the boy's parents to stand. A final cheer was given as Coach Riley led the Tigers out.
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