KENT - The Midvale Blue Devils (7-1) (26-2), handicapped by 5-9 All-Ohio Senior forward Jack Ford's recent illness and unable to cope with the rough, bruising style of play by the North Canton Vikings (21-6), the Blue Devils reached the end of the tournament rail on Thursday night in the Class B Regional Tournament at Kent State where the Vikings pounded out a 37-29 win over the Tuscarawas countians before a packed house of 4,000 fans. As a result of the victory, North Canton will collide with Lowellville's Rockets, 53-38 victors over highly regard Akron Eilet, in the final round Saturday night.
Only once in the grueling struggle with the team that ousted them last year in the Regional finals at Youngstown did Midvale hold the lead, a 21-20 margin midway in the 3rd stanza. The Vikings held quarter leads of 9-5, 20-15, and 26-25.
Accuracy from the foul line paid off for North Canton which managed to draw 15 fouls from the slow whistle of officials Eric Calhoun and Clyde Hall. Of the 15 attempts, the Vikings cashed 13 of them in for points, while the Blue Devils were hitting only 3 of 12 from the free throw line. Paced by 6-1 guard George Hamilton, the Vikings forged a 6-1 lead early in the 1st quarter.
At this stage, Head Coach Bill French sent Ford in from the Midvale bench. The Blue Devil ace, wearing a T-shirt under his jersey because of a chest infection which had kept him in bed until Wednesday afternoon, turned in a brilliant game for the remainder of the time, but his weakened condition was too much of a handicap. The rugged Vikings, employing a fast-breaking offense and football tactics under the nets in rebound play, held their margin despite efforts by 6-4 Senior forward Dave Rennicker, Ford, 6-4 Junior center Bob Sherrell and 6-2 Senior Bob De Mattio in the 1st half.
Immediately after the opening of the 2nd half, Midvale made its most serious bid of the game. Ford meshed a one-handed push shot and Rennicker collected 2 points on a followup shot, trimming the North Canton margin to 20-19.
Seconds later, Rennicker put the Blue Devils in the lead for the only time in the game when he drove in and laid up another followup shot, making it 21-20, Midvale. The lead was only for a brief time; however, as Hamilton was fouled and gave the lead back to the Vikings with 2 free throw tosses...22-21.
Hamilton scored North Canton's only field goal in this period as the Midvale zone defense stopped the breaks and cuts of the Vikings, but the Vikings managed to hold a one-point edge going into the final canto. Hamilton again gave North Canton a 28-25 margin early in the last stanza, but the Blue Devils, battling courageously against the odds, drew close again when De Mattio drove in for a layup.
Forward Bill Fye shattered Midvale hopes seconds later; however, as he raced in for 2 consecutive field goals on fast breaks. Guard Carl Roberts added one point from the free throw line and Ford scored the Blue Devils' last points just before the automatic time out with a one-handed push shot. Trailing 34-29 with 2 minutes remaining, Midvale elected to turn down 5 consecutive free throws and took the ball out of bounds, hoping to pay off on field goals.
The strategy failed as the Vikings clogged the keyhole with man-power. Senior guard Jim Golder, who underwent a knee operation before the county tournament, re-injured the sore member in the last quarter.
Hamilton, a driving player, crashed into the Blue Devil guard near the sidelines and Golder went to the floor, writhing in pain for a few minutes. He finished the game, however.
Hamilton collected 16 points for North Canton, while Rennicker paced Midvale with 10 points.
With Ford missing badly because of his recent illness, the Blue Devils could not organize an effective attack against the shifting zone defense employed by the Vikings. The defeat was only Midvale's 2nd in 28 starts this year. They had won 18 straight until last night.
NORTH CANTON VIKINGS - 37
Gene Boettle F 1-3-5
Bill Fye F 2-3-7
David Mathias C 1-1-3
George Hamilton G 6-4-16
Jack Sponseller G 2-0-4
Carl Roberts G 0-2-2
MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS - 29
Gene Byers F 0-1-1
Jack Ford F 3-0-6
Dave Rennicker F 4-2-10
Bob Sherrell C 1-0-2
Jim Golder G 2-0-4
Bob De Mattio G 3-0-6
Jack Davis G 0-0-0
Friday, March 18, 1949
Rex Ridenour, Sports Editor
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio
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