Fifth-Year HC Ralph "Pete" Hilliard of the Midvale Blue Devils. Hilliard has coached his team to a 21-1 record at this point and looking to take on the Conotton Valley Rockets (17-6) in the District Tournament tomorrow night.
NEW PHILADELPHIA - On February 21st, at approximately 10:00 at 2 different sites, trophies were being awarded for those teams and individuals who showed unusual talents and accomplishments for their cage efforts during the 1958-59 high school campaigns. At Dover's Memorial Hall, Superintendent W.E. Laws presented the Midvale Blue Devils High School with a large memento for its winning of the Tuscarawas County League Championship. The presentation was made in behalf of The Daily Times. Later the Devils were given another statue for being Tournament Champions.
Meanwhile, at almost the same time, Eugene Hurst, News Editor of The Daily Times, was bestowing Honors on the Conotton Valley Rockets High School for its copping of the Harrison County tournament. This presentation took place at the Conotton school resting atop a hill just northwest of Leesville and east of the Tuscarawas County line on Route 212. That night, as we put the game date together, this writer and the news editor agreed that both teams seemed destined for better things in the upcoming tournaments. Hurst said Conotton Valley showed quite a bit of spirit in its winning of the contest...it nipped the Jewett Wildcats...as well as displaying good balance. This writer made a similar statement about the Diablos which had won its Tournament Crown that evening by turning back Tusky Valley.
And now, 2 weeks later the recipients of The Daily Times trophies are pitted in the Eastern Ohio District Class A finals. But, this is not the only thing that had turned fate into a funny twist. On January 27th this writer also was on hand for the meeting of these same 2 schools in a regular season contest at Midvale. It was a great game and we enjoyed the fracas immensely.
Some thought the game was actually a fluke, inasmuch as the stubborn Conotton aggregation pushed the Blue Devil quintet right to the wire before bowing 71-70. Some did not. Midvale copped the verdict via the free throw route, making 19 of 26 chances, while the Rockets were awarded only 5 free throws, making 4. Conotton Valley had outscored the Devils by 14 points on field goals. Past performances will mean very little tomorrow night; however, when the 2 teams clash for the 1st time in tournament play at Dover's Memorial Hall for the District Crown and a Regional berth.
If there is such a thing as a "favorite" in tournament play...we don't think there is such an animal...then Midvale would have to be given the slight nod by virtue of its extremely well balanced scoring attack and a 21-1 sparking record. With 5 starters averaging in 2 digits for the season, the Blue and Gold has gunned down its last 15 foes.
Hanes Hairston, a 6-3 Junior who moved to Midvale last year from North Carolina, is the "low" scorer of the ball club with 11.8 points per contest. This mark would place him 2nd on the Conotton club. Ron Breniser, a 5-11 Junior is Head Coach Pete Hilliard's top point producer with 436 points and a 19.8 average. Breniser was the county coaches' choice this season for the All-County Squad.
Next comes Tom Krocker, a 5-10 Senior who was with the Blue Devils' "Tournament Darlings" of 1957 when the Devils went all the way to the State Tournament semi-finals before bowing. Krocker; although, missing the first 9 games this season because of a broken leg suffered during the football season, has come on strong since then to now carry a 14.3 average with 186 points. Bill Housel, 6-3 center, has 304 points and a 13.8 average and is the team's top rebounder along with Hairston. Dave Belknap, 5-9 Senior, heralded by the coach as one of the team's most important cogs because of his fine feeding, has 281 points and a 12.7 average. The 5 starters are averaging 72.4 points per game.
Led by All-Tournament choice Lanty Smith, 6-0 Junior, the Youth Conotton Valley Club...it has only one Senior on its roster...has truly come a long way since 2 straight defeats to Midvale and the Freeport Raiders in late January. Smith has allied 345 points this season in 19 games...he was out 4 games because of injuries and illness...for a good 18.6 average. A southpaw, 6-3 Sophomore Larry Dunlap, is the team's 2nd top scorer with 258 markers and an 11.2 average, while Jack Puckey, 6-3 Sophomore follows him with 127 in 12 games and a 10.5 average. Buckey, who has perhaps been the big reason for Head Coach Al Girone's late season upsurge, missed the first 11 games because of grades. Becoming eligible in January, the good rebounding center has been clipping them off at 2 figures ever since.
In Walt Enold, 5-10 Junior and Larry Allen, 5-11 Junior, Conotton has 2 fine ball-hawks. Several times during the game with Hiland on Tuesday night the 2 guards stole the ball from their foes and drove down for layups. Enold has tallied 173 points and Allen has 211 for 7.5 and 9.1 averages respectively.
Although one team will be the loser of this game tomorrow night at Dover, neither will be out of the running when the final buzzer sounds. The loser will get another chance to make the Canton Regional Tournament by token of a special playoff slated for Dennison on Saturday. The loser of the Dover contest will meet the loser of the Old Washington Warriors (25-0) - Maysville (17-6) contest booked on Friday at Marietta. The Eastern District Tournament is being authorized an additional Regional berth because of the recent decrease in number of schools in the Northeastern Distict by token of numerous consolidations. This District has remained comparatively the same.
Tomorrow and Saturday nights' games are to start at 8:00.
Thursday, March 5, 1959
Don Wagner, Sports Editor
The Daily Times
New Philadelphia, Ohio
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