60 - Hiland Trips-Up Garaway 58-45 (3-11-60)

The Hiland Hawks' Bob Hochstetler (32) had a stranglehold on 5-10 Senior Koran Zehnder of the Garaway Pirates in this action from last night's tournament battle.  Nearby was 5-8 Terry Hershberger, also of the Hawks.  The Flyers almost hung the "horse collar" on the high scoring Pirate whiz.  He ended last night's game with 14 points.  (PHOTO...By Jim Springer of The Daily Reporter, Dover, Ohio)

The Hiland Hawks fans had plenty to cheer about during last night's District Class A Tournament contest at Brilliant.  The camera caught them here in one of their joyous moments as their representatives defeated the Garaway Pirates 58-45 to advance to next week's Regional event at Canton.  (PHOTO...The Daily Reporter, Dover, Ohio)

The Hiland Hawks' basketeers had mixed emotions following last night's District Class A Tournament title victory over the Garaway Pirates.  While whooping it up, they also displayed sportsmanship in withholding some of the jubilation long enough to accept congratulations from the opposition team.  Even one of the Hiland Cheerleaders got into the act early and almost was spilled in her efforts.  (PHOTO...The Daily Reporter, Dover, Ohio)



BRILLIANT - Seven straight victories...and then Hiland!  Fifteen more consecutive wins...and who was it?  None other than those pesky Hawks...

Last night the rivals met on the neutral Brilliant High School floor in the "rubber" match of their season series which had seen each post victories on home courts.  This one counted the most.  A trip to next week's Regional Tournament at Canton's Memorial Fieldhouse, in addition to the Class A District title, was at stake.

For this game, more important than any played previously, the Hiland Hawks were prepared.  It defeated the Garaway Pirates 58-45!!!

Head Coach Jim Stull's Garaway Pirates(5-1) (8-0) (22-2) never quit.  In fact, this great Pirate Squad went down fighting.  It was a big season, the best in the history of the consolidated combine and provided many revered moments for those who had followed the former forces of Sugarcreek-Shanesville and Dundee High Schools.

The Pirates didn't win all the championships, but then few seldom do.  Their record speaks as a momento to a fine basketball team.  Last night, though, the Hiland Hawks at 24-2 were better.

It was a great hour of triumph.  Not since the 1948-49 season has a Holmes County Team advanced to the Regional Tournament.  The Walnut Creek Cardinals, which was included in the Hiland consolidation along with the Berlin Hawks, carried the banner that season.  It advanced to the Regional finals where it lost to a great Waynesburg Mohawks Team.  The Mohawks, oddly enough, was absorbed in another consolidation, Sandy Valley.

"I'm dumbfounded!"  Hiland Head Coach Bob Schrock spoke in all sincerity following his team's lightning-like victory.  "When I saw that 20-point lead I just couldn't believe it.  We changed our offense some...we took a chance on the type of ball we were going to play...and we decided to go at it whole hog or none.  And it worked out."

"Attitude wise, on the basketball floor, as well as in the classroom, this is the best bunch I've ever worked with.  I'm more proud of them for that than winning the game."  Seldom has one team played as important a role in the season of another team, as did Hiland in Garaway's.

The Corsairs carved out 7 straight victories, before a trip to the Hawks' gym stopped the streak 60-56 in an overtime.  They later avenged that loss by defeating the Flyers 57-52 at Sugarcreek.  This time the chips were on the table and the Hiland Hawks came through with a straight flush to win going away.

Before most had settled down for an expected close score Garaway had tossed the ball away 6 times and Hiland had turned opportunists by flying to a 10-0 lead in the very first 4 minutes of play.  The Pirates, despite all its efforts, many which led only to frustration, never recovered.  It cut the gap to 6 and 5 points several times...but that was the closest it could come.

The Flyers played it smart after racking up the early lead which resulted from its well-knit press.  It began working for the close in shot.  With 5-9 Linus Miller turning in a dazzling display out front and 6-1 Gene Gerber outfoxing the Corsairs with his crashing drives from the side, the Hiland Hawks turned the game into a rout midway in the final canto.

At the time Hiland began their binge the Garaway Pirates were behind 44-36 and 4 minutes remained to play.  When the clock hands hit the 1:05 mark the Hawks were on top 56-36.  "It just wasn't our night," Stull said, "I think they beat us all the way down the line.  I have to give them the credit, they were a better team than us tonight.

"There's really not much you can do when you can't get the ball in the basket.  We certainly wish them all the luck in the world at Canton."  The Pirates' 2 great Senior stars, Charles "Chuck" Stingel and Koran Zehnder, made their bow in the game.  Stingel led the Corsairs scoring with 18 points and Zehnder, who found difficulty in finding openings in the Flyers defense, made 12 markers.

Gerber set the scoring pace for the Hiland Hawks with 24 points and Miller connected for 20.  Unofficial figures showed the Garaway Pirates ending with 36.6 percent of their field goals connecting as they netted 17 of 46.  They made 11 of 17 from the free throw line.

Hiland's percentage, also unofficial, was nothing short of amazing.  It made 22 of 38 field goals for 57.8 percent.  It tossed in 14 of 21 free throws.  The Hawks will enter next week's Regional Tournament with a .920 won and lost percentage.  As District King, the Flyers replaces the Midvale Blue Devils.  The Blue Devils were spilled by the Northwestern Huskies last year in their Regional Tournament opener at Canton.

Last night Schrock was asked if, perhaps, his team had possibly been thinking of a try at Northwestern as it ripped through the Pirates of Garaway's defenses.  Northwestern, which led the Associated Press Class A poll this season, edged the Hawks 49-47 for their only other defeat.  Schrock was quick to comment, "we don't try to think too far in advance.  We just take these games one at a time."

Be that as it may.  But there is still the possibility the teams could meet at the Regional opener...or still yet the finals.  Northwestern, along with the Lowellville Rockets and the Frazeysburg Red Raiders or the Hopewell Blue Tornadoes, which play tonight at New Concord, will be competing in the meet slated to take place next Friday and Saturday nights.  Drawings will be held tomorrow afternoon in the Holiday Inn Motel at Canton.

HILAND HAWKS - 58

Phil Miller 0-0-0
Gene Gerber 8-8-24
Dave Mast 2-0-4
Bob Hochstetler 3-2-8
Terry Hershberger 1-0-2
Linus Miller 8-4-20

GARAWAY PIRATES - 45

Tom Andreas 2-0-4
Jim Gerber 2-0-4
Chuck Stingel 8-2-18
Bob Raber 1-1-3
Koran Zehnder 3-6-12
Bud Yakley 1-1-3
Dannis 0-1-1

HILAND.....17-25-38-58
GARAWAY   8-20-30-45


Saturday, March 12, 1960
Norm Singleton, Sports Editor
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

NOTE:  The Hiland Hawks would go on to the Regional Tournament and lose in the 1st game to the Northwestern Huskies 47-41!