50 - Bolivar Upends Millersburg 65-53 (3-1-50)

A Millersburg Knights cager misses a shot as the Bolivar Cardinals annex a surprising 65-53 victory in the Class B Sectional Tournament at Memorial Hall Wednesday night.  The Spartans identified in the picure are Stafford (11) and Herman Cline (12).  Ed Grossenbacher (30) and Maurice Lundenberger (24) await a posssible rebound which will give the Cardinals possession of the ball.  (Jay Springer - Photographer)

Bolivar forward (25) drives in for a layup shot at Memorial Hall last night when his team whipped Millersburg in the Class B Sectional meet.  Teammate Maurice Lundenberger stands by for a possible followup shot, while Stafford (11) of Millersburg is kept out of the play.  (These photos were taken by The Daily Reporter Staff Photographer Jay Springer.)


DOVER:  Bolivar's dark-horse Cardinals and Dennison St. Mary's engulfing Blue Waves washed initial opponents off the course to a Class B Sectional Championship in last night's booming session at Memorial Hall.  The Millersburg Knights and Big Prairie Bulldogs were the victims.  It was the same Millersburg team which 3 times this season has pounded Class A foes into submission that was toppled before a merciful 65-53 trouncing from the Tuscarawas County Tournament runner-up, Bolivar.

It was the same Big Prairie team which blasted the Walnut Creek Cardinals to a tune of 81-52 in the Holmes County Consolation Division play-offs that reeled before the 66-54 onslaught of Dennison St. Mary's.  Both counted as upsets.  Neither was surprising to some 900 fans who watched the game.  The Red Birds roared onto the floor with the same kind of baffling aggressiveness that marked them as a Cinderella Five...Giant Killers in the county tournament.

Only the Strasburg Tigers, Mineral City Tigers and the Stone Creek Golden Panthers, county tournament vanquished, could appreciate the sting of the Bolivar Cardinals (4-1) (14-12) whose attack racked up a 4-point lead in the last seconds of the game.  The Millersburg Knights (12-9) looked smoother when the 2 teams made the jump and formed the opening play, but the Cardinals again proved deceptive.

The Red Birds' lanky, 6-3 Senior center Maurice Lundenberger was the key.  He sifted and swirled through the loose Knights' zone to pocket 23 points hitting 10 field goals and 3 free throws.  Running mate Junior forward Bill Willard caught hold in the driving finish that saw Bolivar post 22 markers to whip the net with 16 points total, all 8 shots from the court.

The Spartans' dangerous center 6-4 Joe Norman, failed to outdo the Cardinals' ace and ended the game on the bench with only 6 points in the payoff column.  He was taken out early in the 2nd period when 4 personals were posted against him.  Norman returned to the game at the opening of the final canto to remain for only a few minutes before that big 5 caught up with him.

The quarter stops were:  14-13...Bolivar in the 1st quarter, 26-26 at intermission and 43-40...Bolivar at the end of the 3rd stanza.

Forward Dan Kauffman handled the bulk of the scoring duties for the losers with 8 field goals and 2 free throw tosses for 18 points.  Eight of the total were recorded in a torrid 2nd quarter that ended when the teams were knotted at 26.  Strangely enough, each team had 11 goals and 4 free throw points by intermission.  That doesn't happen too often.  Junior guard Bob Burkhart of Bolivar was also in double figures grabbing 10 points.

BOLIVAR CARDINALS - 65

Bill Willard F 8-0-16
Ed Grossenbacher F 1-3-5
Maurice Lundenberger C 10-3-23
Carl McFeeders G 3-1-7
Junior Geers G 2-0-4
Bob Burkhart G 5-0-10

MILLERSBURG KNIGHTS - 53

Dan Kauffman F 8-2-18
Hermine Cline F 4-3-11
Joe Norman C 2-2-6
Huston G 3-3-9
Stafford G 1-1-3
Shonk C 3-0-6
Shaw G 0-0-0
Levengood F 0-0-0


Thursday, March 2, 1950
Jim Gatten, Sports Writer
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

NOTE:  BULLDOG WINS HEARTS OF FANS

Tenacity failed to keep astride the surging power of the Dennison St. Mary's Blue Waves last night, but Big Prairie's mascot, "Tam" the bulldog, won his own place in the hearts of the fans.

When the Bulldogs scampered on the floor last night, "Tam" waddled right along slipping and sliding on the unsure hardwood.  But, when the game started, "Tam" sat with his owner, Mel Richey of Big Prairie and behaved better than any other fan in the house.

NOTE:  BASKETBALL HIGHLIGHTS FROM 'RIGHT DOWN THE LINE' WITH REX RIDENOUR

Head Coach Warren Craigo's Bolivar Cardinals hit the headlines again last night when they pulled their 2nd major upset on the tournament trail by trouncing a highly regarded Millersburg Knights team.  This victory was even more decisive than was the county tournament win over the Straburg Tigers...53-50.

Sensational pivot play by 6-3 Senior center Maurice Lundenberger again fired up the Cardinals.  The Knights, led by highly touted center Joe Norman, were never able to hold the rampaging Red Birds and near the end, were the victims of a surprising rout.

This performance should make the Dover St. Joseph's Ramblers-Bolivar battle Friday night worth watching.  The Ramblers topped the Cardinals once this season, but the Red Birds are evening old scores in tournament contests.

50 - The Tuscarawas Tournament At Memorial Hall This Year Reached 6,741

DOVER - According to the figures released by County Superintendent W.E. Laws, the 1950 Class B Tournament was attended by a total of 6,741 paying customers in the 7 night stand.  The take at the gate amounted to $4,070.84 as compared to $4,511.25 last year when a record high for a single night's attendance of 1,866 was set at Dennison.

This year's high was established on the semi-finals night when a paid attendance of 1,508 customers witnessed the Midvale Blue Devils and Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates as well as the Bolivar Cardinals and Stone Creek Golden Panthers battle.  The lowest finals night attendance in the last 7 years was had when but 1,174 paid fans saw the Championship games as compared to 1,644 last year.

The finals night attendance in the last 7 years was recorded as follows:

1944 - 1,174
1945 - 1,538
1946 - 1,315
1947 - 1,335
1948 - 1,342
1949 - 1,644
1950 - 1,174

The breakdown of paid attendance for the 7-night stand at Dover's Memorial Hall for this year's tournament is as follows:

1st Night - 783
2nd Night - 818
3rd Night - 1,133
4th Night - 620
5th Night - 1,058
6th Night - 705
7th Night - 1,174


Tuesday, February 28, 1950
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

50 - Right Down The Line

Monday, February 27, 1950
Dover, Ohio


IT WILL BE "Sudden Death" for any team which falters on the tournament trail from here on in.  Tuscarawas County fans will have a rich fare of basketball this week at Memorial Hall in Dover where the Class B teams launch Sectional play on this sudden death basis.

The balance of power in the Dover Sectional Tournament seems to be in the lower bracket where the Midvale Blue Devils, Bolivar Cardinals, Millersburg Knights, Berlin Blue Jays and Dover St. Joseph's Ramblers are bunched.  The Strasburg Tigers and Dennison Railroaders appear to be the 2 top teams in the upper brackets which includes the Dennison St. Mary's Blue Waves, Big Prairie Bulldogs and Malvern Green Hornets.

Dover St. Joseph's got a break in the draw and can certainly use it.  The Ramblers do not play until Friday night.  This will give All-County Senior Ed Reiger and Sophomore Sonny (Sam) Mascotti a chance to recover from illness which has them bed-ridden at the present time.  If Millersburg can get by Bolivar, the Spartans of Millersburg will meet the Ramblers for the 2nd time this season.  The 1st time the Saints trouned them by 19 points.

Millersburg; however, is an in-and-out team.  They have 2 decisions over Class A Wooster and one over the Uhrichsville Wildcats.  Big Prairie can be called the dark horse of the upper bracket.  A familiar name is missing from this year's list and Big Prairie is responsible for it.

The Walnut Creek Cardinals will not be around this year...they were laced by the Bulldogs on Saturday night in the Holmes County Consolation Division...81-52.  Berlin also defeated the Cardinals in the Championship contest and are here this year with one of their best teams of recent seasons.

Any attempt to establish a favorite in the Class B meet would be more foolish than going over a water-fall in a barrel.  One would probably wind up with just the barrel for covering.

50 - The Dover Class B Sectional Basketball Tournament

DOVER - The Midvale Blue Devils, Tuscarawas County Class B Champions and he Malvern Green Hornets, Carroll County Champions, were seeded teams at the drawings for the Dover Sectional Tournament at the Dover High School building Sunday afternoon.  Tournament play will start Wednesday and continue through Saturday with 2 winners qualifying for the Class B District meet at Steubenville next week.

Coaches at the drawing agreed to seed 2 teams after several methods were suggested by tournament Manager Don Campbell.  It was decided to have the 3 county winners, Tuscarawas, Holmes and Carroll, draw for the 2 seeded positions.  Midvale and Malvern drew the 2 positions, while Berlin Blue Jays, Holmes County titlist, is to draw on a selective basis with the other 7 teams.

The Dennison St. Mary's Blue Waves, Tuscarawas County Independent, will open play on Wednesday night at 7:30PM when they will meet the Big Prairie Bulldogs of Holmes County, a runner-up team which laced the Walnut Creek Cardinals Saturday night, in the upper bracket.  At 8:30 Wednesday, the Bolivar Cardinals, Tuscarawas County runner-up, collides with the Millersburg Knights, Holmes County Independent, in the lower bracket.

The Strasburg Tigers, Tuscarawas County Consolation Division winner, meets Malvern Thursday night in the upper bracket, while Midvale collides with Berlin Thursday in a lower bracket feature.  Head Coach Jack Castignola's Dover St. Joseph's Ramblers will not see action until Friday night when they play the winner of the Bolivar-Millersburg battle.

The Dennison Railroaders are also idle until Friday when the Railroaders collide with the winner of the St. Mary's-Big Prairie game.  Qualifying rounds in both brackets will be held Saturday night.

Teams from the same county were not permitted to play each other in the 1st round.  The draw also placed the 2 Tuscarawas County powers, Strasburg and Midvale, in opposite brackets, but Bolivar was put into the same bracket with the Blue Devils.

The top record teams in the meet, including tournament play, are:

Midvale (16-7)
Strasburg (19-5)
Big Prairie (18-9)
Malvern (14-6)
Berlin (15-8)

Other records include:

Dennison (10-8)
St. Mary's (10-8)
St. Joseph's (9-9)
Bolivar (13-12)
Millersburg 12-8)

Tournament officials will be Vally Dirodis and Nick Frascella of Akron.  Doors for each session will open at 6:30PM and admission will be 40 and 60 cents.


Monday, February 27, 1950
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

50 - 28th Annual Tuscarawas County Class B Basketball Tournament Stats

TOURNAMENT STANDINGS

1.  Midvale Blue Devils (Bill French-3) 3-0 1.000 (TC) (2nd Consecutive Year)
2.  Strasburg Tigers (Don Martin-2) 4-1 .800 (CC)
3.  Bolivar Cardinals (Warren Craigo-2) 3-1 .600 (T-RU)
4.  Stone Creek Golden Panthers (Ken Newlon-2) 2-2 .500
5.  Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (Gerald Straley-1) 2-2 .500
6.  Tuscarawas Broncos (Ray Clevers-1) 2-2 .500
7.  Dundee Bulldogs (Fritz F. Jacobs-3) 1-2 .333
8.  Port Washington Purple Riders (Bray Toot-4) 1-2 .333
9.  Baltic Eagles (?) 0-2 .000
10. Gnadenhutten Indians (Ray Blickensderfer-3) 0-2 .000
11. Mineral City Tigers (L.R. Bonvechio-1) 0-2 .000

TOURNAMENT SCORES

WEDNESDAY 2-15-50

Port 54 - Baltic 35
Sugarcreek-Shanesville 63 - Dundee 39
Bolivar 53 - Strasburg 50

THURSDAY 2-16-50

Stone Creek 63 - Gnaden 61
Midvale 45 - Port 21

FRIDAY 2-17-50

Dundee 68 - Baltic 24 (C)
Strasburg 68 - Gnaden 52 (C)
Sugarcreek-Shanesville 69 - Tuscarawas 62

SATURDAY 2-18-50

Tuscarawas 49 - Port 46 (C)
Strasburg 64 - Dundee 24 (C)
Bolivar 69 - Mineral City 52

WEDNESDAY 2-22-50

Tuscarawas 76 - Mineral City 43 (C)
Midvale 51 - Sugarcreek-Shanesville 49
Bolivar 52 - Stone Creek 50

THURSDAY 2-23-50

Strasburg 53 - Sugarcreek-Shanesville 48 (C)
Stone Creek 61 - Tuscarawas 59 (C)

FRIDAY 2-24-50

Strasburg 62 - Stone Creek 57 (CC)
Midvale 48 - Bolivar 42 (TC)

STATE TOURNAMENT APPEARANCE

Strasburg Tigers 1928
Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates 1932
Strasburg Tigers 1935
Midvale Blue Devils 1937
Strasburg Tigers 1938
Midvale Blue Devils 1940
Midvale Blue Devils 1941
Gnadenhutten Indians 1942

MOST POINTS SINGLE GAME THIS TOURNAMENT

1.  Maurice Lundenberger (BC) 29
2.  Dale Adams (MC) 27
3.  Jerry Rausch (T) 27
4.  Ike Hostetler (SS) 26
5.  Glen Zimmerman (SS) 26
6.  Tom Miller (S) 25
7.  Bill Willard (BC) 22
8.  Jerry Rausch (T) 21
9.  John Kohler (T) 20
10. 4 tied with 19

MOST FIELD GOALS SINGLE GAME THIS TOURNAMENT

1.  Maurice Lundenberger (BC) 13
2.  Ike Hostetler (SS) 11
3.  Jerry Rausch (T) 11
4.  Glen Zimmerman (SS) 11
5.  Tom Miller (S) 10
6.  Jerry Rausch (T) 10
7.  Bill Willard (BC) 10
8.  Dale Adams (MC) 9
9.  Tom Miller (S) 9
10. Bill Tharp (T) 9

MOST FREE THROWS SINGLE GAME THIS TOURNAMENT

1.  Dale Adams (MC) 9
2.  Hal Ridenour (SC) 8
3.  Carl Pissocra (M) 7
4.  Ed Grossenbacher (BC) 6
5.  Carl McFeeders (BC) 6
6.  Don Gepfert (S) 6
7.  Ike Hostetler (SS) 6
8.  Ike Hostetler (SS) 6
9.  Glen Zimmerman (SS) 6
10. 9 tied with 5

MOST POINTS THIS TOURNAMENT

1.  Hal Ridenour (SC) 72
2.  Tom Miller (S) 70
3.  Jerry Rausch (T) 69
4.  Maurice Lundenberger (BC) 68
5.  Glen Zimmerman (SS) 62
6.  John Kohler (T) 61
7.  Ike Hostetler (SS) 60
8.  Bill Willard (BC) 58
9.  Jim Knox (SS) 48
10. Jim Pfeiffer (SC) 48

MOST FIELD GOALS THIS TOURNAMENT

1.  Maurice Lundenberger (BC) 30
2.  Tom Miller (S) 29
3.  Jerry Rausch (T) 29
4.  Hal Ridenour (SC) 28
5.  John Kohler (T) 25
6.  Bill Willard (BC) 25
7.  Glen Zimmerman (SS) 25
8.  Ike Hostetler (SS) 23
9.  Jim Knox (SS) 20
10. Jim Pfeiffer (SC) 20

MOST FREE THROWS THIS TOURNAMENT

1.  Ike Hostetler (SS) 19
2.  Don Gepfert (S) 17
3.  Hal Ridenour (SC) 16
4.  Carl McFeeders (BC) 15
5.  Tom Miller (S) 12
6.  Glen Zimmerman (SS) 12
7.  Norman Couts (S) 11
8.  John Kohler (T) 11
9.  5 tied with 10

ALL-TOURNAMENTS

1923-33 See 1933 Tournament
1934-46 See 1946 Tournament
1947 - Strasburg Tigers (11) (2) - Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (4) (5)
1948 - Strasburg Tigers (12) (2) - Midvale Blue Devils (3) (4)
1949 - Midvale Blue Devils (4) (4) - Mineral City Tigers (0) (1)
1950 - Midvale Blue Devils (5) (4) - Bolivar Cardinals (2) (4)

ALL CONSOLATION DIVISION TOURNAMENTS

1934-46 See 1946 Consolation Tournament
1947 - Tuscarawas Broncos (4) (0) - Bolivar Cardinals (1) (1)
1948 - Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (2) (2) - Dundee Bulldogs (0) (1)
1949 - Sugarcreek-Shanesville  (3)(2) - Gnadenhutten Indians (2) (4)
1950 - Strasburg Tigers (4) (1) - Stone Creek Golden Panthers (0) (1)

TOTAL STANDINGS

1.  Strasburg Tigers (1923) 78-20 .796
2.  Midvale Blue Devils (1928) 50-24 .676
3.  Sugarcreek (1924) 54-32 .628
4.  Bolivar Cardinals (1923) 45-37 .549
5.  Gnadenhutten Indians (1923) 43-37 .538
6.  Tuscarawas Broncos (1923) 34-35 .493
7.  Baltic Eagles (1926) 24-42 .364
8.  Dundee Bulldogs (1923) 22-42 .344
9.  Stone Creek Golden Panthers (1933) 16-34 .320
10. Port Washington Purple Riders (1927) 15-40 .273
11. Mineral City Tigers (1923) 12-41 .226

MOST POINTS SINGLE GAME ALL TOURNAMENTS

1.  Elmer Linard (P) (1946) 34
2.  Elmer Linard (P) (1945) 32
3.  Fred Walton (T) (1946) 31
4.  Harland Stiffe (SS) (1927) 30
5.  Max Regula (B) (1944) 29
6.  Maurice Lundenberger (BC) (1950) 29
7.  Paul Kate (D) (1947) 28
8.  Glen Zimmerman (SS) (1949) 28
9.  4 tied with 27

MOST FIELD GOALS SINGLE GAME ALL TOURNAMENTS

1.  Warren Klink (BC) (1943) 20
2.  Bill Lockett (G) (1943) 15
3.  Harland Shiffe (SS) (1927) 14
4.  Bill Ridenour (SC) (1943) 14
5.  Max Regula (B) (1944) 14
6.  Elmer Linard (P) (1945) 14
7.  Elmer Linard (P) (1945) 14
8.  Fred Walton (T) (1946) 14
9.  6 tied with 13

MOST FREE THROWS SINGLE GAME ALL TOURNAMENTS

1.  Warren Klink (BC) (1943) 12
2.  Bill Ridenour (SC) (1943) 12
3.  Lester Veigel (T) (1937) 11*
4.  Ernie Raber (SS) (1940) 11
5.  Paul Class (BC) (1936) 10
6.  Paul Kate (D) (1947) 10
7.  Junior Murray (BC) (1947) 10
8.  5 tied with 9

TOTAL POINTS

1.  Clarence Yackey (S) (1945-46-47-48) 220
2.  Glen Zimmerman (SS) (1948-49-50) 218
3.  Warren Klink (BC) (1940-41-42-43) 188
4.  Jim Lindon (G) (1946-47-48-49) 183
5.  Frank Baumholtz (M) (1934-35-36-37) 177
6.  Jim Knox (SS) (1948-49-50) 169
7.  Gene Montague (G) (1946-47-48-49) 166
8.  Rich Bonvechio (T) (1942-43-44-45) 158
9. Hal Ridenour (SC) (1947-48-49-50) 152
10. 2 tied with 150

TOTAL FIELD GOALS

1.  Glen Zimmerman (SS) (1948-49-50) 87
2.  Clarence Yackey (S) (1945-46-47-48) 81
3.  Warren Klink (BC) (1940-41-42-43) 79
4.  Jim Lindon (G) (1946-47-48-49) 79
5.  Tom Haswell (S) (1945-46-47-48) 70
6.  Gene Montague (G) (1946-47-48-49) 69
7.  Jim Knox (SS) (1948-49-50) 68
8.  Rich Bonvechio (T) (1942-43-44-45) 66
9.  Frank Baumholtz (M) (1934-35-36-37) 61*
10. Dan Lechner (MC) (1946-47-48-49) 61

TOTAL FREE THROWS

1.  Clarence Yackey (S) (1945-46-47-48) 58
2.  Glen Zimmerman (SS) (1948-49-50) 44
3.  Frank Baumholtz (M) (1934-35-36-37) 41*
4.  Verle Buchler (SC) (1946-47-48-49) 38
5.  Jack Ford (M) (1946-47-48-49) 38
6.  Paul Kate (D) (1946-47-48) 37
7.  Paul Day (P) (1946-47-48-49) 33
8.  Jim Knox (SS) (1948-49-50) 33
9.  John Harmon (SS) (1934-35-36-37) 32
10. Hal Ridenour (SC) (1947-48-49-50) 32

TEAM HIGH GAME

1.  Tuscarawas Broncos (1946) 102
2.  Tuscarawas Broncos (1947) 92
3.  Port Washington Purple Riders (1946) 85
4.  Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (1949) 82
5.  Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (1944) 77
6.  Tuscarawas Broncos (1950) 76
7.  Tuscarawas Broncos (1945) 70
8.  Strasburg Tigers (1947) 70
9.  3 tied with 69

1,000 CAREER POINT CLUB (League-Non League-All Tournaments)

John Studer (1934) 1,050

NEAR MISSES:  Frank Baumholtz (1937) 997

*Stats missing 1 game

50 - Tuscarawas County 1950 All-Star Team

All-Tournament Team named by The Daily Reporter sports staff following the conclusion of play at Memorial Hall last Friday night.  TOP LEFT:  Senior Center Bob Sherrell - MIDVALE.  TOP RIGHT:  Senior Forward Tom Miller STRASBURG.  BOTTOM LEFT:  Senior Guard Maurice Lundenberger - BOLIVAR.  BOTTOM RIGHT:  Senior Forward Glen Zimmerman - SUGARCREEK-SHANESVILLE.  CENTER PLAYER:  Senior Guard Hal Ridenour - STONE CREEK.


DOVER - Five Tuscarawas County schools are represented on The Daily Reporter All-Tournament Team named following the close of the tourney on Friday night at Memorial Hall.  The players were chosen on a basis of tournament play and season performance was not considered.

Glen Zimmerman Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates' great play-maker and offensive standout, was placed at a forward berth along with the Strasburg Tigers' set shooting ace, Tom Miller.  The Midvale Blue Devils' rangy center, Bob Sherrell, earned the center post, while Maurice Lundenberger of the Bolivar Cardinals was a great threat and Harold Ridenour, the Stone Creek Golden Panther sparkplug, drew the guard berths.  Although Lundenberger is a center, he was placed at a guard post to make room for Sherrell.

Bolivar placed one man on the 2nd team, Senior forward Ed Grossenbacher, while Midvale's Junior guard Carl Pissocra gained a berth with the 2nd Five.  Forward Ike Hostetler of Sugarcreek-Shanesville was named to the 2nd team along with Junior foward Jerry Rausch of the Tuscarawas Broncos and Senior forward Don Gepfert of the Strasburg Tigers.

The Honorable Mention list includes:

Sophomore Forward Dean Huprich (Baltic Eagles)
Senior Guard Carl McFeeders (Bolivar Cardinals)
Junior Guard Bob Burkhart (Bolivar Cardinals)
Junior Forward Bill Willard (Bolivar Cardinals)
Sophomore Center Loris Hostetler (Dundee Bulldogs)
Senior Center Dale Brick (Gnadenhutten Indians)
Junior Guard Ron Kohl (Gnadenhutten Indians)
Junior Forward Harry Rennicker (Midvale Blue Devils)
Senior Forward Dale Adams (Mineral City Tigers)
Junior Center Bill Jones (Port Washington Purple Riders)
Senior Guard Gene McPherson (Stone Creek Golden Panthers)
Senior Forward Jim Pfeiffer (Stone Creek Golden Panthers)
Senior Guard Dick Froman (Strasburg Tigers)
Senior Center Jim Huffman (Strasburg Tigers)
Senior Forward Jim Knox (Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates)
Senior Center Wayne Schrock (Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates)
Forward John Kohler (Tuscarawas Broncos)
Junior Guard Bill Tharp (Tuscarawas Broncos)


Monday, February 27, 1950
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

50 - The Midvale Blue Devils Win Their 5th Tuscarawas County Tournament 48-42 (2-24-50)

The Midvale Blue Devils, winner of The Daily Reporter Tournament Trophy.  The Blue Devils defeated the Bolivar Cardinals 48-42 for their 2nd consecutive tournament title and their 5th overall.  FRONT:  Bill Marshall - Larry Daley - George Wilson - Dick Tolloti - Delbert Graham and Bill De Mattio.  BACK:  Darrell Davis - Carl Pissocra - Bob Sherrell (with The Daily Reporter Trophy) - Harry Rennicker - Rudy Ruffini - Kay Ford and Head Coach Bill French.

The Bolivar Cardinals, runner-up in the 16th Annual Tuscarawas County Class B Basketball Tournament and winner of the Sanitary Milk Company of Dover and Canton Trophy.  FRONT:  Junior Geers - Bill Willard - Bob Burkhart - Ed Grossenbacher (with trophy) - Carl McFeeders and Maurice Lundenberger.  BACK:  Charles Hughes - John Ewing - Wayne Kromine - Calvin Geckler - Delvin Haut - Bill Rex and Head Coach Warren Craigo.

FRONT PAGE NEWS - Team captains of the Tuscarawas County basketball quintet which won trophies at the 28th Annual Class B Basketball Tournament completed at Memorial Hall on Friday night.  Senior Forward Tom Miller of the Strasburg Tigers holding the trophy awarded the Consolation Division winner by the S. Toomey Company of Dover and Senior Center Bob Sherrell of the Midvale Blue Devils with The Daily Times Trophy awarded the County League winner.  (The Daily Reporter Trophy with white base awarded the tournament winner, Midvale, shown in foreground on table); Ed Grossenbacher of the Bolivar Cardinals standing behind the runner-up trophy awarded by the Sanitary Milk Company of Dover and Canton.  Extreme right, County Supt. W.E. Laws who presented the trophies.


DOVER -Midvale's Blue Devils won The Daily Reporter Tuscarawas County Class B Basketball Tournament Trophy for the 2nd consecutive year Friday night when they scored a 48-42 victory over the Giant Killing Bolivar Cardinals in the finals before a packed house of nearly 2,000 fans at Memorial Hall.  Strasburg gained a berth as well in the Dover Sectional Tournament meet next week by turning back the Stone Creek Golden Panthers 62-57 in a torrid Consolation Division Championship contest.

Both Midvale and Bolivar will join Strasburg in the Sectional Tournament drawings which will be held Sunday afternoon in the Dover High School building, Room 114 at 2PM.  The Dover St. Joseph's Ramblers, Dennison Railroaders, Dennison St. Mary's Blue Waves, Millersburg Knights, Berlin Blue Jays, another team from Holmes County and one from Carroll County will participate in the tourney which opens next Wednesday night.

In the Championship game, the Bolivar Cardinals (3-1) (13-12) (45-37), the Cinderella Giant Killing team of the tournament, fought an uphill battle against the favored Midvale Blue Devils (3-0) (16-7) (50-24) after getting off to a very shaky start in the 1st half.

The Blue Devils, employing their tight zone defense, held the Cardinals offensive in check and forged an 11-6 first quarter lead, mostly on the basis of pivot marksmanship by Senior Bob Sherrell, 6-4 pivot man.  Sherrell rimmed 6 of 11 field goal tries the Diablos.  The Red Birds were still unable to find the range or solve the Midvale defenses in the 2nd period and the Blue Devils stepped into a 30-15 lead.

Junior forward Harry Rennicker, Sherrell and Senior forward Rudy Ruffini fired up the Diablos in this period with Rennicker netting 8 points.  Only the set shooting of Junior forward Bill Willard and Senior center Maurice Lundenberger kept Bolivar from falling victims of a rout in this 1st half.

The 2nd half; however, was an entirely different story.  Head Coach Warren Craigo's Cardinals settled down in the 3rd stanza and trimmed the Midvale margin to 37-27, outscoring the Champions 12 to 7.  It was the set shooting of Willard, who developed into one of the tournament's brightest stars Friday night, which shattered the Blue Devils' supremacy of the 1st half.

Willard bagged 9 of the Red Birds' 12 points in this period, while Lundenberger and Ed Grossenbacher shackled Sherrell and held the Diablos ace scoreless.  Bolivar continued to surge to the front in the last canto, but the time ran out before they could overhaul the tremendous 1st half advantage held by Midvale.

With Willard continuing his torrid pace of the 3rd stanza, Cardinals outplayed the Blue Devils again in the last quarter.  Two filed goals by Rennicker and one each by Sherrell and Senior guard George Wilson staved off what might have been a disaster for the defending Champions in the last half.

Neither team exhibited any great amount of floormanship or ball handling ability; although, the Red Birds were intercepting the Diablo passes in the last half and slowing down the Midvale offense.

Bolivar's Willard paced both teams in the scoring department with 22 points.  Midvale's Rennicker meshed 15 points, while his teammate Sherrell followed up with 14 markers.  The Cardinals shut down Sherrell in the last half of play.  He had 11 points when the 2nd half started.

Lundenberger, Bolivar's fine center, had 4 fouls called on him in the 1st half and was benched in the 3rd quarter, depriving the Cardinals of an offensive punch in the pivot slot.

MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS - 48

Harry Rennicker F 6-3-15
Carl Pissocra F 1-2-4
Bob Sherrell C 6-3-14
Rudy Ruffini G 3-0-6
Kay Ford G 0-0-0
George Wilson G 3-2-8
Darrell Davis G 0-1-1

BOLIVAR CARDINALS - 42

Ed Grossenbacher F 1-2-4
Bill Willard F 10-2-22
Maurice Lundenberger C 4-1-9
Wayne Kromine C 0-1-1
Carl McFeeders G 0-5-5
Bob Burkhart G 0-1-1


Saturday, February 25, 1950
Rex Ridenour, Sports Editor
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

NOTE:  COUNTY SCHOOLS GET TOURNAMENT TROPHY AWARDS

"I think you fans will agree with me that this tournament has provided more thrills and upsets than the annual event has had for several years," said W.E. Laws, County Superintendent of Schools, in his opening remarks at halftime of the Championship game last night when he made formal presentation of trophies and individual awards.

Continueing, Mr. Laws, speaking for the county schools, thanked the trophy donors, the county newspapers, radio station WJER and the advertisers, who provided tournament programs, for taking such an interest in Tuscarawas County athletics.

The County League Trophy, presented by The Daily Times, was given to Senior center Bob Sherrell, who represented the Champion Midvale Blue Devils.  Senior forward Tom Miller received the Consolation Division Trophy for the Strasburg Tigers, with S.Toomey Company the donors.  Senior forward Ed Grossenbacher represented the Bolivar Cardinals.

The tournament winner and runner-up trophies and individual awards were presented to Midvale and Bolivar, respectively, following the game.  The Daily Reporter provided the Championship Trophy, while the runner-up prize came from the Sanitary Milk Company of Dover and Canton.  Twelve gold basketball awards were provided the winners by Marsh Wall Tile Company and the Mineral City Hardware.  The same number of silver basketballs went to the runner-up squad and were donated by the Stone Creek Brick Company.