51 - Tusky Waylays Bolivar 68-57 (2-22-51)

Junior Wayne Kromi (26), Bolivar Center, loses the ball in last night's Bolivar Cardinals-Tuscarawas Broncos game at Memorial Hall and 3 Broncos charge in for the attempt to recover it.  The Colts in the photo are Seniors Dick Kerns (5), Jerry Rausch (7) and Martin Vesco (4).

The Tuscarawas Broncos' Senior Jerry Rausch led the Broncos in a 68-57 victory over the Bolivar Cardinals by leading his team in scoring 20 points in the Consolation Division contest.  Rausch has amassed a total of 85 points for a game average of 21.3 points per game after 4 games.


DOVER - The Midvale Blue Devils, defending Champions and the Strasburg Tigers will collide tonight in Memorial Hall for the Daily Reporter Class B County Tournament Trophy at 8:45PM following a Consolation Division battle between the Dundee Bulldogs and Tuscarawas Broncos at 7:30PM.  The 4 teams which will see action tonight in the tournament's final round are the only survivors in a field of 11 which began the tournament grind on February 13th.  Three teams, the winner, runner-up and Consolation Division winner, will advance to the Sectional Tournament eliminations next Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Memorial Hall.

Head Coach Ike Wiseman's Bulldogs gained a berth in the Consolation Division round Thursday night by eliminating a stubborn Stone Creek Golden Panthers quintet 68-51, while Head Coach Chuck Lorenz' Broncos knocked the Bolivar Cardinals out of contention 68-57 before a small crowd.

Head Coach Warren Craigo's Bolivar Cardinals (1-2) (6-16) (46-39), who Wednesday night upset the Gnadenhutten Indians 47-45, threatened to repeat that performance against the Tuscarawas Broncos (3-1) (14-8) (37-36) for 2 quarters last night in a Consolation Division contest, but hot-shooting Seniors Jerry Rausch and Russ Walton bombarded the Cardinals in the 3rd stanza to break the game wide open.  The Red Birds held a 13-12 first quarter lead, but the Broncos forged a 26-24 intermission margin.  Rausch and Walton kept the Colts on the winning trail in that 3rd period 56-34.

Rausch sparked Tusky with 20 points, while Walton, Senior Bill Tharp and Senior Bob McPeek tossed in 14, 14 and 12 markers respectively.  Senior Junior Geers led all scorers with 22 points and his teammates, Junior Calvin Geckler dropped in 13 and Sophomore Delvin Haut tossed in 11, for Bolivar.

Tonight's title battle between Midvale and Strasburg will see Head Coach Chuck Stocker's Blue Devils driving for their 3rd straight tournament title.  Strasburg, meanwhile, will be gunning for their 1st tournament trophy since the balloon days of Clarence Yackey, Tom Haswell, et al, back in 1948.  Another capacity crowd is expected for the title session tonight.  Doors will open at 6PM.  The Tigers won a close one 56-54 in their only game of the regular season.

TUSCARAWAS BRONCOS - 68

Jerry Rausch 8-4-20
Rich Hill 0-1-1
Russ (Ike) Walton 7-0-14
Dick Kerns 0-0-0
Jim Ronald 0-2-2
Martin Vesco 2-0-4
Bill Tharp 6-2-14
Bob Cerana 0-1-1
Bob McPeek 3-6-12

BOLIVAR CARDINALS

Junior Geers 8-6-22
Delvin Haut 4-3-11
Wayne Kromi 0-1-1
Everett 0-0-0
Calvin Geckler 5-3-13
Bob Burkhart 2-0-4
Frame 3-1-7


Friday, February 23, 1951
Rex Ridenour, Sports Editor
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

51 - Dundee Knocks-Out Stone Creek 68-51 (2-22-51)

DOVER - Head Coach Ken Newlon's Stone Creek Golden Panthers (2-2) (8-20) (18-36) made a battle of it for 3 quarters, holding a 25-24 halftime lead after having the score knotted at 11-11 at the close of the 1st frame.  In the 3rd stanza, the Dundee Bulldogs (3-1) (14-10) (25-43) and their sparkling twin Juniors, Loris and Louis Hostetler, broke loose against the Golden Panthers and gave the Bulldogs a 47-44 edge going into the final canto.

Dundee kept going in the last quarter to gain their decisive margin on the basis of scoring sprees by the Hostetler twins and Senior forward Dick Kate.  Meanwhile, the Bulldogs' sliding zone defense held Stone Creek to a pair of field goals in the closing quarter.

Loris Hostetler netted 23 points for the Bulldogs and Louis Hostetler poured in 19.  Junior Willis Ridenour and Sophomore Jerry Gasser, the Golden Panthers' top performers, paced the Panther attack with 16 and 21 points respectively.

DUNDEE BULLDOGS - 68

Dick Kate 4-3-11
Weldon Flynn 0-1-1
Louis Hostetler 8-3-19
Gene Muster 0-0-0
Loris Hostetler 10-3-23
Slemmer 0-0-0
Merlyn Immel 3-2-8
George Sliffe 0-0-0
Curt Beamer 1-2-4

STONE CREEK GOLDEN PANTHERS

Jim Lorenz 1-1-3
Paul Heid 0-0-0
Miller 1-0-2
Carl Poland 0-0-0
Willis Ridenour 4-8-16
Jerry Gasser 8-5-21
Ken Heid 3-2-8
Jerry Billman 0-1-1
Gary Grimm 0-0-0


Friday, February 23, 1951
Rex Ridenour, Sports Editor
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

51 - Right Down The Line

Thursday, February 22, 1951
Dover, Ohio


TWO MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY LEAGUE 'BIG THREE' the Midvale Blue Devils (2-0) (18-4) (52-24) and Strasburg Tigers (2-0) (16-6) (80-20) have reached the pay-off round in the tournament firing.  The 3rd member, the Tuscarawas Broncos (2-1) (13-8) (36-36), defeated by Strasburg 62-50) last night, still has to defeat the Bolivar Cardinals (1-1) (6-15) (46-38) and either the Stone Creek Golden Panthers (2-1) (8-19) (18-35) or the Dundee Bulldogs (2-1) (13-10) (24-43) before gaining a berth in the Sectional Division meet next week.

Midvale and Strasburg are assured a Sectional Tournament berth, but that is as much as can be assured either team until after that Championship struggle on Friday night.  Head Coach Don Martin's Tigers, in those final 3 minutes last night, appeared to be just about tops in the county as they rode over the Broncos.  Until then, Tusky had been giving the Bengals plenty of trouble.

THERE STILL ISN'T A FAVORITE for the title...not when the top teams are so evenly matched that one field goal or free throw shot could decide the issue.  Credit Head Coach Ike Wiseman of the Bulldogs with a neat bit of strategy last night.  It may have seemed a waste of opportunity when his Dogs started taking the ball out of bounds instead of shooting free throw shots as early as the 2nd period, but we feel it was sound strategy.

Wiseman's idea was to keep the ball away from the Blue Devils as much as possible and wait for openings in the defense.  With a few more breaks, Dundee could have made that ball-control game pay off.  Credit Head Coach Warren Craigo and his Cardinals with another fine game.  This marks the 2nd straight year the Red Birds have upset a favorite.  This year it was the Gnadenhutten Indians (2-2) (15-10) (45-39), last year it was Strasburg.  As a matter of fact, a lot of credit is due every team and coach for fine performances this year.  There is still more to come.

RON KOHL OF GNADENHUTTEN is leading all tournament scorers with 75 points as of last night.  Jerry Rausch of Tusky has 65, Loris Hostetler of Dundee 57, Ken Huston of Port Washington 47 and Jim Lorens of Stone Creek 45.

BASKETBALL FANS IN THIS AREA are assured of seeing some of the best talent, both team and individual, in the Class B Sectional Tournament eliminations at Memorial Hall next week.  Walnut Creek's powerful Cardinals were ranked 16th in Class B circles by the sports magazine, First and Ten, this week, one notch above the Dennison Railroaders who placed 17th in the magazine poll.

Both the Red Birds and Railroaders will enter the Sectional Tournament.  They may not meet; however, if seeded in different brackets.  Dennison, who plays predominately a Class A schedule, vaulted 30 places after holding the New Philadelphia Quakers to a 69-65 decision last week.  The Quakers were ranked 25th in Class A circles.

The Quakers' fine center, Dave Leggett, leads the State's Class A scorers with 521 points.  Bobby Troyer, Walnut Creek's All-Ohio cager has tallied 465 markers in 21 games, while teammate Ike Hostetler has 468 in 22 contests, including the 15 games he played at Sugarcreek Shanesville.

This is an example of the magazine he is talking about.  This is the March 1951-52 issue of the FIRST AND TEN magazine.

51 - Strasburg Conquers Tusky 62-50 (2-21-15)

Senior John Zeigler of the Strasburg Tigers tries a push shot against the Tuscarawas Broncos, while Senior Bob Cerano fails to stop the attempt.


DOVER - With the pressure on, the blue chips down and 1,800 fans looking on, the Strasburg Tigers and defending Champion Midvale Blue Devils earned the right Wednesday night to battle it out for the The Daily Reporter Trophy Friday in the finals of the County Class B Basketball Tournament at Memorial Hall.  Extended to the limit by a determined Tuscarawas Broncos team, Head Coach Don Martin's Tigers found the spark in the last canto and went on to annex a decisive 62-50 decision in a bitter battle which could have gone either way until the last 2 minutes.

The Midvale Blue Devils played off of their feet by a Dundee Bulldogs team which was bent on an upset, managed to hang on and win 46-42 in the closing stages of another terrific struggle.  It remained for Head Coach Warren Craigo's Bolivar Cardinals; however, to surge back from a defeat at the hands of Tusky last week 74-50 and stun the Gnadenhutten Indians with a 47-45 victory...the tournament's biggest upset to date.

As a result of the Cardinals victory last night, the Red Birds will tackle Tuscarawas tonight at 8:45.  It is the 2nd time in the tournament that the 2 teams have met, the Broncos winning the 1st game last week.  In the other Consolation Division contest tonight, the Stone Creek Golden Panthers tackles Dundee at 7:45.  The 2 winners will clash for the Consolation Division Trophy Friday night with the winner, along with the Championship winner and runner-up advancing to the Sectional Tournament next week at Memorial Hall.

Head Coach Chuck Lorenz' Tuscarawas Broncos (2-1) (13-8) (36-36), who tied the Midvale Blue Devils and Strasburg Tigers (2-0) (16-6) (80-20) for the County League title, kept pace with the Tigers until a blistering attack by Senior Jim Reiger and Junior Dale Bayer in the final 3 minutes blasted Tusky's hopes.  For 3 quarters, the 2 teams fought it out on nearly even terms with the Bengals holding quarter edges of 12-9, 23-20 and 37-35.

Strasburg employed a 1-2-2 zone defense and drew their offensive power from a fast-breaking attack and the set-shooting of Bayer, Senior John Zeigler and Senior Dale Renner.  The Colts attempted to throw a man-to-man defensive barrier at the Tigers, but did not succeed in halting the Bengal aces completely at any stage of the game.

In the 1st half, Zeigler's set shooting from side court cut Tuscarawas down.  The Strasburg forward netted 11 of the 23 Tiger points, while Seniors Jerry Rausch, Russ (Ike) Walton and Bob McPeek distributed scoring for Tusky.  During the 3rd stanza, marksmanship by Bayer, who fired mostly from a set position over the Bronco defense, gave the Bengals the edge as the Ponies again failed to penetrate the Strasburg zone effectively.

In the 4th Canto, Rausch staged a brilliant one-man exhibition as he scored all of Tusky's field goals in this quarter.  His total was 12 points.  It was Rausch who pulled the Broncos from a 48-41 deficit to within one-point of the Strasburg lead with 3 successive action shots from the side.  That was the final Bronco bid; however, as the Tigers, fired by Rieger and Bayer, borke the game wide open in the final 3 minutes.

Zeigler and Reiger led Strasburg with 15 points each and their teammate, Renner, popped in another 10 points.  Tuscarawas' Rausch led all scorers with 22 points.

STRASBURG TIGERS - 62

John Zeigler 7-1-15
Dale Renner 4-2-10
Jim Reiger 6-3-15
Dale Bayer 3-3-9
Rich Rentsch 0-0-0
Bill Von Kaenel 1-1-3

TUSCARAWAS BRONCOS - 50

Jerry Rausch 10-2-22
Russ (Ike) Walton 3-0-6
Martin Vesco 3-1-7
Dick Kerns 0-1-1
Bill Tharp 2-2-6
Bob Cerana 0-0-0
Bob McPeek 3-2-8


Thursday, February 22, 1951
Rex Ridenour, Sports Editor
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

51 - Midvale Cans Dundee 46-42 (2-21-15)

Junior Bill Marshall (10) of the Midvale Blue Devils drives in for a shot against the Dundee Bulldogs in a game won by the Blue Devils 46-42.  Sophomore Rich Tolloti (8), Midvale forward, watches his teammate make the attempt, while the Bulldog's Merlyn Immel (54), Curt Beamer (55), Louis Hostetler (53) and Loris Hostetler (45), all Juniors, rush the Diablo shooter.


DOVER - Head Coach Ike Wiseman's Dundee Bulldogs (2-1) (13-10) (24-43) came out prepared to do a ball control job on the Midvale Blue Devils (2-0) (18-4) (52-24) and did just that with the Blue Devils needing all they had in the final stages to keep alive their title hopes.  Mixing ball control with a change of pace and a clever sliding zone defense which bottled the Diablos' much publicized Sophomore, Rich Tolloti, the Bulldogs held a 13-12 first quarter lead and trailed 25-21 at halftime and by only 33-32 going into the far turn.

Midway in the final canto, Junior Merlyn Immel gave the Dogs their big chance when his set shot made it 39-38, but Midvale, a steady team when the chips are down, fought back to increase their lead in the final minutes.  Senior Harry Rennicker's field goal and Tolloti's free throw shot and field goal made it 44-38, enough to offset Dundee's last minute spurt.

Superior board work by the Blue Devils in the clutch stages of the battle paid off and neutralized the fine Bulldog defense and change of pace offensive.  Although he missed 2 important field goal attempts on a fast break, Junior Loris Hostetler again led the Dogs with 12 points and turned in a good floor game along with his twin brother, Junior Louis Hostetler, Senior Dick Kate, Immel and Junior Curt Beamer.

As stated earlier, Veteran Senior Carl Pissocra geared the Midvale attack with 12 points and was aided greatly in stopping Dundee's attempt to draw the Blue Devils' zone defense out.  Loris Hostetler led the Bulldog offense with 13 points of his own.

MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS - 46

Rich Tolotti 3-2-8
Carl Pissocra 6-0-12
Harry Rennicker 3-0-6
John De Mattio 1-0-2
Don Graham 1-0-2
Darrel Davis 3-0-6
Bill Marshall 4-1-9

DUNDEE BULLDOGS - 42

Dick Kate 1-0-2
Louis Hostetler 4-1-9
Weldon Flynn 1-0-2
Loris Hostetler 6-1-13
Merlyn Immel 4-0-8
Curt Beamer 3-2-8


Thursday, February 22, 1951
Rex Ridenour, Sports Editor
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

51 - Bolivar's Delvin Haut Basket Topples Gnaden 47-45 (2-21-51)

The 1951 Gnadenhutten Indians Varsity Club.  FRONT:  Jack McKeown - Gary Struchen - Sue Roche - Melba Brick - Carole Schreiner - Don Unger and Jim Shamel.  BACK:  Head Coach Fritz Jacobs (Sponsor) - Howard Weston - Richard Jarvis - Ron Gibson - Jerry (Ted) Martin - Ron Kohl - Bob Blickensderfer - Ron Weston - Jim Hunt and Carl Gilmore.


DOVER - By shuffling his lineup without the services of Bill Willard, his top point-getter, Head Coach Warren Craigo of the Bolivar Cardinals (1-1) (6-15) (46-38) again came up with the tournament's gem, an upset victory with the Gnadenhutten Indians (2-2) (15-10) (45-39) the victim this time.  Head Coach Fritz Jacobs of the Indians, after holding the Midvale Blue Devils to an overtime win, were figured as a strong bet for Consolation Division honors, but last night were dropped from the tournament by those never-say-die Cardinals.

Paced by Sophomore Delvin Haut, Senior Bob Burkhart and Senior Junior Geers, a trio of sharp-shooters who had it when the Red Birds needed points.  The Cards took command 14-11 in the 1st quarter and stayed out in front.  The Tribe made one determined bid in the last minute when Senior Bob Blickensderfer knotted the count at 45-45, but Haut blazed in under the basket for the winning field goal and iced the decision for the hard-fighting Bolivar cagers.

Gnaden was never able to take the lead except twice in the 2nd period for a brief time.  The Cardinals throttled the Indians' attack at crucial moments with a 2-3 zone which slowed down the Tribe fast break.   Bolivar had been leading in the 2nd frame 26-25 and 44-38 at the end of the 3rd stanza.

Senior Ron Kohl, Gnaden's fine center, netted 21 points, but this was not enough to offset 16 by Haut, 13 by Geers and 10 by Burkhart.  During the season, Gnadenhutten had beaten Bolivar twice, 55-34 and 67-57.

BOLIVAR CARDINALS - 47

Junior Geers 5-3-13
Frame 0-0-0
Delvin Haut 7-2-16
Bill Rex 0-0-0
Wayne Kromi 0-1-1
Everett 0-1-1
Calvin Geckler 3-0-6
Bob Burkhart 5-0-10

GNADENHUTTEN INDIANS - 45

Paul Brick 3-3-9
Bob Wilbarger 3-1-7
Gary Struchen 0-0-0
Ron Kohl 7-7-21
Carl Grossenbacher 0-0-0
Jerry (Ted) Martin 1-2-4
Bob Blickensderfer 1-2-4
Howard Weston 0-0-0


Thursday, February 22, 1951
Rex Ridenour, Sports Editor
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

51 - Right Down The Line

Sports Editor
Wednesday, February 21, 1951
Dover, Ohio

TONIGHT WILL MARK the 2nd consecutive night for a packed house at Memorial Hall.  Last night, over 2,000 fans jammed into the local sports emporium to watch the Police Fund Wrestling Show and apparently were not disappointed.

TONIGHT, MEMORIAL HALL again becomes the stage for the 29th Annual Tuscarawas County Class B Basketball Tournament teams for another jammed house which is assured.  It's a good bet these cage fans will not be disappointed either.  The Strasburg Tigers (1-0) (15-6) (79-20) and Tuscarawas Broncos (2-0) (13-7) (36-35) battle as features, action of the torrid type is a foregone conclusion.  The Tigers will be looking at picking up their 80th victory in Tuscarawas tournament play since their 1st win in 1923.  Strasburg showed what-was-to-come when they rolled over the Dundee Bulldogs 29-7.

The Midvale Blue Devils (1-0) (17-4) (51-24) will be slightly favored over the Dundee Bulldogs (2-0) (13-9) (24-42), but the Bulldogs may prove difficult.  They held the Blue Devils to a 48-44 decision during the regular season.  The Tuscarawas-Strasburg engagement looms as one of the best in the meet.  In the only meeting of the 2 teams this year, the Tigers ground out a bitter 56-54 victory over the Broncos.  The Broncos split with Midvale, during the season, winning 57-35 and losing 60-53, while Strasburg lost twice to Midvale 43-40 and 48-38.

TWO STRASBURG CAGERS, who were classmates in high school, played against each other last Saturday night when Bowling Green and Ohio University clashed at Athens.  The two, Tom Haswell and Clarence Yackey, were members of Strasburg's District Champions.  Haswell aided the Bobcats in their win over Yackey's Bowling Green Falcons last week.  Following the game, Haswell and Yackey walked off the court arm in arm.  Strasburg's Don Mears, Jim Snyder and Dean Beitzel watched Haswell and Yackey perform against each other.