59 - Sectional Tournament

NEW PHILADELPHIA - Top seeded Tuscarawas County Champion Midvale Blue Devils (19-1) and the kings of Holmes County, the Hiland Hawks (19-2) got byes and were put in opposite brackets when the drawings were held for the Sectional Tournament Class A at Dover yesterday.  Thus, the 2 are assured of not meeting in the next step of schoolboy tournament play at Dover's Memorial Hall.

The Tuscarawas Valley Trojans (18-2) county tournament Runner-up and the Dennison St. Mary Blue Waves (13-5) non-county Champions, will start action tomorrow evening at Memorial Hall in a 7:30 battle, while the Malvern Green Hornets (4-14) and the Killbuck Bucks (16-4) were matched in the lower bracket opener at 8:45 on Tuesday.  The Bucks were Runner-up in Holmes, while the Green Hornets emerged from Carroll County.  The Trojans-Blue Waves victor will move on to clash with the Hawks in a showdown for a District berth on Friday at 8:00.

Meanwhile, the Diablos of Midvale will await the verdict of Killbuck and the Hornets to meet this winter for a District berth on Saturday at 8:00.  The District will also be played at Dover on March 2,3 and 6 with Manager W.E. Laws.

Tickets will be sold at the door only for 60 cents and $1.00.  By the fate of the draw the Tuscarawas County Champions and Runner-up landed in opposite brackets, while the Holmes County victors and Runner-up also crew opposite brackets to assure the teams of not meeting until at least District play.

The teams, after seeding Midvale and Hiland in bye spots, first drew for order of draw and then for the order in which they would pick their spot.  Tusky Valley got 1st pick and chose to go in the bracket with Hiland instead of the Blue Devils, while the Bucks followed by going with the Devils.  In the next choice, the Blue Waves went in the upper to face the Trojans, while the Green Hornets automatically landed with Killbuck.


Monday, February 23, 1959
The Daily Times
New Philadelphia, Ohio

59 - MVP Ben Price Of The Tuscarawas Valley Trojans!

NEW PHILADELPHIA - Extremely youthful looking 6-3 Ben Price, a product of Mineral City who attends Tuscarawas Valley High School, emerged as the coaches' selection as the "Most Valuable Player" of Tuscarawas County.  Price, a top flight center who's favorite shot is a jump-push, fade-away from the side court, was bestowed The Daily Times annual award at ceremonies following the County Tournament finals on Saturday night.

In leading the 3-year-old school to its best season in history, having an 18-2 record going into this week's Sectional Tournament, Price was invaluable to the team.  He tallied 410 points in the 20 contests and was always the center of the opponents' defensive worries.  A forward, Price started his career at Mineral City prior to its becoming consolidated with Bolivar High School.  Tuscarawas Valley Head Coach Bob Heller, in his 2nd-Year as mentor was chosen the "Coach of the Year," for his leading the team to the school's most illustrious record.

Other awards made after the final game at Dover's Memorial Hall included:  The Midvale Blue Devils receiving the League Championship Trophy sponsored by The Daily Times and the Tournament Championship Statue and final game ball; the Tusky Valley Trojans getting the Runner-Up Trophy; gold and silver miniature basketballs to both finalists; the Gnadenhutten Indians and Blue Devils receiving duplicate awards for the Best Cheerleaders and the Tuscarawas Broncos and Strasburg Tigers capping the Honors for their being Co-Champions of the Grade School League.

COACHES ALL-COUNTY TEAM 1958-59

Senior 5-10 Ron Bradley 517 (Gnadenhutten Indians)
Junior 5-11 John Rice  454 (Baltic Eagles)
Senior 6-3 Ben Price 410 (Tuscarawas Valley Trojans)
Junior 5-11 Gary Caviness 407 (Tuscarawas Broncos)
Junior 5-11 Ron Breniser 405 (Midvale Blue Devils)
Senior 5-6 Jim McAfee 393 (Stone Creek Golden Panthers)
Sophomore 5-5 Bill Phillips 393 (Port Washington Purple Riders)
Junior 6-1 Chuck Stingel 333 (Garaway Pirates)
Senior 6-0 Ray Buchanan 265 (Tuscarawas Valley Trojans)
Junior 6-2 Frank Wallick 264 (Strasburg Tigers)


Monday, February 23, 1959
The Daily Times
New Philadelphia, Ohio

59 - Midvale Claims Tuscarawas Championship 65-43 (2-22-59)

Five of a kind is an impossible poker hand.  But in basketball it is perfectly above board and usually tough to out-draw.  The only team in Tuscarawas County to have all 5 starters averaging in double figures is depicted here as the Midvale Blue Devils take their bow after copping their 20th berth in Sectional Tournament play after walking off with the county's League Crown.  This full-house consists of:  Bill Housel - Tom Krocker - Dave Belknap - Ron Breniser and Hanes Hairston.  (PHOTO...The Daily Times by Bob Fisher)



NEW PHILADELPHIA - Hail, Hail the Gang was there!  The Midvale Blue Devils (3-0) (8-0) (19-1) latest edition of the whizkids loomed more brightly than ever today as this county's paramount hope.  The well-balanced, unselfish youngsters from Midvale were never in trouble against the 2nd best Class A county aggregation as they completely humiliated the Tuscarawas Valley Trojans (2-1) (7-1) (18-2) in the tournament finals on Saturday night, 65-43 at Dover's Memorial Hall.

The surprisingly easy triumph by 5th-Year Head Coach Pete Hilliard's quintet thus provided the Blue Devils with its 5th straight Sectional Tournament berth as well as the 20th in the past 34 years.  And in gaining their 2nd straight crown at Dover, the Diablos also put up an almost flawless defense that held the previously once-beaten Trojans to their lowest offensive of the season.  In garnering only 43 points against the tight man-for man defense, TV's 6-4 Senior Ben Price, chosen the Most Valuable Player by county coaches, was held to a mere 13 points.  Watched from start to finish by 6-3 Senior Bill Housel, Price mustered only 5 field goals in the contest.  Thus the fate of the Spartans was unfolded.

The unselfish Devils who continuously have displayed their ability to unveil a different high scorer in nearly ever game this season, were led by 5-11 Junior Ron Breniser's 23 points, while Housel canned 13 and 5-9 Senior Dave Belknap had 11.  Belknap who has been playing Varsity ball since his Sophomore years, was the unheralded hero of the contest as he fired past the defenders into the key to teammates for important points.  In addition, Belknap also drew 7 personal fouls as a result of drive-in faking that had the Red, Black and White talking to themselves.

The Blue and Gold were never headed in garnering their 13th straight decision and 19th in 20 starts as they first broke in front 2-0 on 2 charity tosses by Breniser.  After tying it at 2-all, the Tuscarawas Valley Trojans were then never again to catch the classy lads of the Midvale Blue Devils. Taking a 12-8 lead into the 2nd frame, the Blue Devils defense forced the Trojans to the outside.  As a result TV went scoreless for the first 3 minutes of the 2nd period as the Devils boomed into a 21-8 advantage.  From then on it was only a matter of time as the colorful Blue first took a 33-14 halftime lead and a 51-30 advantage after 3 periods.

The very seldom switching man-for-man defense by the Blue and Gold played havoc with the Spartans all evening, including the Red, Black and White 's overall shooting.  The Tuscarawas Valley Trojans canned but 17 of 61 action flings for 27 percent, while the Midvale Blue Devils potted 27 of 56 for a good 48 percent.  Nearly 70 percent of the Blue Devils action attempts came from close in on methodical maneuvering.  Senior 5-10 Tom Krocker of the victors and 5-10 Sophomore Jim Studer of the losers were the only players to be thumbed via personal fouls.

MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS - 65

Dave Belknap 2-7-11
Tom Krocker 3-0-6
Bill Housel 6-1-13
Hanes Hairston 3-0-6
Ron Breniser 9-5-23
Jim Clark 1-0-2
Ron Kaderly 1-0-2
John Everett 0-0-0
Dale Stansbury 1-0-2
John Leggett 1-0-2

TUSCARAWAS VALLEY TROJANS - 43

Ben Price 5-3-13
Roy Buchanan 3-2-8
Jerry Pullins 0-0-0
Chuck Cantrill 4-0-8
Ron Lake 4-4-12
Jim Studer 1-0-2
Chuck Locker 0-0-0
Wolfe 0-0-0

MIDVALE  12-33-51-65
 TV                8-14-30-43


Monday, February 23, 1959
The Daily Times
New Philadelphia, Ohio

59 - It's Midvale vs TV In The Finals!

NEW PHILADELPHIA - The long surmised meeting of the defending kings of Tuscarawas County and this season's runners-up in League play will climax the 37th Annual Tuscarawas County Class A Basketball Tournament event tonight at 8:00.  The winningest teams in the area will both be putting long and illustrious streaks on the line as they do battle for the coveted Class A Championship.  The Midvale Blue Devils and Tuscarawas Valley Trojans will put identical records of 18-1 in the showdown this evening at Dover's Memorial Hall following their victories last night.

The Blue Devils will be seeking its 13th straight triumph in the battle of decision, while the Trojans will be eyeing revenge for their only setback as well as their 11th in a row.  As both gained Sectional Tournament berths for next week's affair booked for Dover, the Diablos turned the tide late in the 3rd stanza against the Gnadenhutten Indians 69-52, while the Spartans put down a stubborn Garaway Pirates quintet 57-54.

Although defeating Tusky Valley 81-56 in a January regular season contest, the Devils are expected to have plenty of trouble with the sharpshooters aggregation from up Bolivar way.  Regardless of tonight's outcome, the two will move on to the next tournament which will include the Hiland Hawks and the Killbuck Bucks of Holmes County, Dennison St. Mary Blue Waves and Malvern Green Hornets or Augusta Blue Devils.  The drawing will be held on Sunday at Dover.

One of the most coveted county awards made among the schoolboy ranks will cap the 37th Annual County Tournament tonight when the Most Valuable Player Award is unveiled.  This award, plus several others, will follow the final game at Dover's Memorial Hall.  The cager named will mark the 8th since 1952 to be picked as the most outstanding performer.  The decision is being made by a vote of the 9 county system coaches with the winner being that player who received the most votes in the balloting for the All-County 10-man team, which will also be revealed.

As in the post 7 years, The Daily Times will again bestow the honor by presenting the trophy.  That performer being chosen will be listed on the roll that includes some of the finest cagers ever to don a county uniform.

Of the 7 recipients since the award's inception by The Daily Times, 4 of the youngsters have either played or are currently active in college ball.  Only one former choice is married.  Past winners were:

1952 - Dick Tollotti of the Midvale Blue Devils, who later played for Kent State is now enrolled at Ohio State, majoring in dentistry.

1953 - Ken Huston of the Port Washington Purple Riders is currently serving with the US Army in Germany.

1954 - James Lorens of the Stone Creek Golden Panthers is still in the immediate area and active in Church League Ball.  He served in the US Army after he was graduated.

1955 - Terry Deems of the Tuscarawas Broncos is currently performing with Wittenberg College.  As a Senior for the Lutherans, Deems is averaging 21 points per game and running 2nd in the Ohio Conference.  Last season the 6-4 lad was voted the Most Valuable Player in his conference.

1956 - Jim Kuecher of the Strasburg Tigers, the only married former winner of the MVP Award, is living near Columbia, south of Strasburg and active in Independent Basketball.

1957 - Eldon Miller of the Gnadenhutten Indians is a teammate of Deems at Wittenberg.  Only a Sophomore, he has gained a starting berth and is expected to reap many headlines before his career is over.

1958 - Rod Reinhart, the 2nd Stone Creek Golden Panther player to be chosen for MVP Honors, is presently at West Virginia Weseleyan as a Freshman.  From reports, he is doing a great job for the college Frosh cagers, playing out of Buchanan, West Virginia.

1959 - We will know about 10:00PM tonight!


Saturday, February 21, 1959
Don Wagner, Sports Editor
The Daily Times
New Philadelphia, Ohio

59 - TV Edges Garaway At The Wire 57-54

Additional prospects for the county school Cheerleader Award are these Tuscarawas Valley Trojan girls.  FRONT:  Kay Mizer - Judy Brinkman and Rita Fanning.  BACK:  Barbara Bartos - Karen McKinney - Carol Vrsan and Janice Stalcup.  (PHOTO...The Harmon Studios)



NEW PHILADELPHIA - For the 3rd time this year the Tuscarawas Valley Trojans (2-0) (7-1) (18-1) proved themselves exactly 3 points better than the Garaway Pirates (1-1) (5-3) (14-8).  In whipping the Pirates by 3 points once more, the Trojans were again pushed to the wire.  No less than a dozen times saw the score knotted during the thrilling encounter with neither team out in front by more than 3 points during the first 3 and one-half quarters.

Finally, late in the 4th canto, TV's 2nd-Year Head Coach Bob Heller burst in front 46-40 and later 52-42 for the widest gap of the contest.  With 5-5 Senior Butch Yakley hitting from the outside with uncanny consistency, the Corsairs of 4th-Year Head Coach Jim Stull crept to within 3 points at 54-51 with one minute to go.  Yakley, who had already hit 4 times from action in the final period on jump-push shots, potted another from close-in to make it 55-53 with 30 seconds remaining.  A charging foul gave Yakley a one-and-one with 15 seconds left.  The crew-cut youngster; however, missed the 1st try with the Spartan's getting the ball off the boards.  Junior 5-9 Chuck Cantrill snagged the roundball for the Red, Black and White and was quickly fouled to stop the clock.  The cool youngster dropped both shots with 12 seconds left for a 57-53 lead.  Yakley followed this with a charity toss that proved anti-climatic.

Big 6-3 Senior Ben Price led the Tuscarawas Valley Trojan's attack with 19 points despite his being forced into a conservative game because of personal fouls early in the game.  He had 3 personals with 5:45 still remaining in the 2nd frame.  Senior 6-1 Roy Buchanan and Cantrill, both chimed in with a dozen markers, while Yakley led the Maroon and Gray with 22.  Sophomore 6-0 Tom Andreas and 5-10 Junior Koran Zehnder both added 12 points to the Garaway Pirate's attack as the Pirates finished out with a 13-9 overall mark.

The Trojans potted 22 of 61 heavies from the field, while the Corsairs made 20 of 51.  Outrebounding the losers, TV grabbed 41 off the boards as compared to but 29 for the Bucs.

TUSCARAWAS VALLEY TROJANS - 57

Ben Price 8-3-19
Roy Buchanan 6-0-12
Jerry Pullins 0-1-1
Chuck Cantrill 5-2-12
Ron Lake 2-1-7
Jim Studer 1-4-6
Garber 0-0-0

GARAWAY PIRATES - 54

Tom Andreas 5-2-12
John Sigrist 0-1-1
Chuck Stingel 2-5-9
Butch Yakley 10-2-22
Koran Zehnder 3-6-12
Fritz Mueller 0-0-0

TUSKY VALLEY  18-20-35-57
GARAWAY            15-23-33-54


Saturday, February 21, 1959
The Daily Times
New Philadelphia, Ohio

59 - Midvlae Stops Gnaden 69-52 (2-20-59)

Two sober, serious coaches were caught by the camera lens on the eve of an important game.  And what would be more appropriate than the fellow coaches, Pete Hilliard of the Midvale Blue Devils and Bob Guame of the Gnadenhutten Indians, to wish the other good fortune.  But, lets face it!  Their wishes are voiced over the phone with tongue in cheek.  To wit:  crossed fingers...  (Photo...The Daily Times)

The Midvale Blue Devils 1959 Varsity!  The Blue Devils 3 lettermen will be joining efforts just as they join hands here to form the nucleus of the Devil attack.  FRONT: Head Coach Pete Hilliard -  Bill Housel -  Ron Breniser and Dave Belknap.  BACK:  Jim Hobart - Jim Clark - Hanes Hairston - Leonard Di Mattio and Ron Kaderly.  (PHOTO...The Daily Times)

TOP 4:  Ray Rank - William Horsfall - Paul Gooding and John Hall.  BOTTOM 3:  Larry Harmon - Ron Clark and Ron Bradley.  (PHOTO...Yearbook)

The Gnadenhutten Indians Cheerleaders.  Judy Parrish - Judy Goodling - Bonnie Struchen and Karen Parrish.  (PHOTO...Yearbook)



NEW PHILADELPHIA - Great inside shooting power, unveiled by Head Coach Pete Hilliard's Midvale Blue Devils (2-0) (8-0) (18-1), proved the difference against the scrappy, never-say-die guys from Gnaden.  Early in the contest the Gnadenhutten Indians (1-1) (6-2) (14-6) were down by 12 points.  But they rose off the floor on several occasions to push the Blue Devils hard.  Booming to a 20-8 first quarter advantage, Midvale looked like it was off to the races.

The Indians, gnawing at the big lead, cut the margin to 10 points midway in the 2nd and then found itself only 6 points away when the long intermission appeared.  Twice, at 38-37 and 42-41 midway in the 3rd stanza, the Diablos were leading by only one point.  But, lanky 6-2 Senior Bill Housel who had been a demon under the boards all evening, led the Blue and Gold uprising in the last canto to the 17-point decision.

Housel, posting 4 important field goals in the 2nd frame, followed this with 3 more in the 3rd quarter and 6 points in the last 8 minutes.  The Midvale Blue Devils were leading only 58-52 with 4:30 left, but this proved to be the last of the Tribesmen's point production as the Devils tossed in 11 straight for the rout.  The victory was sweet revenge for the Blue Devils as it squared itself with the only club to hold a victory over Midvale in 19 contests.  The Scarlet and Gray won 78-76 early in the season, but then lost the next regular season meeting 70-63.

Housel led the victors with 22 points, while 6-3 Junior Hanes Hairston, playing the boards well all evening for the Diablos, finished with 18 points.  The forward produced all of his markers in the first 3 quarters, 8 of which came in the important 3rd stanza when he and Housel tallied all but 2 of the Blue and Gold's 16 points.  Tom Krocker ended with 10 markers.  Senior 5-10 Ron Bradley, finishing a fabulous career for the Devils , led the attack with 16 points, while 5-4 Junior Ron Clark plunked in 11 and Sophomore 6-1 Ray Rank hit 10.  The Gnadenhutten Indians of 1st-Year Head Coach Bob Gaume thus ended with a 14-6 record.  Bradley tallied 520 points this season, 2nd only to Glen Hines' 600 points which established a school mark set in 1955.

Midvale grabbed 42 rebounds, sparked by Hairston.  Housel and 5-11 Junior Ron Breniser, while the Indians snagged 36 off the boards, led by Bradley, Rank and 6-2 Junior John Hall.  The Diablos made 29 of 58 shots from the field, while Gnaden canned 23 of 66 attempts.

MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS - 69

 Dave Belknap 3-2-8
Tom Krocker 5-0-10
Bill Housel 9-4-22
Hanes Hairston 8-2-18
Ron Breniser 3-3-9
Ron Kaderly 1-0-2

GNADENHUTTEN INDIANS - 52

Ray Rank 5-0-10
Ron Bradley 7-2-16
John Hall 2-1-5
Paul Gooding 4-0-8
Ron Clark 5-1-11
Carl Dickler 0-2-2

MIDVALE  20-34-52-69
GNADEN     8-30-43-52


Saturday, February 21, 1959
The Daily Times
New Philadelphia, Ohio

59 - Stats On the Remaining Tuscarawas County Tournament Teams

NEW PHILADELPHIA - Two good basketball teams will be forced into the also-ran category tonight as the final survivors of the 9-team County League Tournament go into semi-final round action.  The Gnadenhutten Indians (14-5), a 6-week leader and 3rd place finisher of the circuit this season, has the unenviable task of facing the defending tournament and League Champions of the Midvale Blue Devils (17-1) in the opening tussle at 7:30 tonight, while the Tuscarawas Valley Trojans (17-1) will square off with the husky crew from the Garaway Pirates (13-8) in the 2nd game at 8:45.  The victors, both winning Sectional Tournament berths, will then clash at 8:00 tomorrow for the joust crown.

Statistics for this evening's semi-final round at Dover's Memorial Hall show:

MIDVALE-GNADENHUTTEN COMMON FOES

Baltic - 73-71.....51-50
Tusky - 68-51.....46-45
Tusky - 74-63.....78-75
TV - 81-56.....60-72L
Strasburg - 66-65.....65-47
Strasburg - 73-53.....N/A
Port - 61-51.....72-45
Port - 70-41.....81-46
Gnaden-Midvale - 76-78L.....78-76
Gnaden-Midvale - 70-63.....63-70L
Stone Creek - 45-42.....62-60
Stone Creek - N/A.....74-76L
Garaway - 54-52.....76-69
Augusta - 89-38.....85-54
TOTALS - 934-850.....900-724

MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS PROBABLE STARTERS

Tom Krocker 5-10
Dave Belknap 5-9
Bill Housel 6-3
Hanes Hairston 6-3
Ron Breniser 5-11

GNADENHUTTEN INDIANS PROBABLE STARTERS

Ron Bradley 5-10
Ray Rank 6-1
Paul Gooding 6-0
John Hall 6-2
Ron Clark 5-4

TV-GARAWAY COMMON FOES

Baltic - 73-53.....72-73L
Baltic - N/A.....71-45
Midvale - 56-81L.....52-54L
Stone Creek - 66-55.....67-48
Stone Creek - N/A.....59-45
Port - 71-46.....86-42
Garaway-TV - 55-52.....52-55L
Garaway-TV - 45-42.....42-45L
Newcomerstown - 53-34.....71-41
Gnadenhutten - 72-60.....69-73L
Gnadenhutten - 65-45.....N/A
Strasburg - 41-32.....71-57
Strasburg - 57-47.....N/A
Tusky - 69-39.....79-39
TOTALS 723-584.....791-640

TUSCARAWAS VALLEY TROJANS PROBABLE STARTERS

Ben Price 6-4
Ray Buchanan 6-1
Ron Lake 5-5
Jim Studer 5-10
Chuck Cantrill 5-9

GARAWAY PIRATES PROBABLE STARTERS

Larry Yakley 5-6
Chuck Stingel 6-1
Koran Zehnder 5-10
John Sigrist 6-1
Butch Yakley 5-4


Friday, February 20, 1959
The Daily Reporter
New Philadelphia, Ohio