32 - Sugarcreek-Shanesville District Champions

COLUMBUS - Few Class B teams in Ohio have the offensive fire-power record of the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates, Champions of the Eastern District.  And, Junior forward Boyd Burkey, Pirate ace, is one of the State's leading scorers.  Of the 965 points tallied by his team this season, Burkey has scored 350, an average of 14 points per game.  It is easy to understand why the Pirates have compiled such an enviable record when you compute their scoring.  The team averaged 38 points per game during the regular season, 41 points a game during the Tuscarawas County Tournament, 35 during the Sectional Tournament and 38 at the District Tournament.  Burkey who averaged 14 points per game during the regular schedule, averaged 13 points in the county tourney, 7 at the Sectional and 19 at the District meet.  When Burkey wasn't hitting in the Sectional Tournament his teammate, Senior forward Ken Ricker, crashed through with a 13 point average.

The offense, built around Burkey, a sensational shooter, has been carried by 4 regulars.  Senior guard Hugo Wassem with 172 points for the season, Ricker with 169, Senior guard Sylvester Harmon, the Captain with 160 and Burkey.  Harold Logsdon, the regular center, has scored only 31 points this season, but he seldom shoots and plays a fine floor and defensive game.  Had Sugarcreek-Shanesville's defense been as strong as the splendid offense, no opponent would have fared well.  Opponents of the Pirates scored 682 points during the season, including the 3 tournaments.  Thirteen games were won by the Pirates out of 17 played on the regular schedule.  Strasburg defeated Sugarcreek-Shanesville twice, the allumni turned the trick once and so did Midvale.  Strasburg's 2nd victory was won over the Pirates by a lop-sided score of 47-15.  The Pirates came back to almost erase that defeat in the final of the county tourney, the fine Strasburg quint nosing them out 34-32, in a brilliantly played battle.  After qualifying in the Sectional Tournament, both teams swept through their brackets in the District event and met in the Championship battle, won by the Pirates 36-22, in convincing manner.  While the graybeards just can't remember, it is believed that this is the 1st time 2 Tuscarawas County teams have fought for the District title and certainly the 1st time county teams have reached the final.  New Philadelphia went through in Class A.

On the regular schedule of 17 games, Sugarcreek-Shanesville scored 639 points to 440 for the opposition.  In the county tourney 165 points were chalked up to 114, 68 to 38 in the Sectional and 113 to 81 in the District.  Burkey's tournament record perhaps has never been approached.  He scored 54 points in the county event, was held to 14 in 2 games in the Sectional and broke out at the District meet with 58 points for a total of 126 points in 9 tournament games.  Four members of the championship aggregation which competes in the State Tournament at Columbus this week-end, playing Stewart of Athens County at 6:30PM Friday in the 1st game, will be graduated at the end of the current school term.  They are Captain Harmon, Ricker, Wassem and Vernon Finzer, substitute center.  Six other members of the squad, including the brilliant Burkey and plenty of young material, will be available next season.  Sugarcreek-Shanesville has always been a basketball community.  Since 1912 the school has supported a basketball team.  The Pirates won the county tournament in 1925 and repeated in 1926.  Saturday was the 1st time a District Tournament Championship was won and this Friday will represent the 1st time a Sugarcreek-Shanesville team has participated in the State Tournament.  Four County League Championships have been won by Pirate teams of the past.

Head Coach Harold Sundheimer, serving his 3rd year as mentor, was graduated from Sugarcreek-Shanesville High School in 1923.  He played basketball under Superintendent A.C. Bahler, who was then Principal and Head Coach.  Mr. Bahler, who keeps score for the team at every game, has been connected with the Sugarcreek-Shanesville schools since 1913.  He is serving his 4th year as Superintendent.  Sundheimer, completed his education at Bluffton College.  This year the Pirates for the 1st time played in their new gymnasium in the beautiful new school building of white brick, located on a hilltop overlooking the villages of Sugarcreek and Shanesville.  The school enrollment this year is approximately 120.  About 55 are boys.  From this number was selected the team that has made basketball history as Sugaracreek-Shanesville.


Tuesday, March 15, 1932
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

32 - District Tournament Honors

DENNISON - Announcement of the 8-1 Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates' victory over the Strasburg Tigers (7-1) and the winning of the District title was made at the radio show held Saturday night at Community Hall in Sugarcreek.  One thousand perhaps staged a demonstration when 'pie plant' Pete, one of the entertainers, announced the score.  The colored jug band, another organization from WTAM, Cleveland, capped the climax by singing a song in lhonor of the Pirates.

Junior forward Boyd Burkey, Sugarcreek-Shanesville, the scoring sensation of the tournament, probably ranks among the high scorers of Ohio.  He averaged 17 points a game for the season and almost 14 points per game in 3 successive tournaments.  He made 52 points in 4 games in the county tournament and 14 points in 2 games at the Sectional event and the 58 points in 3 games at the District Tournament games is a mark the boys may shoot at for some time.

Burkey, an uncanny shot and a great dribbler, scored 22 points in the District Championship contest.  He was held down only once to 1 field goal, in the Sectional tourney, by Morgan of the Dennison Railroaders.

Sugarcreek-Shanesville was given a silver trophy and also a plaque.  Strasburg was awarded the runner-up cup.  Members of the championship teams were given individual gold basketballs and players on the runner-up teams received silver basketballs.

Senior forward Ken Ricker of Sugarcreek-Shanesville, chief feeder for Burkey, dead shot, suffered a broken nose in the final with Strasburg.  He fouled junior guard Joe Steffe of Strasburg and the latter swung around quickly, striking him in the face.  Steffe, who regretted the incident and protested that it was accidental was removed from the lineup.  Ricker was taken to the dressing room and attended by a physician.

REPORTER'S ALL-DISTRICT TEAMS

1ST TEAM

Forward - Boyd Burkey, Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates
Forward - Bill Yates, Strasburg Tigers
Center - Nolan Logsdon, Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates
Guard - Brown, New Concord Muskies
Guard - Sylvester Harmon, Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates

2ND TEAM

Forward - John Studer, Strasburg Tigers
Forward - Ken Ricker, Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates
Center - Sam Schenk, Strasburg Tigers
Guard - Mashrik, St. Johns Fighting Irish
Guard - Trace, New Concord Miskies

HONORABLE MENTION

Hugo Wassem - Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates
Joe Steffe - Strasburg Tigers
Slater - New Concord Muskies
Jones - Bethesda
Robinson - Millersburg Knights
C. Kackley - Byesville Colts
Magistro - St. John's Fighting Irish


Monday, March 14, 1932
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

32 - Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates District Champion 36-22 (3-12-32)

DENNISON - The Pirates of Sugarcreek-Shanesville (8-1) stole all the Class B plunder at Dennison Saturday night, by turning the tables on their old rival...The Strasburg Tigers (7-1)...to win the Championship of the Eastern District.  Before a crowd of 2000, the Pirates performing like the champions they are, outclassed the team that defeated them for the County League title and won from them the County Tournament Championship.  The score was 36-22.  The Pirates play in the State Tournament at Columbus this weekend.  Strasburg was never in the lead, but the losers were within striking distance until the final quarter.  Junior forward Boyd Burkey, most sensational scorer in the tournament, reached his peak in the title tilt, chalking up 22 points, just as many as the entire Tiger team gathered.  His brilliant dribbling and deadly accuracy from any place on the floor set the pace for his Pirate teammates.  There was never any doubt about the outcome after the 1st 2 minutes of the 4th chukker.

Strasburg placed their best guards on Burkey.  They double checked the blond flash.  But, all to no avail.  He either streaked through the defensive lines by use of his elusive dribble, or pivoted in mid-court, or at the foul circle, to sink goals from every angle.  The Pirates led at the 1st quarter by 3 points, 6-3 and were out in front 18-12 at halftime.  The 3rd period found them on the long end of a 25-20 score.  In the final heat the District champs ran wild, while the losers, struggling gamely, collected only 2 markers.

The Pirates played inspired ball and overcame a strong jinx to gain victory.  They went into the final game with the knowledge they were meeting a team that thrice had defeated them.  Strasburg, well balanced, strong offensively and defensively, was a barrier not to be cudled easily.  But, the Pirates arose to the occasion in brilliant fashion to wipe away the sting of previous setbacks.  Most of all the champions desired to erase the 2-point victory Strasburg attained in the championship game of the county tournament.  Sugarcreek-Shanesville was runner-up.  The 2 rivals did not have to meet in the Sectional Tournament, both qualifying by double victories.  Oddly the District pairings again found them in separatre brackets and each team swept through to the final with 2 convincing victories.

Sugarcreek-Shanesville defeated Bethesda, 44-33 and downed St. John's of Bellaire 33-26.  Strasburg reached the final by a 34-21 win over Byesville and a 22-15 victory over New Concord.  Sugarcreek-Shanseville qualified for the District Tournament by a 42-28 win over Delroy and a 26-10 triumph over Dennison in the Sectional event at Dover.  Strasburg qualified by defeating Yorkville 22-11 and Newcomerstown 19-17.  The following is the scoring by periods of the title game:

Senior guard Sylvester Harmon dropped in a foul.  Burkey sank a long fielder and followed that up with a dazzling one-handed shot from the side.  Senior forward Bill Yates followed that action as he tipped the ball in for Strasburg's 1st Fielder.  Senior Pirate forward Ken Ricker tossed a free throw and Senior Tiger center Sam Schenk did likewise, the 1st quarter ending with the District Champions ahead 6-3.

To start the 2nd quarter, Schenk drove in for a fielder, then Burkey dribbled through for a sucker goal and sank a long shot.  He made a foul toss good and then caught Strasburg napping by loafing under the goal and sinking a sucker shot.  Yates hit one from the side-court.  Burkey's foul toss was good and so was Sophomore Tiger forward John Studer's.  Junior Tiger guard Joe Steffe broke in under the bucket and sank his 1st 2 points.  Yates then hit one from the foul circle and Burkey garnered 2 more fielders in rapid succession to keep the lead at 18-12, as the 2nd period came to a close.

Studer opened the 3rd period with a hook from the side.  Harmon made good on a foul and Burkey followed it with another pot-shot, giving the Pirates a 21-14 lead.  Schenk and Studer each made a free throw.  Senior Pirate guard Hugo Wassem dribbled in for a pot-shot and Yates whirled from the pivot position for a fielder.  Studer's hook shot was again good.  Pirate Center Harold Logsdon came through with a pivot-shot and gave the champs a 25-20 lead to go into the final period.

Wassem tipped a follow-on shot.  Schenk hit from the foul line with a 2-pointer.  Logsdon made a goal from the pivot position.  Burkey sank a foul and followed with a long goal.  Ricker broke in for a sucker shot and Pirate forward Nolan Blosser made a free toss good.  Burkey's foul throw as the final points made.

SUGARCREEK-SHANESVILLE PIRATES - 36

Boyd Burkey 9-4-22
Ken Ricker 1-1-3
Nolan Logsdon 2-0-4
Sylvester Harmon 0-2-2
Hugo Wassem 2-0-4
Nolan Blosser 0-1-1

STRASBURG TIGERS - 22

John Studer 2-2-6
Bill Yates 4-0-8
Sam Schenk 2-2-6
Joe Steffe 1-0-2
H. Garver Miller 0-0-0
Herbert Dreher 0-0-0


Monday, March 14, 1932
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

32 - Strasburg Gets By New Concord 22-15 (3-12-32)

DENNISON - As a result of the Strasburg Tigers (7-0) defeating the New Concord Muskies, conquerors of Millersburg, today at noon by a score of 22-15 and the Sugarcreek-Shanesville defeat of St. John's Fighting Irish this morning 33-26, Strasburg and Sugarcreek-Shanesville  (7-1) tangle again at 7:30PM tonight at Dennison for the District Championship of Class B and the right to go to Columbus next week.  It will be the 4th time the 2 schools will have met this year.  Strasburg defeated Sugarcreek 3 times this season, once during the season, and once in the league and once again by 2 points in a hard fought game for the Tuscarawas County Tournament 2 weeks ago.

The Tigers jumped into the lead against the Muskies in the 1st quarter today and stayed ahead to the final.  The superior height of the Strasburg men, especially Senior forward Bill Yates, was a great advantage.  The Tigers led in the 1st period 6-4 and led 8-4 at the half.  Strasburg was leading at the end of the 3rd quarter, but only by 3 points, 14-11.  Strasburg was lead by Sophomore forward John Studer with 2 field goals and 4 free throws.  Slater, Glass and Brown led New Concord with 1 field goal and 1 free toss each for a total of 9 points.  Every member of the Muskies team ended up in the scoring column.

STRASBURG TIGERS - 22

John Studer 2-4-8
Bill Yates 1-0-2
Sam Schenk 3-1-7
Joe Steffe 0-1-1
H. Garver Miller 2-0-4
Hrebert Dreher 0-0-0
Bill Haas 0-0-0

NEW CONCORD MUSKIES - 15

Slater 1-1-3
Glass 1-1-3
Patton 1-0-2
Brown 1-1-3
T. Grace 1-0-2
Cox 1-0-2


Saturday, March 12, 1932
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

32 - Sugarcreek-Shanesville Rolls Over St. Johns 33-26 (3-12-32)

DENNISON - The Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (7-1) had an easy time taking the measure of St. John's Fighting Irish of Bellaire in the 1st morning game on Saturday.  Junior forward Boyd Burkey, the Pirate crack shot, was 'hot' and made 8 field goals, but few of them were from any distance.  Burkey and Senior forward Ken Ricker, playing a marvelous floor game, worked together under the basket with Ricker feeding the ball to his steady teammate, who has made 36 points in the 1st two tournament games.

The 1st quarter was close 8-7, but the Sugarcreek-Shanesville team pulled far ahead in the next 2 frames, 24-14 and 30-18.  Head Coach Harold Sundheimer replaced Burkey and Senior guard Hugo Wassem with 3 substitutes at the beginning of the 4th quarter, but shot them back in when St. John's began to click and made 8 points in as few minutes.  Burkey led the Pirates in scoring with 21 points, while the Fighting Irish were led by Masgistro who had 2 field goals and 7 free throws for a total of 11 points.

SUGARCREEK-SHANESVILLE PIRATES - 33

Boyd Burkey 8-5-21
Ken Ricker 0-3-3
Harold Logsdon 0-0-0
Sylvester Harmon 3-1-7
Hugo Wassem 0-2-2
Nolan Blosser 0-0-0
Prince Harmon 0-0-0
Vernon Finzer 0-0-0

ST. JOHN'S FIGHTING IRISH - 26

Merryman 2-0-4
Masgistro 2-7-11
Reilly 1-1-3
Shirreta 0-0-0
Masarik 4-0-8


Saturday, March 12, 1932
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

32 - Strasburg Slays Byesville 34-21 (3-11-32)

DENNISON - The Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (6-1) and the Strasburg Tigers (6-0) of Tuscarawas County may meet for the Class B Championship of the Eastern District tonight at Dennison.  Both yesterday went into the semi-final round by convincing victories and were to play this morning for the right to compete in the final.  The Sugarcreek scoring machine was at it's best against Bethesda and the county lads won 44-33.  Strasburg looked equally good in disposing the Byesville Colts 34-21.  Malvern forfeited to St. John's of Bellaire because of an epidemic of influensa and St. John's reached the semi-final without taking the court.  New Concord, Strasburg's foe this morning, outfought the strong Millersburg crew and won 30-24.  Concord cleverly handled the ball and shot with great accuracy to overcome the handicap of facing a taller team.

It was the sharp-shooting Junior forward Boyd Burkey who led the Pirates in scoring.  He tallied 15 points, but every one of his teammates broke into the scoring column.  The victors had everything their own way with the exception of the 3rd quarter when Bethesda rallied and almost closed the gap.  The winners led at the end of the 3rd chukker 30-26.  They hit the hoop with regularity again in the final heat to take a decisive victory.

In the Strasburg-Byesville game, the Colts couldn't stop Senior Bill Yates and Sophomore John Studer, Pirate ace forwards.  Studer chalked up 13 points, 6 field goals and 1 free throw and Yates made 12, six field goals.  Like Sugarcreek, all of the Tiger regular players helped with the scoring.  Head Coach Paul Roby used his entire team after the game was sewed up in the 4th period.  Strasburg didn't get started in the 1st quarter and the count ws knotted at 7 points.  The victors led at halftime, 17-14 and at the 3rd period 24-16.  Droltz led the Colts with 8 points, 4 field goals.

STRASBURG TIGERS - 34

John Studer 6-1-13
Bill Yates 6-0-12
Sam Schenk 2-0-4
Joe Steffe 1-0-2
H. Garver Miller 1-1-3
George Denzer 0-0-0
Bill Haas 0-0-0
Lewis Garber 0-0-0
Bill Jones 0-0-0

BYESVILLE COLTS - 21

Ruby 1-1-3
Oliver 0-1-1
C. Kackley 1-1-3
Droltz 4-0-8
Krupa 0-0-0
Mullen 2-2-6


Saturday, March 12, 1932
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

32 - Sugarcreek-Shanesville Eliminates Bethesda 44-33 (3-11-32)

DENNISON - Functioning in brilliant and determined form, the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (6-1) defeated Bethesda 44-33 in the opening game of the Class B District Tournament at Dennison this afternoon.  The Pirates' hardest battle came in the 3rd quarter when Bethesda made 13 points, while the Tuscarawas County entry made only 9, but in the final quarter the locals spurted to an easy victory. 

Junior forward Boyd Burkey made 15 points and not a member on the team made less than six.  Sugarcreek-Shanesville had a total of 16 field goals to 14 for their opponents and pitched 12 fouls to their opponent's five.  Malvern has forfeited to St. John's of Bellasire, because of a measles epidemic at Malvern.  This game was to have been played this afternoon.  As a result Sugarcreek-Shanesville meets the Bellaire team tomorrow morning.

The Pirates led in the 1st period 8-5, and followed that up by leading 21-13 at the half.  In the 3rd quarter, Sugarcreek-Shanesville was leading by only 4 points, 30-26 at the sound of the horn.  Leading the way for Bethesda was forward Michener who canned 4 field goals and 2 free throws for a total of 10 points.

SUGARCREEK-SHANESVILLE PIRATES - 44

Boyd Burkey 6-3-15
Ken Ricker 2-4-8
Harold Logsdon 3-1-7
Sylvester Harmon 3-2-8
Hugo Wassem 2-2-6

BETHESDA - 33

Yans 2-1-5
Michener 4-2-10
Jones 5-0-10
Patterson 2-2-6
Davis 1-0-2
Wheeler 0-0-0


Friday, March 11, 1932
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio