46 - Tuscarawas Broncos Wins 12th Annual Consolation Division Tournament Championship (2-23-46)

DOVER - For the 2nd time in a row, the Tuscarawas Broncos (4-1) (29-28) (20-3) has won the Consolation Division Championship and against the same team.  But this time the Broncos froze the Gnadenhutten Indians' (2-2) (37-29) offense in a 52-13 whipping of the Indians.  Tusky forced Gnaden's players of set-shot artists all over the floor to keep them from scoring and then drove in under the basket for their own shots to win a one-sided triumph.

Tuscarawas leaped to a 9-point lead 14-5 in the 1st quarter.  In the 2nd quarter, the Broncos increased their lead to 19 points, while only giving up 3 hard earned Indian points as the scoreboard read 27-8.  Tusky continued the onslaught increasing their lead by 28 points and giving up another 3 points to Gnaden...Broncos 37-11.  Both teams emptied their benches in the last and final quarter.

Senior center Fred Walton grabbed game honors for Tuscarawas with 21 points (9 field goals and 3 free throws), while Senior forward John Vesco followed with 15 markers.  Junior forward Bill Roche led Gnaden with 5 points on 2 field goals and a free throw.  Frank Cox and Jim Moran, both of New Philadelphia, refereed.

TUSCARAWAS BRONCOS - 52

Rich Donahue F 0-1-1
John Vesco F 6-3-15
Fred Walton C 9-3-21
Jay Herning G 2-1-5
Bill Dessecker G 2-0-4
Bob Winsch G 1-0-2
Bob French F 0-0-0
Andy Steve F 0-0-0
Jack Crites G 0-0-0
Loyal Bishop F 2-0-4

GNADENHUTTEN INDIANS - 13

Bill Roche F 2-1-5
Gene Montague F 0-0-0
Jim Lindon C 0-1-1
Junior Kennedy G 1-1-3
Gene Mishler G 0-2-2
Al Ervin F 0-1-1
Al Reiser G 0-0-0
Al Blind F 0-1-1
Dean Williams C 0-0-0
Bob Hearing G 0-0-0


Monday, February 25, 1946
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

46 - Tusky Avoids Pirate Plank 49-44 (2-22-46)

DOVER - The undefeated County League Champions Strasburg Tigers and the up and coming Midvale Blue Devils will battle it out for the 24th Annual Tuscarawas County Crown and the Tuscarawas Broncos and surprising Gnadenhutten Indians will meet for the Consolation Division title at Memorial Hall tonight.

Strasburg and Midvale won their way into the finals by winning the semi-final games, Tuscarawas topped the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates 49-44 in a bitterly contested game and Gnaden edged the Baltic Eagles 30-29 last night.

With the County League title already tucked under their belts and a season record of 22 straight games without a loss, Head Coach Emmet Riley's Strasburg club, will be out to make it a clean sweep.  The Tigers dropped Midvale 36-20 and 40-23 during the season games, but tonight's game is a little different.  The Blue Devils, winners of 17 out of 23 starts, have turned in 2 sparkling tourney games and Head Coach Pete Wolf's club, always a tournament contender, is definitely on the upgrade.

Strasburg has turned in 3 tourney victories, playing good steady ball and turning on the heat when it met Tuscarawas with a 31-16 victory last week.  But, the Tigers have plenty to worry about.  An undefeated record hangs heavy on any team's shoulders and the pressure plus the danger of over-confidence has stopped many a good team long before it reached 22 straight.

Tuscarawas is favored to cop the Consolation Division from Gnaden, but anything can happen.  Tusky has lost 3 games this year, all to Strasburg, while Gnaden had only a fair season, but gained momentum as it came into the tournament.  Both clubs were hard put to win last night's Consolation games.  Gnadenhutten barely edging by the Baltic Eagles in a game which ended with the Eagles' getting a tough break.

Sugarcreek-Shanesville didn't put up much of a fight against Midvale, but the Pirates were fairly bristling with it last night and gave Tuscarawas a hard time.

Tusky leaped to a 13-7 lead at the end of the 1st quarter, and held on 23-20 at halftime.  At the end of the 3rd stanza, the Broncos maintained their 3-point edge 37-34.  During the final quarter the whistle ended the game with Senior center Fred Walton and Junior guard Bill Dessecker out on fouls and Senior forward John Vesco ready to go.  The Pirates lost guard Bill Kuhn in the last quarter.  Tusky drew 22 fouls, while the swordsmen escaped with 14 in the rugged battle.

Kuhn and center Doran Immel led Sugarcreek-Shanesville, getting 15 and 12 points, respectively, by sinking some nice shots, while Vesco and Senior forward Rich Donahue led Tuscarawas' attack with 13 and 10 markers each.

Only 479 paid admissions were present to witness the games, but that figure topped the 372 who saw the same session last year.  Frank Cox and Jim Morgan of New Philadelphia referred.


Saturday, February 23, 1946
John Stratton, Editorial Staff
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

SATURDAY NIGHT 2-23-46

Gnaden vs Tusky 7:30PM (CC)
Midvale vs Strasburg 8:30PM (TC)

46 - Gnaden Shaves Baltic 30-29 (2-22-46)

Gnadenhutten Indians' entire 1946 Basketball Team.  FRONT:  Ernest Bennington.  2ND ROW:  Mr. Johnson - Junior Kennedy - Dean Williams - Alvin Ervin - Al Blind and Head Coach Mr. Kachilla.  3RD ROW:  Bob Hearing - Gene Mishler - Jim Lindon - Al Reiser - Bill Roche and Gene Montague.  BACK:  Roy Huebner - Fred Crouse - Rich Schupp - Bob Peter - Jim Stewart - Rich Shamel - Glenn Mowl and Jerry Virtue.


DOVER - The Gnadenhutten Indians (2-1) (37-28) just got by the pesky Baltic Eagles (2-2) (23-34) (10-10) by a score of 30-29.  The Indians creeped to an 8-4 lead in the 1st quarter.  In the 2nd period, the Warriors were still maintaining a 4-point edge 16-12 at intermission.  The Eagles tied the score 26-26 at the end of the 3rd stanza on a field goal by Senior forward Paul Brown.  Freshman forward Gene Montague and Junior forward Bill Roche each hit free throws for the Red Men to open the final quarter, but Brown hit again from the field and the count was tied with less than 3 minutes to go.  Sophomore guard Junior Kennedy slipped in another shot for Gnaden before Brown again sank one of 2 free throw shots and the Indians began to stall with a 30-29 lead.

Several seconds remained when Roche took the ball out and threw a wild pass, the ball going into one of the gym entrances.  Senior Doren Pepper, Baltic guard, tried to recover it, but while he was doing it the time ran out and the final buzzer sounded before he could return it to play.  From 3 to 5 seconds were lost and Baltic protested vigorously, but to no avail.  Decision of officials is final in tournament play, but there was no decision to make, the final buzzer had sounded and that was the decision.

Brown was high scorer for the Baltic team with 10 points. Kennedy scored 11 points for game honors while leading the Indians.

GNADENHUTTEN INDIANS - 30

Bill Roche F 1-1-3
Gene Montgue F 2-2-6
Jim Lindon C 3-0-6
Junior Kennedy G 5-1-11
Gene Mishler G 2-0-4
Alvin Ervin F 0-0-0

BALTIC EAGLES - 29

Paul Brown F4-2-10
Adrian Ott F 0-3-3
Marvin Dietz C 2-2-6
Bill Brown G 0-0-0
Doren Pepper G 2-2-6
Dean Gerber G 2-0-4


Saturday, February 23, 1946
John Stratton, Editorial Staff
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

46 - Tusky Gets By Bolivar 55-44 (2-21-46)

DOVER - It's the Strasburg Tigers, undefeated in 22 games, against the Midvale Blue Devils (13-6) for the Tuscarawas County Class B Tournament Championship tomorrow night.  That was decided at Memorial Hall last night when the undefeated Tigers of Strasburg squeezed by the Gnadenhutten Indians 33-30 and Midvale unexpectedly swept over the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates 49-29 in the tournament semi-final matches.  The winners meet at 8:30 Saturday night for the tournament title.

Two Consolation Division games also featured last night's card and turned out to be free scoring contests with the Baltic Eagles winning over the Port Washington Purple Riders 54-44 and the Tuscarawas Broncos, favored to cop Consolation Honors, finally edging out the Bolivar Cardinals 56-44.

A total of 1,524 persons paid admission to last night's tournament games the 1st session the crowd has totaled less than last year.  A record was set in the 4th session last year when 1,605 paid, but was surpassed Saturday night when 1,670 attended.  Total for the 4 sessions was 5,260 with 2 more nights, while last year 6,767 attended the 6 sessions.

The Tuscarawas Broncos (2-1) (27-28) (18-3) and the Bolivar Cardinals (2-2) (36-30) (13-9) found the contest to be anybody's ball game and a great shooting exhibition during the 1st half with the lead changing hands by no less than 10 times.  The Broncos led 10-5 at the end of the 1st quarter of play, but the Cardinals went in front 26-24 at intermission.

The Red Birds started out strong in the 3rd stanza, but Tusky started to hit short shots and when the period was over had taken a 44-33 Eleven-point lead.  Bolivar cut it to 47-40 with 4 minutes to go, but the Broncos held.

The game turned into a battle between Tuscarawas' Senior forward John Vesco and Senior center Fred Walton and the Cardinal's center Chuck Renner.  Walton, who took Renner in the 1st half, scored 17 points, while Vesco, who held Renner to 3 field goals in the final half, scored 18 points.  Renner's final total was 16 points on 8 hard-earned field goals.  The Red Birds were hampered by the loss of Dick Mase, regular guard, who was ill.

Frank Cox and Jim Morgan, both of New Philadelphia, officiated all games.

TUSCARAWAS BRONCOS - 55

Rich Donahue F 4-2-10
John Vesco F 8-2-18
Fred Walton C 7-3-17
Jay Herning G 2-1-5
Bob Winsch G 0-3-3
Bill Dessecker G 0-0-0
Bob French F 1-0-2
Loyal Bishop G 0-0-0

BOLIVAR CARDINALS - 44

Don Baad F 3-0-6
Ray Murry F 3-4-10
Chuck Renner C 8-0-16
Paul Peden G 1-1-3
Junior Lundenberger G 3-0-6
Lee Lundenberger F 0-2-2
Bill Haueter C 0-0-0
George Charton F 0-1-1


Friday, February 22, 1946
John Stratton, Editorial Staff
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

CONSOLATION DIVISION SATURDAY 2-22-46

Baltic vs Gnaden 7:30PM (C)
Tusky vs Sugarcreek-Shanesville 8:30PM (C)

46 - Midvale Has No Problem With Sugarcreek-Shanesville 49-29 (2-21-46)

DOVER - The Midvale Blue Devils (2-0) (41-20) (13-6) and the Sugarcreek-Shanesville Pirates (1-1) (41-26) was expected to be a battle royal, but failed to come up to expectations and the Blue Devils, looking more impressive every start in the tournament, started edging away from the Pirates in the 2nd period and kept right on going.

Midvale led 13-11 at the end of the 1st quarter and continued to increase their advantage 25-17 by intermission.  The Creekers went scoreless from the field in the 3rd stanza and the Blue Devils ended up with a 10-point lead going into the final quarter.  Senior forward Dave Stevenson's one-handed shots were the payoff for Midvale.  He sank 7 field goals and 5 free throw shots for 19 points, while Senior guard Karl Baumholtz came through with a 5 field goal total of 10 points and Senior forward Jim De Mattio added 9 more.

The Pirates, dropped by Midvale 2 weeks ago by only one point, couldn't hit the hoop and guard Bill Weiss led their scoring with 2 field goals and 6 free throws for 10 points, while forward Ed Hamsher and guard Bill Kuhn each scored 7 points.

MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS - 49

Dave Stevenson F 7-5-19
Jim De Mattio F 4-1-9
Max Schaar C 2-3-7
Karl Baumholtz G 5-0-10
Joe Carlisle G 1-1-3
Jim Golder G 0-0-0
Jack Ford G 0-1-1
Ron Pissocra F 0-0-0
Rogers C 0-0-0
Walter Beahm F 0-0-0

SUGARCREEK-SHANESVILLE PIRATES - 29

Showers F 1-0-2
Ed Hamsher F 3-1-7
Doran Immel C 1-1-3
Bill Kuhn G 3-1-7
Bill Weiss G 2-6-10
Miller F 0-0-0
G. Deetz F 0-0-0
Sundheimer G 0-0-0
Willis G 0-0-0
Hostetler C 0-0-0


Friday, February 22, 1946
John Stratton, Editorial Staff
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

46 - Strasburg In Close Call With Gnaden 33-30 (2-21-46)

The Strasburg Tigers 1946 Basketball Team .  FRONT:  Tom Haswell - Fred Aul - Clarence Yackey - Joe Deibel and John Garver.  BACK:  John Armbruster (Manager) - Roland Malcuit - Ed Gasser - Marvin Jeffers - Dean Deitzel - Jim Weber - Bill Garver (Manager) and Mr. Emmet Riley (Head Coach).

The Gnadenhutten Indians came that close...to dropping the Mighty Strasburg Tigers.  FRONT:  Gene Montague - Alvin Ervin - Bob Hearing - Gene Mishler and Junior Kennedy.  BACK:  Al Blind - Jim Lindon - Al Reiser - Rich Schupp - Dean Williams and Head Coach Frank Kachilla.


DOVER - The Strasburg Tigers (3-0) (64-17) (22-0), County League Champions and only undefeated High School Club in the county, wasn't impressive in its 3-point victory over the Gnadenhutten Indians (1-1) (36-28), but the Indians were.  The Tribe mauled by Strasburg twice during the regular season and 77-21 the last time wasn't taking any more of that last night.  They played their own ball game, took their time and with good shooting when the opportunity presented, almost baited the Tigers into a defeat.

Strasburg led 6-4 at the end of the 1st quarter, strugging for every point.  With 2 minutes to go the Tigers led 31-24, but Freshman center Jim Lindon and Sophomore guard Junior Kennedy sank field goals to cut the margin to 3 points with 45 seconds remaining.  Senior guard Fred Aul made his only action shot of the game to give the Tigers a 5-point advantage and Senior guard Gene Mishler potted one for the Indians as the game came to an end.

The Bengals won the game from the free throw line by sinking 9 of 11 free throws, while the Redmen missed 5 of 11 tries.  Big Sophomore center Junior Yackey and little Sophomore forward Tom Haswell shared scoring honors for Strasburg with 9 points each, while Junior forward Bill Roche, who played a bangup game for the Indians, led Gnadenhutten with 8 and Kennedy and Freshman forward Gene Montague each collected 6 markers.

STRASBURG TIGERS - 33

John Garver F 1-1-3
Tom Haswell F 4-1-9
Junior Yackey C 3-3-9
Fred Aul G 1-4-6
Joe Diebel G 3-0-6
Ed Gasser G 0-0-0

GNADENHUTTEN INDIANS - 30

Gene Montague F 2-2-6
Bill Roche F 3-2-8
Jim Lindon C 3-0-6
Gene Mishler G 2-0-4
Junior Kennedy G 2-2-6
Al Ervin G 0-0-0


Friday, February 22, 1946
John Stratton, Editorial Staff
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

46 - Baltic Comeback Against Port 54-44 (2-21-46)

DOVER - The Baltic Eagles (2-1) (23-33) (10-9) copped a 16-8 lead over the Port Washington Purple Riders (1-2) (9-32) (10-11) in the 1st quarter of a Consolation Division contest won by the Eagles 54-44.  The Purple Riders swung down on the Eagles in the 2nd period and took a 25-22 edge at halftime intermission.  Then with only 6 minutes to go in the 3rd stanza, Baltic went ahead 40-39 on Senior forward Dean Gerber's field goal and from then on the Eagles didn't falter.  Seniors guard Doren Pepper, center Marvin Dietz and forward Paul Brown put the finishing touches on Port in the last and final quarter.

The elimination of Port Washington dropped Senior forward Elmer Linard, one of the county's high scorers, out of tournament play.  He copped game honors by scoring 23 points last night to lead the Riders, while Senior forward Sonny Johns was collecting 15 markers.  Dietz, big Baltic center, scored 16 points to lead his team as Brown hit 14 and Pepper got 13 wrapping up the double figure scoring for the Eagles.

BALTIC EAGLES - 54

Paul Brown F 6-2-14
Adrian Ott F 3-1-7
Marvin Dietz C 7-2-16
Bill Brown G 0-1-1
Doren Pepper G 5-3-13
Dean Gerber F 1-1-3

PORT WASHINGTON PURPLE RIDERS - 44

Elmer Linard F 11-1-23
Sonny Johns F 5-5-15
Bob Roenbaugh C 0-0-0
Harold Huston G 1-0-2
Chuck Gallion G 0-0-0
Harold Gallion F 2-0-4
Rich Corbett F 2-0-4
Paul Day F 0-0-0
Jack Davies G 0-0-0


Friday, February 22, 1946
John Stratton, Editorial Staff
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio