58 - The Sectional Tournament Championship Game Rundown

DOVER - The Gnadenhutten Indians take to the warpath again at Dover's Memorial Hall tonight at 8:00 with every bow and arrow they can muster.  Head Coach Dick Scott's Indians, who finally hurdled the Midvale Blue Devils on Thursday night, tangle with the formidable Millersburg Knights at with a ticket to next week's Eastern District Basketball Tournament at Brilliant going to the winner.

The Tribesmen, with an impressive record of 18-6, are favored to thrash the Knights who posted 11 wins in 18 starts.  During the regular season, the Spartans downed the Dover St. Joseph Ramblers 65-45, while the Scarlet and Gray of Gnaden polished off the Ramblers 72-47 in their 1st Sectional Tournament test.

Mentored by the veteran Head Coach Joe Banks, a New Philadelphia native, Millersburg is paced by forward Tom Rottman and center Paul McCormick, both 6-1 Seniors.  The usual starting lineup also includes 6-0 Sophomore Karl Crandall at forward and a pair of 5-9 guards in Junior Gary High and Senior Jim Shonk, brother of the Dennison Railroaders Head Coach Bill Shonk.

Carrying the colors for the Gnadenhutten Indians will be forwards Ron Bradley and Larry Gooding, center Tom Roth and guards Larry Clark and Ed Shull.  Bradley and Clark were chosen on The Daily Reporter's All-County Team.  Last year the Indians won their 1st County Tournament Championship in 14 years and advanced through the Sectional eliminations along with the Blue Devils.

In District competition, Gnaden trimmed the Springfield Local Flying Tigers, a team which had been unbeaten in 23 games, before being sidelined by the Indians.  Prior to last year, the last time a Gnadenhutten team advanced to the District was in 1953 when it bowed to the Strasburg Tigers.

Saturday, March 1, 1958
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

58 - Gnaden Surprises Midvale 80-67 (2-27-58)

The Gnadenhutten Indians 6-0 Senior Center Tom Roth, pouring in another 23 points for the 2nd night in a row, rolled over Head Coach Pete Hilliard's Midvale Blue Devils 80-67.  Roth has accumulated 83 points in 5 games for a average of 16.7 points per game.  (Photo...1958 Yearbook)

The Midvale Blue Devils cheering section was shrouded in gloom last night when Ralph McKee, The Daily Reporter Photographer, snapped this picture near the end of the 4th quarter.  The Blue Devils were dropped from the Sectional Basketball Tournament circuit on an 80-67 loss to the Gnadenhutten Indians.

The 1958 Gnadenhutten Indians Basketball Team.  LEFT:  Ron Bradley - Ed Shull - Paul Gooding and Stephen Hamilton.  CENTER:  Larry Gooding.  RIGHT:  Tom Roth - Al Cappel - Tom Frank - Bill Horsfall and Larry Clark.  (Photo...1958 Yearbook)



DOVER - GNADENHUTTEN 80 - MIDVALE 67!  That score signals the end of a 3-month dynasty of the Midvale Blue Devils, who swept, plundered and turned back all opposing forces that dared to stand in their way.

This is until they met the Gnadenhutten Indians in last night's Sectional Tourney here at Dover's Memorial Hall.  And the the Warriors did what they couldn't accomplish in 3 previous meetings with the Blue Devils.  Since December 10th when they lost to the Strasburg Tigers 80-77 the defending State semi-finalists, had won 17 straight contests, including 3 in the County Tournament which netted them the Championship Crown and made them strong favorites to take the local Sectional meet.

But last night the Indians out-rebounded the Blue Devils under both boards in addition to outfighting the Diablos at practically every move.  The 1st time the 2 teams collided was on December 17th when the Devils copped an easy 68-37 triumph, but from there in margins became closer and closer.  On January 17th the Tribesmen were dropped 82-73 in a County League game and the finals of the County Tournament when the Blue and Gold of Midvale won by only 7 points, 67-60.

But last night, with a berth in the finals on Saturday night at stake along with a possible trip to the District Basketball Tournament meet at Brilliant next week the Scarlet and Gray of Gnaden were not to be denied.  The Gnadenhutten Indians opponent will be the Millersburg Knights, who turned back the Dennison Railroaders 62-52 in the opener.

The Midvale Blue Devils ended its season with a 19-3 record and Dennison with a 2-17 mark.  The Indians and Knights will carry records of 19-6 and 11-7 respectively, into the finals on Saturday night at 8:00.  Tonight at 8:00 the other trip to the District Tournament will be decided when 2 Holmes County quintets, the Berlin Black Panthers and the Big Prairie-Lakeville Panthers collide.  The Black Panthers, winners of the Holmes League Championship, has a 19-4 record and the Panthers are 17-6.

The 1st quarter appeared to be just another repetition of all other Gnadenhutten-Midvale games with the Gnadenhutten Indians (4-1) (6-2) (18-6) looking strong in the opening minutes, but fading just enough near the end of the period for the Midvale Blue Devils (3-1) (8-0) (19-3) to grab a 17-12 margin.  But somewhere, somehow, the Indians found the needed punch and began to creep up on the Blue Devils until the score stood 26-23 midway in the canto.  And with the fires burning high the Scottsmen poured on the steam and rumbled past the Hilliardmen as they tallied 8 straight points for a 31-26 lead with 2 minutes to go in the 1st half.

Midvale found itself momentarily and narrowed the gap to 33-31 at intermission.  Gnadenhutten continued on the warpath in the 3rd stanza with the No.1 Warrior being 6-0 Senior center Tom Roth, who led the uprising with 16 points.  The quarter found the Diablos battling gamely to keep pace with the torrid attack and then they went ahead 42-41 with 4 and 1/2 minutes to go in the period.  But that was the last time they saw the lead because Gnaden took over again at 3:45.  The Tribesmen were in front 57-52 at the frame's end.

In the final canto the Scarlet and Gray of Gnaden faltered momentarily and the Devils  cut their lead to 57-55, but they regained stride and hit for 7 more points to boost their margin to 64-55.  They finished the quarter with 23, while holding the Blue and Gold of Midvale to 15 to spring the upset.  Percentage-wise the Gnadenhutten Indians had the edge with 34.7 accumulated when it clicked on 32 of 93 action shots.  The Midvale Blue Devils had a 34.4 mark, making 26 of 72 attempts.  The Indians tallied 16 free throws and the Blue Devils 15.

A well-balanced scoring attack was the key to the Gnadenhutten triumph.  Leading Gnaden was Roth with 10 field goals and 3 free throws for 23 points.  Senior 5-8 forward Larry Clark was next with 20, while 6-1 Senior center Larry Gooding and 5-11 Senior forward Ron Bradley had 15 and 14 respectively.  Junior 5-10 guard Tom Krocker and 6-2 Senior center Russ Hobart were the big guns as they dropped in 20 and 19 each for Midvale.  Sophomore 5-11 guard Ron Breniser added 14 more markers.

GNADENHUTTEN INDIANS - 80

Ron Bradley 6-2-14
Larry Clark 7-6-20
Larry Gooding 5-5-15
Tom Roth 10-3-23
Ed Shull 2-0-4
Al Cappel 2-0-4

MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS - 67

Dave Belknap 4-0-8
Russ Hobart 8-3 19
Bill Housel 1-1-3
Tom Krocker 7-6-20
Ron Breniser 5-4-14
Vince De Noi 1-0-2
Jim Clark 0-1-1

GNADEN  12-33-57-80
MIDVALE 17-31-52-67



Friday, February 29, 1958
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

58 - 2nd Round Tonight!

DOVER - Two berths in the semi-finals will be at stake tonight when the Class A Sectional Basketball Tournament resumes at Dover's Memorial Hall.  Making their initial tournament appearances will be the Dennison Railroaders and the Millersburg Knights who collide in the opener at 7:30.  Providing the big action at 8:45 will be the 4th meeting this season of the Midvale Blue Devils and the Gnadenhutten Indians.

The Dennison-Millersburg game will provide another odd tourney twist.  The Railroaders Head Coach Bill Shonk is a former Knights cager under Joe Banks, who coaches the Spartans and a brother, Jim, is Captain and one of the mainstays of the Millersburg Team.  The 2 clubs met during the regular season and the Knights took a 71-47 decision, apparently having little difficulty with the Railroaders.

Spartan mentor Banks will send a starting lineup against the Roaders which includes 3 Seniors, a Junior and one Sophomore.  Head Coach Banks will start Shonk, who is a 5-9 Senior and 5-8 Junior Gary High at the guards; Tom Rothman a 6-1 Senior and Karl Crandell a 6-0 Sophomore at the forwards and Senior Paul McCormick, who is 6-1 at center.  Slated to see action will be John Money 5-10 Sophomore and Charles Sayre a 5-10 Senior.  Dennison will have a starting lineup of Bill Cummings, Tom Maitland, Melvin Peters, Bob Davis and Dick Kilpatrick with Dick McCoy slated to see duty.

Millersburg has an overall record of 10-7 and Dennison has won only 2 games in 16 contests.  Three times this season the Blue Devils have met the Indians and each time emerged victorious.  The 1st time was on December 17th when the Diablos snared a 63-53 decision in a non-League contest.  The 2nd time was on January 17th in a League tilt which ended 82-73.  Then the Devils took a 67-60 verdict for the County Tournament Championship.

Tonight's game will be the most important of all with a berth in the finals and a possible trip to Brilliant's District Tournament.  Head Coach Pete Hilliard, who led the Blue and Gold of Midvale to the State semi-finals last year, probably will start Russ Hobart at center, Tom Krocker and Dave Belknap at the guards and Ron Breniser and Bill Housel at the forwards.  Hoping to post an upset, Head Coach Dick Scott of the Tribesmen will start guards Larry Clark and Ed Shull with the forwards being Ron Bradley and Larry Gooding and center Tom Roth.

The Midvale Blue Devils are sporting a 19-2 record and is top seeded in the tournament, while the Gnadenhutten Indians have a 17-6 record.  Tomorrow night one berth in the District will be decided in an all-Holmes County final.  Berlin (19-4), last-second winner over the Dennison St. Mary Blue Wave and the Big Prairie-Lakeville Bulldogs (17-6), which defeated the Malvern Green Hornets, will collide at 8:00.

Thursday, February 27, 1958
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

58 - Gnaden Blasts St. Joseph 72-46 (2-25-58)

The Gnadenhutten Indians Senior 6-0 Guard Tom Roth scored 23 points in leading his team to a cozy 72-46 win over the Dover St. Joseph Ramblers during the 1st night of the Sectional Tournament contests.  Roth has a total of 60 points during Gnaden's tournament run for an average of 15.0 points per game.  (Photo...1958 Yearbook)

Tom Roth (77) of the Gnadenhutten Indians is caught here by The Daily Reporter Photographer Ralph McKee making the long stretch for a layup and 2 points in the Indians' 72-46 triumph over the Dover St. Joseph Ramblers in the opening game of the Class A Sectional Class A Tournament last night at Dover's Memorial Hall.  Senior Forward Eddie Joe Young (4) is defending for the Ramblers.

The 1958 Gnadenhutten Indians Cheerleaders.  Janice Biggs - Judith Parrish - Judith Gooding and Bonnie Struchen  (Photo...1958 Yearbook)



DOVER - Tuscarawas County's 2 parochial schools were eliminated from the Section Class A Basketball Tournament pictured in the opening games at Memorial Hall in Dover last night.  The Dover St. Joseph Ramblers bowed to the Gnadenhutten Indians 72-46 as the Dennison St. Mary Blue Wave was eliminated by a spine-tingling last-second 68-67 victory by the Berlin Black Panthers.

The 3rd game saw the Big Prairie-Lakeville Bulldogs defeat the Malvern Green Hornets 67-61.

For 2 quarters, the Dover St. Joseph Ramblers (4-10) gave the Gnadenhutten Indians (3-1) (6-2) (17-6), 2nd best team in the county, a whale of a battle.  But in the 3rd stanza the Indians began to hit with consistency and pulled away.  The Ramblers stayed in the running in the initial half despite the fact that the usual high-scoring Eddie Joe Young was held scoreless.  He got only 8 points in the 2nd half.

Both teams failed to hit the nets with consistency in the 1st quarter when Gnadenhutten pulled out in front 12-7.  In the 2nd frame Gnaden tallied 16 points and St. Joseph hit 15 to make the score 22-18 at halftime.  But the Tribesmen began to exhibit their usual topnotch brand of ball in the 3rd period when they almost outscored the Ramblers 2 to 1.  They hit for 19 points and limited the losers to 10 for a 47-32 lead.

The Scarlet and Gray of Gnaden then had its best quarter when it scored 25 points to the Rover's 14.   Leading the Gnadenhutten Indians was 6-0 Senior guard Tom Roth, who scored 10 field goals and 3 free throws for 23 points, while teammates 5-8 Senior forward Larry Clark and 6-1 Senior center Larry Gooding came through with 18 and 16 respectively.

With Young being stopped cold by the alert Tribe defenses, 5-6 Sophomore Forward John Ferchll  became the only Rambler to hit with consistency and keep the game from being a complete route.  He had 8 action shots and a single free throw for 17 points.

GNADEHHUTTEN INDIANS - 72

Ron Bradley 4-1-9
Larry Clark 7-4-18
Larry Gooding 6-4-16
Tom Roth 10-3-23
Ed Shull 2-0-4
Tom Frank 1-0-2

DOVER ST. JOSEPH RAMBLERS - 46

Eddie Joe Young 3-2-8
John Ferchill 8-1-17
Jerry Dolzine 4-0-8
Chuck Heid 2-3-7
Mike Leone 1-0-2
John Patterson 1-2-4

GNADENHUTTEN  12-28-47-72
ST. JOSEPH.............   7-22-32-46



Wednesday, February 26, 1958
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

58 - Sectional Tournament Begins

These are the lettermen of the Berlin Black Panthers who meet the Dennison St. Mary Blue Wave in the 3rd game of the Class A Sectional Tournament tonight at Memorial Hall.  They are:  Merle Mullett - Dale Wurthman - Mark Menuez and Ellis Mast.  (Photo...The Daily Reporter)

These are the Big Prairie-Lakeville Bulldogs who copped Runner-up Honors in the recent Holmes County Tournament at Millersburg.  They will meet the Malvern Green Hornets, in the 2nd game of tonight's Class A Sectional Tournament at Dover's Memorial Hall.  FRONT:  Von Flinner - Glenn Cassidy and Wayne Dewitt.  BACK:  Dave Butler - Dave Miller land Ken Baurer.  (Photo...The Daily Reporter)



DOVER - Doors will open an hour before game time with admission being $1.00 for adults and 60 cents for students.  Also on top are a battle between the Big Prairie-Lakeville Bulldogs and the Malvern Green Hornets and Dennison St. Mary Blue Wave at 9:00.

Head Coach Joe La Scola's Dennison Ramblers enter the game with 4 wins in 13 games, 2nd poorest record in the county.  The Blue Wave is 2-16.  In the Gnadenhutten Indians the Ramblers will be meeting a team which has won 16 of 22 games and finished 2nd in the County League and Runner-up to the Midvale Blue Devils in the County Tournament.

But Dennison will be fighting all the way.  Leading them will be the high-scoring Eddie Joe Young, one of the top pointmakers in the county with an average of 20 per game.  He will be at one of the forward positions.  Coach La Scola probably will start Charlie, 6-2 Senior at center, John Patterson, 6-1 Junior at the other forward position and guards John Ferchill, 5-6 Sophomore and Jerry Dolzine, 5-10 Junior.  Walt Burtscher, 5-8 Sophomore, also is expected to see duty.

The Indians' mentor Head Coach Dick Scott will start guards Larry Clark and Ed Shull.  At center, will be Tom Roth with forwards Larry Gooding and Ron Bradley completing the 1st Five.  The Big Prairie-Lakeville Bulldogs, which is mentored by Head Coach Robert E. Lee, will take a record of 16-5 into tonight's fray against the Malvern Green Hornets.  During the season the Panthers finished in a tie with the Walnut Creek Cardinals for 2nd place in the Holmes County League on 7-3 records.  Big Prairie-Lakeville then was Runner-up to the Black Panthers of Berlin in the County Tournament, defeating the Glenmont Indians and the Cardinals of Walnut Creek before reaching the finals.

The Big Prairie-Lakeville Bulldogs faced only one Tuscarawas County quintet during the regular season dropping a 79-59 decision to the Stone Creek Golden Panthers.  Lee will start Sophomore center Dan Dye at 6-0, Senior Wayne DeWitt 5-11 and Junior Ken Baurer 5-9 at the forwards and Junior Dave Miller 5-8 and Senior Von Flinner 5-10 at the guards.  The Green Hornets of Malvern will not be a newcomer to courts in Tuscarawas County.  Over the regular season the Hornets, who are mentored by Head Coach Jack Street, met 5 county foes.

They dropped 2 decisions to Dennison St. Mary 64-55 and 59-46, while downing St. Joseph 65-43 and 56-39.  They also lost 76-57 to the Tuscarawas Broncos and 78-66 to Stone Creek and won over the Port Washington Purple Riders 65-54 and 74-47.  Starting for the Green Hornets, who have an overall record of 8 wins and 11 losses, will be Ron Romano 6-0 Senior at center, Tom Romano 6-0 Junior and Ron Whittington, 6-0 Senior at forwards.  Bill Currie 5-11 Senior and Bill Ferguson 5-10 Senior at the guard positions.  Sixth and 7th man will be Bill Laubacher 5-11 Senior and Dick Sarbach 6-2 Junior.

Berlin, which has been the toast of the Homes County League, has accumulated a record of 18 wins, including 2 tournament victories and only 4 defeats.  The Black Panthers won the League toga with a 9-1 mark.  They have met 3 Tuscarawas County teams and won 3 of 4 contests.  They downed the Garaway Pirates 61-55 and 61-59 and Dover St. Joseph 79-68 and bowed to the Baltic Eagles 77-72.

Starting lineup for the Panthers will have Merle Mullett 6-2 Senior at center with Dale Woethman 5-9 Junior and Ellis Mast 5-8 Senior at the guards and Glenn Miller 5-11 Junior and Don Mast 6-0 Junior at the forwards.  Seeded Dennison St. Mary with a record 2nd only to the Midvale Blue Devils, will provide the opposition for Berlin.  The Wave has won 15 of 17 tilts.

Head Coach Paul Drotovick will have the big-scoring Jim Guida, at 6-0 at one of the forward positions and Dick Still at the other.  Ken Beamer and Gary Bradley will be the guards with Paul Smolak at center.

Tuesday, February 25, 1958
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

58 - Sectional Basketball Tournament

DOVER - The Dover St. Joseph Ramblers, with a 3-14 record, will tangle with the Gnadenhutten Indians (16-6), Runner-up in the Class A Tournament, tomorrow night at 8:30 in the opening game of the Class A Sectional at Memorial Hall here.  Seeded at drawings, held at Helmkamp's Restaurant yesterday, were the Midvale Blue Devils, Tournament Champions, who have a record of 19-2 and the Dennison St. Mary Blue Wave, which ended its season on Saturday night with a 15-2 mark.

In the 2nd Tuesday game, the Big Prairie-Lakeville Bulldogs (16-6) will collide with the Malvern Green Hornets (8-11) at 7:45, while the Berlin Black Panthers (18-4) will go against the Blue Wave. at 9:00.  Thursday night the Dennison Railroaders (2-16) battles the Millersburg Knights (10-7) at 7:30, while in the nightcap at 8:45 the Blue Devils of Midvale will play the winner of the Ramblers-Indians game.

Winner between the Bulldogs of Big Prairie-Lakeville and Green Hornets will meet the victor of the Black Panthers-Blue Wave contest for one of the District berths at Brilliant.  The other District berth will be decided on Saturday night.

Head Coach Pete Hilliard of Midvale and Head Coach Paul Drolovick of the Blue Wave drew for brackets, with Hilliard winning the draw and choosing the lower bracket and a bye.  Drotovick went into the upper and game No. 3 on the 1st night.  Big Prairie-Lakeville, which drew next, shied away from the Midvale bracket and selected game No. 3.  Malvern was next and it elected to go against the Holmes County entry.

Dennison and Millersburg were next in that order with the Railroaders going into game No. 4 on Thursday night and the Knights choosing to provide the opposition.  The St. Joseph coach, Joe La Scola, and Gnaden mentor Dick Scott had Nos. 6 and 7 and had no choice but to pair off in the opening game of the Midvale bracket.

Admission for the games will be $1.00 for adults and 60 cents for students.  There will be no advance sale of tickets and doors will open an hour before game time.



Monday, February 24, 1958
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio

58 - Midvale 1958 Tuscarawas County Tournament Champions 67-60 (2-22-58)

The Midvale Blue Devils Head Coach Ralph "Pete" Hillard was chosen "Coach Of The Year" for 1958.  (Photo...The Daily Reporter)

The Championship Midvale Blue Devils Sophomore Guard Ron Breniser lead the Blue Devils to a 67-60 victory over the Gnadenhutten Indians in the Tuscarawas County Class A Basketball Tournament.  Breniser has a total of 31 points in the tournament at this point for an average of 10.3 markers per game.  (Photo...1958 Yearbook)

The Blue Devils of Midvale which had already won the League Championship, added The Daily Reporter's County Tournament Trophy to their previously-loaded trophy case.  Caught whooping it up in the dressing room following the game by The Daily Reporter Photographer Ralph McKee are:  FRONT:  Head Coach Pete Hilliard - Dave Belknap - Ron Breniser - Bill Housel - Russ Hobart and Tom Krocker.  BACK:  Ron Kaderly - Dale Stansbury - Jim Clark - Jim Hobart - Vince De Noi - Dick Housel and John Everett.  (Photo...The Daily Reporter)

The Runner-Up Gnadenhutten Indians, winner of last year's County Class A Tournament, finished 2nd this year.  FRONT:  Larry Clark - Ron Bradley - Larry Gooding and Ed Shull.  BACK:  Steve Hamilton - Al Cappel - Paul Gooding - Tom Frank - Raymond Rank - Ron Clark and Bill Horsfall.  (Photo...The Daily Reporter)

The Midvale Blue Devils' Cheerleaders had plenty to cheer about when their Blue Devils copped the Tournament Crown on Saturday night.  They did such a good job over the season that they were awarded the Schwartz Trophy for being the best yell leaders in the event.  They are:  Bonnie Hobart - Mary Varally - Patsy Mazzy - Captain Louis Clerici - Linda Carlisle and Judy Dupier.  (Photo...The Daily Reporter)



DOVER - They re-arranged the trophy case at Midvale High School this morning, adding to wit:

(1)  The Daily Reporter Trophy emblematic of the 36th Annual County Tournament Championship, 8th for the Blue Devils.

(2)  The 1957-58 County Class A League Trophy which won 8 loop victories without a loss.

(3)  A trophy for the Best Cheerleading Team appearing at the tournament.

Three individuals of the school also received trophies following Saturday night's 67-60 conquest of the Gnadenhutten Indians at Dover's Memorial Hall.

Pete Hilliard was chosen as the County League "Coach of the Year" because of his club's success with only one returning Senior from last year's State semi-finalists.  He is President of the County Coaches Association.  Russ Hobart and Tom Krocker were honored with individual trophies as members of The Daily Reporter's All-League Team chosen by the coaches.  All the Blue Devils also were presented miniature gold basketballs by Supt. W.E. Laws, Tournament Manager, during the awards ceremony.

The Presentations also included the "Most Valuable Player" (of the season) Trophy which went to the Stone Creek Golden Panthers' Rod Reinhart, who averaged 23.5 points per game and will  be Valedictorian of his graduating class.

The Gnadenhutten Indians have the League and Tournament Runner-Up trophies for its case and each Indian received a miniature silver ball Saturday night.  In addition, Larry Clark and Ron Bradley have trophies as All-League performers.  The other 6 on that select squad, who also were honored on Sasturday night, were Charles Stinger of the Garaway Pirates, Ben Price of the Tuscarawas Valley Trojans, Chuck Burris of the Strasburg Tigers, Gary Caviness of the Tuscarawas Broncos, Ron Huprich of the Baltic Eagles and Reinhart.

The pre-tournament favorites, the Midvale Blue Devils (3-0) (8-0) (19-2) didn't have an easy night as they rolled to their 17th straight triumph against the Gnadenhutten Indians (2-1) (6-2) (16-6).  A 4th quarter surge by the defending Champions had to be stopped before the Blue Devils could wrap up the title.  Heat of the battle was so intense that 2 spectators fainted and 6-2 Senior center Russ Hobart had to leave the game with about 2 minutes remaining after he was knocked unconscious in a collision with teammate 5-10 Junior forward Tom Belknap.  Two Indian cagers also had to sit down during the awards ceremony.

Gnadenhutten led 4-0 early in the playoff, but Midvale quickly forged to the front and stayed there the remaining distance, before ahead by 12 points on 3 different occasions.  Sophomore 5-11 guard Ron Breniser, a corner jump shot artist, paced the Diablos with 21 points, while Hobart had 16 and 5-10 Junior Tom Krocker 14.  Senior 5-8 center Larry Clark sparked Gnaden with 18 points, with 6-1 Senior forward Larry Gooding having 16 and 6-0 Senior guard Tom Roth gathered 11.  Midvale clocked on 25 of 60 field goals for 41.7 percent and the Tribesmen cashed in 23 of 79 for 29.1 percent.  The Devils meshed 17 of 25 free throws and the Scarlet and Gray of Gnaden 14 of 23.

The 1st quarter ended with the Blue and Gold of Midvale on top 17-14 and each club scored 14 points in the 2nd frame which ended 31-28.  The Champions then outpointed the runner-up 21-12 in the 3rd stanza for a 52-40 margin.  The Gnadenhutten Indians, which bowed twice to the Midvale Blue Devils during the regular season, started to whittle the margin early in the final canto.  With the count 56-50 the Diablos, which took only 9 action shots in the period, tallied 5 straight points.  But, Head Coach Dick Scott's Indians fought back, outscoring the Devils 10 to 3 to narrow the gap to 64-60 with 1:40 to go.  Then came the Hobart-Belknap collision and after the game resumed the Blue and Gold notched 3 more points, while holding the Tribesmen scoreless to ice the verdict.

MIDVALE BLUE DEVILS - 67

Dave Belknap 2-5-9
Russ Hobart 4-6-14
Tom Krocker 7-0-14
Bill Housel 4-1-9
Ron Breniser 8-5-21
Jim Clark 0-0-0

GNADENHUTTEN INDIANS - 60

Ed Shull 2-2-6
Ron Bradley 3-1-7
Larry Clark 8-2-18
Larry Gooding 6-4-16
Tom Roth 4-3-11
Al Cappel 0-2-2

MIDVALE  17-31-52-67
GNADEN   14-28-40-60


Monday, February 24, 1958
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio