Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 57, Number 51, Decatur, Adams County, 2 March 1959 — Page 6

PAGE SIX

Decatur Yellow Jackets Win Sectional

Beat Hartford Gorillas In Final Game For First Championship Since ’52

By Pete Reynolds Decatur’s Yellow Jackets ended a long dry speU Saturday night by defeating the Hartford Gorillas, 50-34, for Decatur's first sectional championship since 1952. Paul Bevelhimer’s Jackets took the lead on a pair of free throws by Dick Canales after the teams had gone scoreless for the first two minuets and 25 seconds, and Decatur was never headed as the Jackets went on to their, decisive victory in a rough contest, duirng which tempers flared several times. The Yellow Jackets thus qualified for the regional tourney at the Fort Wayne Coliseum next Saturday afternoon. The Jackets will meet the defending state champions, the Fort Wayne South Side Archers, in the second game at 2:15 o’clock. Saturday’s first game, at 1 o’clock, will send the Angola Hornets, Churubusco sectional champs, against Brighton, winner of its first sectional title at Kendallville. South Side defeated Fort Wayne Central in the final game Saturday, 73-61: Angola ousted Bellefontaine, 62-50, and Brighton defeated Howe Military, defending champion, 46-40. Hartford qualified for Saturday’s final by eliminating the Geneva Cardinals, 66-43, in the first semifinal Saturday afternoon, and the Yellow Jackets ousted the Decatur Commodores, 72-61, in the second semi-final tilt. Lead All The Way The Yellow Jackets never trailed the Gorillas in the championship encounter at the Adams Central gym; After Canales opened the scoring with his brace of foul tosses, John Cowan hit the game’s first field goal a minute later and Larry Daniels’ free throw gave Decatur a 5-0 lead before Del McCune sdbred Hartford’s first points, a field goal with 3:30 to go in the first quarter. Dailey Bixler hit Hartford’s other field goal of the period and Decatur held a i 10-4 advantage as the quarter ended. The Yellow Jackets, paced by Daniels' seven points, outscored t Hartford, 9-8, to take a 19-12 bulge ( to the dressing room at half time, t A 19-point spree in the third ] quarter pretty well sewed up the ; title for the Jackets as they car- t ried a 38-21 margin into the final ] eight minutes of play. Well-bal- i anced scoring featured this period ] for the Jackets, as pob Shraluka, battling as hard as he ever had , in his high school career, dropped in six points, freshman Denny Bollenbacher five, Bill Bischoff four, and Canales and Daniels 1 two each. Decatur took good care of that lead throughout the final period, with 14 points the closest the Gorillas came to the new champions. The final game was one of the roughest in sectional play for some time, with tempers flaring oh occasion, and the officials having difficulty in getting the players cooled off to continue play. There were 33 personal fouls called, 18 on the Gorillas and 15 on the Yellow Jackets.

Yellow Jackets Happy S’-' W_4^*. ■ '■■■ "‘ -S4«? iPJISt Sjjlgj -. I 1 Tl ML Lfr iA L-VM ll lit The Decatur Yellow Jackets are pictured In a happy mood in the Adams Central dressing room after their sectional triumph Saturday night. Seated, left to right—Richard Canales, Jim Reidenbach, Larry Daniels, Bob Shraluka, Bill Bischoff. Standing, left to right—Paul Bevelhimer, coach; Tom Grabill, John Cowan, Larry Hill, Butch Snyder. manager; Jim Gay. Jon Foor, Bill McColly, assistant coach; John Patterson, manager; Denny BoUenbacher, Bob Frauhiger — Photo by Anspaugh.

Daniels topped the Decatur scoring with 14 points, trailed closely by Sbraluka's 13. None of the Gorillas hit in double figures, Derryle Pharr leading with nine. The Jackets hit 16 of 29 free throws, the Gorillas 12 of 21. Cardinals Eliminated The Gorillas, after trailing through almost the entire closely contested first quarter, ran away from the Geneva Cardinals fnom midway in the second period to oust the Cardinals by the decisive score of 66-43 in the first semifinal. Two-pointers by Larry Baumer and Bill Tester in the first minute gave Geneva an early 4-0 lead. The Cardinals were in front at 14-11 with seven seconds to go but Bixler came through with a threepoint play for a 14-14 tie. Big Fred Miller gave Hartford the lead for the first time with a field goal after 25 seconds of the second period. Tester’s fourth fielder knotted the score, but Bixler and Miller hit from the field, and Miller added a pair of charity tosses and Hartford suddenly held a six-point bulge at 22-16 after only two and one-half minutes of the period elapsed. The Gorillas moved on to a 10-point advantage at the half. 33-23. Hartford boosted its advantage to 15 points at the end of the third quarter, 49-43, and the county champions pulled farther away in the tinal eight minutes. Tester, of the losing Cardials, led all the scorers with 22 points, but the Gorillas had four players in double figures. John Meshber-, ger was the top Gorilla with Z points, Miller added 15, Bixler 13 and Pharr 10. Hartford hit 18 of 28 free throws, Geneva 11 of 23. There were 35 .fouls caUed, 20 on Geneva and 15 on Hartford. Jackets Oust Commodores The second semi-final brought the two Decatur teams together in an intra-city battle, with the Yellow Jackets triumphing by the 72-6 r Score. ” Tom Gross bit a two-pointer after 25 seconds of play to give the Commodores their only lead of the contest. Jim Reidenbach knotted the-score 20 seconds later and Shraluka and Bischoff gave the Jackets a 6-2 lead. The A ellow Jackets, paced by Shraluka and Daniels, built up a 21-10 lead by the end of the period, a margin which proved to be the exact difference in the, final score.. Each of the Decatur quintets i scored 14 points in the second! period to maintain the 11-point bulge for the Jackets at the long intermission, 'lorn Gross, playing probably the finest game in his career, led the Commodores with eight points, while five players contributed to the Jackets’ scoring. The Yellow Jackets led by 16 points, 53-37, with 2:35 to go in the third period but the Commodores battled back and cut this margin to only etight points by the end of the quarter, with Glen Wilder hitting a pair ,of quickies in the last minute, to make the third period score 55-47.

The Commodores, never quitL ting, came within six points at 59f 53 with slightly more than three , minutes to play, but a free throw . and field goal by Shraluka eased ■ the pressure on the Jackets, who went on to win by 11 points. Top scorers all season long for ; the two teams led the shooting parade.- 1 Shraluka was tops for the Jackets with 23 paints, trailed i closely by Daniels with 21. Baker > paced the Commodores with 20 • points, Wilder had 16 and Tom • Gross had 12. The Jackets hit 12 of 18 free throws, the Cornmo- ’ dores 15 of 27. There were 32 ■ fouls called. 19 on the Jackets . and 13 on the Commodores. Hartford I EG FT TP Bixler 4 5-7 13 Pharr 4 2-3 10 1 Miller -—- 6 3-4 15 1 McCune 3 1-3 7 ' Meshberger —7 6-7 20 1 Thomas 0 0-0 0 ’ Zurcher 0 0-0 0 ■ Moser 0 1-2 1 ’ Owens 0 0-1 0 i Hoover 0 0-1 0 TOTALS -------- 24 18-28 66 Geneva : FG FT TP Baumer 1 0-2 2 ' Dynes —1 0-1 2 Hoffman —1 3-5 5 Long —— -- 2 0-0 4 Tester -— 3 ®"9 22 Nevil — 0 0-2 0 Morgan 0 0-0 0 Newcomer --------- 0 0-00 Biery '—- 1 0 -l- Laux-. -2-4 6 TOTALS 16 H-23 43 Score by quarters: Hartford -.—— 14 33 49 66; Geneva „ , I 4 23 34 43 Officials: Northam. Showalter. Yellow Jackets FG FT TP Bischoff 4 8 Reidenbach 3 2-2 8 Shfaluka -“'ll* T-5 23 Canales .———•—- - —1 -3-4 5 Daniels ------ 9 3-3 21 Gay - 11-2 3 Bollenbacher 1 2-2 4 Cowan "0 0-0 0 TOTALS 30 12-18 72 Commodores FG FT TP Heiman 0 9"® 0 T. Gross 4 4-5 12 S. Omlor — 3 2-4 8 ' Baker 1 20 I Wilder — 1 2-6 16 P. Gross 2 1-5 5 TOTALS —. 23 15-27 61 Score by quarters: Yellow Jackets —— 21 35 55 72 Com modores ... 10 24 47 61 Officials: Showalter, Northam. CHAMPIONSHIP Yellow Jackets FG FT TP Bischoff ----- 2 1-4 5 Hill --- - -- --- -- - - - - 0 0 Shraluka ——— 4 5-9 13 Canalas 1 2-3 4 Daniels 5 4-5 14 Bollenbacher f 2 1-3 5

THE DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT, DECATUR, INDIANA L-"' ■ ' ‘ ~

ALL-SECTIONAL TEAM Player Team Position Dailey Bixler Hartford Forward Bill BischoffYellow Jackets Forward Derryle PharrHartford * Forward Doyle Long Geneva Forward Bob ShralukaYellow Jackets — Center Fred Miller Hartford Center Larry Daniels Yellow Jackets Guard Don Baker Commodores — Guard L Glen Wilder Commodores 2, Guard e Bill Tester Geneva —— Guard

/ , » ■ —-■ ——■ ■ — i Gay — 0 2-2 2 j 5 Cowan 2 1-3 5 Grabill —— - 0 0-0 0 r Reidenbach 1 0-0 2 I .. . , ......... ? tr TOTALS ——— 17 16-29 50 1 Hartford r FG FT TP 6 Bixler ... 2 2-2 6 J Pharr — 4 1-5 9 * McCune ------ 2 3-3 7 2 Meshberger 1 2-3 4 s Zuercher 0 0-10 Owens — 0 1-2 1 Moser 0 2-4 2 ? Hoover —1 0-0 2 Thomas ----- 0 0-0 0 TOTALS — 11 12-21 34 I Score by quarters: Yellwo Jackets -— 10 19 38 50 Hartford 4 12 21 341 Officials: Northam, Showalter. Sectional Scores At Adams Central Hartford 66, Geneva 48. , Yellow Jackets 72, Commodores 61. Yellow Jackets 50, Hartford 34 (final). At Fort Wayne Fort Wayne Central 52, Huntertown 37. Fort Wayne South 79, Leo 56. Fort Wayne South 73, Fort Wayne Central 61 (final). At Churubusco Bellefontaine 46, Ashley 45. Angola 81, Butler 68. Angola 62, Bellefontaine 50 (fin- : al). Kendallville Brighton 47. LaGrange 43. Howe Military 46, Albion 38. Brighton 46, Howe Military 40 (final). f At Bluffton Bluffton 60, Lancaster Central 53. — -' ■ - Ossian 55, Rockcreek 54 (double overtime). Ossian 46, Bluffton 44 (overtime). (final'. At Hartford City Hartford City 89, Portland 63. Dunkirk 71, Bryant 53. Dunkirk 88, Hartford City 69 (final). At Huntington Andrews 59, Huntington Twp. 58. Huntington »Catholic 58, Clear Creek 47. Huntington Catholic 46, Andrews 43 (final). At Columbia City Columbia City 68, Warsaw 57. Mentone 51, Larwill 43. ’ Columbia City 64, Mentone 49 . (final). i Hockey Results , SATURDAY’S* SCORES National League Montreal 6, New York 1, Chicago 5, Boston 2. Detroit 4, Toronto 2. International League Fort Wayne 5, Indianapolis 3. Troy 4, Toledo 3. SUNDAY’S SCORES National League New York 1, Toronto 1 (tie.) Chicago 3, Detroit 1.--International League Fort 4, Toledo 1. Louisville 4, Troy 2.

THE WINNERS z 41 «V ’t r#,’■•»■> :// V'■. • • , In Our Annual Sectional Doping I (These People Can Say “I TOLD YOU SOP’) Ist—Pauline Jones, 1002 Master Drive 2nd—Mrs. Bob Shraluka, 162 South 2nd 3rd—George W. Auer, Route 1, Decatur 4th—William H. Fisher, 1024 W. Adams sth—F. B. Hunter, 321 North Ist 6th—Jean Hoffman, No. 32 Homestead 68 Peop’e picked every game correctly. Scores decided Winners Check Our Hi-Way Store’s Window -— *The People Who Had The Right Pattern Will . Receive A FREE SODA! ' . * ■ Thanks to the many, many contestants! Better Luck Next Year! HOLTHOUSE DRUG CO. _ — ■ ~ ■—...—■? ,

Congratulations t o Coach Paul Bevelhimer and his Yellow Jackets! The Decatur Yellow Jackets j came through with flying colors ■ Saturday night to defeat the coun- ■ ty champion Hartford Gorillas and i win their first sectional title since 1952. The Jackets had won four i consecutive crowns, starting in 1949. Then came four championships in a row forth? Monmouth Eagles, a crown for Hartford in 1957, and Berne’s victory in 1958. —oOo— _ * The Jackets have little time for* celebration. Following a pep session at the school this morning, Bevelhimer and his boys began earnest preparations for their herculean task next Saturday afternoon. The Yellow Jackets face one of the state’s toughest teams, the defending state champion South Side Archers, in the second game of the regional tourney at Fort Wayne. The regional opener at 1 o’clock matches Angola, winner at Churu-j busco, and Brighton, which won its - first sectional title at Kendallville., The afternoon winners will meet for the regional crown at 8:15 p.m. The man the Jackets most stop Saturday is Tom Bolyard, th. only regular back from last year’s state champs. Bolyard broke every Fort Wayne, Allen county and sectional scoring record on the books this season, and easily rates as one of the best ball players in the state. Speaking of South Side, Porky Holt, coach of the Monmouth Eagles when they won their four straight tourney titles here, was busy as a- beaver taking notes at the final game at Adams Central Saturday night. Porky is now on the coaching staff at South Side. Biggest surprise in this area was the upset of the Bluffton Tigers in the final game Saturday. The Tigers’ fans had expected their boys to run away with the crown this year, but they were knocked off by the Ossian Bears in the final contest. Other surprises were Garret’s' FARMERS Wagon Tires 1—53.95 each GOODYEAR r-r 222 N. 3rd Street

defeat in the Churubusco meet, Huntington Catholic’s triumph at Huntington, Brighton at Kendallville, and, more mildly, Dunkirk at Hartford City,.

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Three Northeastern Indiana conference teams annexed sectional titles this year. In addition tcPDecatur, they were Angola and Columbia City, the loop champions,

MONDAY, MARCH I, W 9 ' *

who won their own sectional without being pressed in any game. —-000— Best of luck, Jackets!