Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 14, Number 18, DeMotte, Jasper County, 17 March 1944 — Tourney Finals As Picked By Coach Stephens [ARTICLE]

Tourney Finals As Picked By Coach Stephens

The Anderson Indians are top heavy favorites to win this tourney. About all the sport prognosticators in Indiana say that Anderson will win. But their path to the state tourney has been easy; no school in the first 20 teams, can be named as a victim. While at Vincennes, Bedford and Washington were listed about 7th and Bth; at Muncie, Kokomo, Burris, and Fort Wayne Central were listed; and at Hammond, Culver and Converse were in the select group. Well, going far out on a .limb, I’ll pick Kokomo to whip Anderson in the first game. In the second game, reports from a LaPorte scout at Vincennes are to the effect that Bosse has a good team, but that LaPorte can beat them. Not knowing Bosse, but having seen La Porte play 4 games, I’ll take LaPorte. Any team that can be losing 18 to 10 and pull the game out of the fire and win 24 to 23 has got something. For finale—Kokomo will meet LaPorte. T saw LaPorte hot in the Regional—they were cold in the semi-finals—With my fingers crossed in the hope that “lady luck” will be with LaPorte and that they are hot—l’ll take LaPorte. The fact that I was bom in LaPorte, lived there seven years, went to school there 3 years, has nothing to do whatsoever with my predictions. In going over the record book, Kokomo got to the final game in 1925 and was beaten by Frankfort 34 to 20. Anderson was defeated by Wingate 36 to 8 in 1914 in the final game; in 1918 they lost to Lebanon in the final game 24 to 20; in 1921 they lost to Franklin’s “Wonder Five” in the final game 35 to 22. Then in 1935 Anderson reversed the procedure and defeated Jeffersonville 23 to 17 for the title; and in 1937 they won over Huntingburg for the Championship by a score of 33 to 23. This is LaPorte’s and Bosse’s first trip to the state. Anderson has had their share of victories—here’s hoping one of the underdogs wins. Written by Coach Stephens. The sights and sounds and smells of the country—all these things which I call life-stuff—are absent from big cities. I feel more and more that I am missing life by not living on the ground.