The Mail-Journal, Volume 26, Number 20, Milford, Kosciusko County, 1 July 1987 — Page 65
Syracuse had winning basketball tradition
Basketball has a rich heritage in the Lakeland area. It started in 1914, with John Edgell, Orrin Klink, Wallace Howard, Millard Hire, and Burdette Holloway winning basketball games for Syracuse High School. The tradition continues today at Wawasee High School —a consolidation of Syracuse, Milford, and North Webster students. In 1919, Syracuse entered the South Bend sectional tournament. The games were played at the YMCA. In the opening game, Syracuse pounded Ligonier, 52-26. Emery Druckamiller scored 36 points and Russell Lepper added 20 as Syracuse scored the most points in the tournament. Incidentally, Druckamiller’s 36 points was the highest individual output in the sectional. He was later selected to the All-Sectional team. ♦ In the second game of the sectional, South Bend defeated the Syracuse unit by five points. According to reports, officials in the contest called very few fouls in the second half. The loose officiating led to Syracuse’s defeat. The aftermath of the defeat led to Calvin Beck’s resignation as coach. He moved to Etna Green to accept a coaching position. A year later, Court Slabaugh took over as coach for Syracuse. The team improved under Slabaugh, and in 1921, played for the state basketball title. But the road to the finals was difficult. Everett and Arthur Evans, nephews of Slabaugh, led the Syracuse unit to the finals. Both were good players, although Everett, at 6-6, was the better jumper and defensive player. Guy Rarig, Orval Klink, Fred Couts, and Druckamiller completed the team. Only Couts and Druckamiller are presently alive. The 1921 team won 26 games, . including a county and sectional championship. In .the sectional, Syracuse defeated Warsaw and Culver — perhaps the two best teams in the tourney. From there, the team went to regionals at Purdue University. As fans from Syracuse chartered transportation to West Lafayette, the players were planning on a bus trip to the finals. The fans were not disappointed. Syracuse defeated Crawfordsville 20-17 in overtime. Druckamiller scored 18 points — one more than Crawfordsville — and was selected to the AllRegional team. That set the stage for the state finals, one week later. In the championship game, Druckamiller scored all of Syracuse’s 16 points. However,
EFFECTIVE JULY 6,1987 H Phyllis Gerstner Owner-Broker Os Wawasee Realty Officially Merges With Coldwell Banker Beer, Realtors I hereby express my sincere appreciation to the entire community for your total support given to my company and staff these past years. 1 thank you for your consideration to me when buying or selling real estate and ask that you continue to remember me as a true professional for your future needs. We will be moving to the Coldwell Banker Beer, Realtors office South of Highway 13. My New OFFICE Number Is 219-457-4495 My New Home Number Is 219-457-4610 P.O. BOX 478, SYRACUSE, IN 46567
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COUNTY, SECTIONAL AND REGIONAL CHAMPS - The 1944-45 Syracuse Basketball Team won the County Tourney and Sectional Championships that year going on to beat North Side in the regional competition. However the Syracuse Yellow Jackets lost to Auburn in the final round for the state title. Coach of the team was Calvin Beck Shown in the photo are: Coach Calvin Beck, Lamar Rarig, Stan Carr, Adolph Stieglitz, Joe Rapp, Stanley Hoopingarner, Paul Traster, Dale Weigart, Richard Bell, Joe Bauer, Lowell Poyser and Robert Laughlin.
Huntington netted 20, and claimed the state title. As in the past, Drujckamiller gained much recognition. He was named to Indiana’s All-State squad. Syracuse, in the season, accomplished much. The facilities it played in were poor. Yet, Syracuse won. All of Syracuse’s home games were played in a deserted school building. The ceiling was 13-feet high, resulting in low scoring games. Warsaw had the first good gymnasium in the area. It was built in 1922, just a few days before the sectional. However, because the court was new, it was oiled with hot linseed oil, and obviously, very slippery. Atwood defeated Syracuse in the 1922 sectional. The county tournament was held in Pierceton, playing in a renovated livery barn. In the game, Syracuse defeated Warsaw by one point, 20-19. Druckamiller won the game for Syracuse with a last-second free throw.
Syracuse failed to win another county championship until the 1924-25 team accomplished to do so. And,' just like in 1921, the Syracuse squad advanced to the state finals. Syracuse lost in the finals, this time, against Bedford. In 1926 Slabaugh was hired as principal of the Syracuse High
Wed., July 1,1987 — THE MAIL-JOURNAL
School, leaving a void in the boys’ basketball coaching ranks. But the school wasted little time in hiring a new coach — Druckamiller. After four years of college, at Indiana Univer si ty , Druckamiller returned home to coach his alma mater. He lasted
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one year before moving to Angola for another coaching position. He spent 35 years at Angola High School before finishing his coaching career (10 years) at TriState University. The Syracuse team, from Beck’s 1928 team to the 1944-45 unit, experienced great success. They won several county and sectional championships, and made two state final appearances. Syracuse High School joined Milford and North Webster Schools June 1,1962. The consolidation formed the present Wawasee High School and Wawasee Community School Corporation. Under the new system, no Wawasee boys’ basketball team has advanced to the state finals. Only Dale Brannock’s 1985 girls’ basketball team has played in the state championship contest. However, the boys’ squads have been respectable. In modern years, Wawasee has been coached by Vernon Zurcher, Bob Heady, Jerry Lambert, Mike Jones, John Wysong and Gary Goshert. All have formed solid it teams at Wawasee.
A number of years ago, an Indian skelton was found in the Indian Hill area. It was kept at the school for study purposes.
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