Baltic, Port In County Tourney Bows Tonight (2-16-56)

Photo: First row, Ron Phillilps (left), Dick Quillin, Betty Eckleberry, Karen Veley, Connie Dichler, Dan Decker, Bob Welsch. Second row, Coach Bray Toot (left), Tom Gardner, Jerry Hannahs, Bill McConnell, Nick Frank, Tom Jones, Ed Bates, Doyle Galbraith, Denver Glazer, Don Ferrell.
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The high-scoring Port Washington Purple Riders (12-6) and the smaller Baltic Eagles (6-13) make their initial appearances tonight as the 34th Annual County Class B Basketball Tournament resumes at Dover Memorial Hall after a one-night respite. Coach Bray Toot's Riders, who went over the 100-point mark on four occasions during the regular campaign, go against the Eagles in a regular bracket contest at approximately 8:45PM. In the first game, a consolation bracket fray, the Stone Creek Panthers meet the Tuscarawas Broncos at 7:30PM with the loser slated dropping out of the tourney. The Purple Riders were fourth-seeded in the tourney drawings behind Strasburg, Midvale and Gnadenhutten after finishing fourth in the county league. On four occasions, all in loop competition, the Riders hit over the century mark including a 103-73 victory over Baltic late in the season. Coach Jack Bellville's Eagles will enter the game as underdogs but, on the basis of the clean sweep of upsets on the first night of action. Port Washington is expected to encounter stiff opposition. Ed Bates, 6-1 Junior, has scored 373 points, while Tom Jones 6-1 Senior has made 252, and Nick Frank 6-2 Junior has accounted for 267. The other starters, Bob Welsch and Denver Glazer, both 5-9, have scored 179 and 160 points, respectively. Bob Welsch is a Senior and Denver Glazer a Junior. Baltic doesn't have a six-footer in the starting array, but the Eagles have scoring balance. George Regula 5-11 has chalked up 354 markers, while 5-11 Jim Uher has tossed in 330 and 5-6 Glenn Reidenbach has made 288. Ron Huprich 5-5 has tallied 204 and 5-10 Larry Ladrach 96. Uher and Regula are seniors, the other three juniors. Stone Creek and Tuscarawas split two regular season games, each taking five point decisions. The Panthers, now with a 13-8 record, tripped Tuscarawas 73-68 and then lost a return match 74-69. The Broncos have an overall record of seven wins, 12 reversals. Three games are booked Friday night when Strasburg's unbeaten Tigers and the Gnadenhutten Indians make their tourney bows. The defending champion Tigers meet Sugarcreek-Shanesville at 7:45, while the Indians go against Mineral City at 9. The Baltic-Port Washington loser meets Bolivar in a 6:30PM consolation contest.
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Thursday, February 16, 1956
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio