First County Trophy For Port Washington (2-27-56)

Charlie Powell, Daily Reporter Sports Editor
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Midvale and Port Washington - "third time's the charm" opportunists - today were basking in Tuscarawas County's basketball limelight. The bucket-bombing Blue Devils, with their tremendous one-two punch of Larry Swinderman and Dick Leggett playing leading roles, gave the school its seventh tournament championship Saturday night when they stopped previously unbeaten and defending champion Strasburg 72-63. And just as Midvale was proud of its hoopsters, Port Washington celebrated in great fashion after its Purple Riders crushed Gnadenhutten by a 61-45 count to give the school its first trophy in the 34-year history of the dribble derby. Thus the Purple joined Strasburg and Midvale in this week's Class B sectional at Memorial Hall, where Saturday night about 1800 faithful showed up for the pair of upsets. Tourney Director W.E. Laws said there were 1117 paid admissions, bringing the tourney total to 6108, an increase of 32 over last year. Between games numerous awards were presented with Strasburg getting the league championship trophy and Port Washington the consolation winner trophy. The Daily Times donated the league trophy and the S. Toomey Co. of Dover the consolation award. The Daily Reporter's tournament championship trophy and the runnerup trophy given by City Auto of New Philadelphia, were presented to Midvale and Strasburg, respectively, after their hassle. Members of both teams also received miniature basketballs donated by Marah Wall Products of Dover, Fairfield Brick of Zoarville and the Stone Creek Brick Co.
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PLAYERS HONORED
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Daily Reporter trophies were presented by County Coaches association President Bray Toot of Port Washington to 10 team members, while the league's Most Valuable Player award went to Jim Kuecher of Strasburg, the sportsmanship award to Mineral City and the best cheerleading team chosen was the Strasburg quarts of Beulah Lewis, Cookie Stanbarger, Shirley Gasser and Connie Kreis. Members of the all-county team were Swinderman and Leggett, Kuecher and Jerry Froman of Strasburg, Glen Hines and Lloyd Porter of Gnaden, Ronnie Deibel of Stone Creek, Paul Lindsay of Mineral City, Ed Bates of Port Washington and Ted Riggle of Tuscarawas. Larry Gerber, representing the Ragersville grade school team received the trophy symbolic of the county league title.
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Monday, February 27, 1956
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio