Stone Creek Rips Strasburg 69-52 In Tourney Upset (2-22-57)

Stone Creek 69, Strasburg 52! The roof almost came off bulging Memorial Hall here last night as the Panthers turned giant killers and scored the biggest upset this basketball season to gain the finals of the Class A tournament. Stone Creek (18-4) will bid for the coveted crown Saturday night when it meets Gnadenhutten (19-3), which edged Tuscarawas Valley (16-5) 79-75 in the other game last night. As the partisan fans in the jam-packed hall roared them on, the clawing Panthers, coached by Edwin McGlumphy, did what all other county teams failed to this year - trim the Tigers. Strasburg (18-2), ranked third among the state's Class A schools, had lost only to Sandy Valley prior to last night. Stone Creek had bowed to Strasburg 62-52 during the regular season and that made last night's 17-point triumph all the sweeter. The Panthers won their first county tournament title in 1952 against Baltic when they were coached by Ken Newlon, who later was at the Strasburg helm three years before going to Canton Lincoln. This is the first year at the Panther helm for McGlumphy. During the regular season, Stone Creek bowed to Gnadenhutten 80-46 and 81-63, but the Panthers, on the basis of their great performance last night, will be difficult to stop. Gnadenhutten, on the other hand, was given a real scare before conquering Tuscarawas Valley's Trojans in the closing minutes of their contest. As a result of their victories, Stone Creek and Gnadenhutten qualified for the sectional tournament opening here March 6. The third berth in the sectional will be decided tomorrow night at 7:30. Strasburg, beaten only by Sandy Valley prior to last night's setback, tangles with Midvale (12-9) at 7:30 tonight in the consolation semi-finals. The 8:45 contest will send Port Washington (13-8) against Tuscarawas Valley (17-5).

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Friday, February 22, 1957

The Daily Reporter

Dover, Ohio