This is not a riot scene. It's merely the Strasburg High School Tigers (26-0) calmly walking off the floor with the Bengal cheerleaders after methodically - BUT A BIT HAIR-RAISING - chalking up their 26th straight victory. In the event you forgot the score, reporter photographer Bob Sprankle made certain the scoreboard was appropriately located in the background. TIGER FANS WILL BE REMEMBERING IT A LONG, LONG TIME and so will Southeastern-Ross.
COLUMBUS - Ed Rusk has been an important cog in the Strasburg Tigers' all-victorious basketball season - but he bagged the most important goal of his scholastic career here Friday afternoon. It came with just one second to play in the semifinals of the Ohio Class A Tournament before 14,000 screaming St. John Arena fans, giving the Tigers their only lead of a 55-54 comback victory over Southeastern of Ross County. Rusk's shot, culminating a Gary Phillips to Art Haswell to John Studer relay, hoisted the Tuscarawas County represenatives into this afternoon's championship against Arcanum, 56-48 victory over Kalida in yesterday's "nightcap."
The nifty lefthander, whose toss hit the mark from 15 feet away, was quickly elevated to the shoulders of his teammates and carried from the floor as all pent-up emotion broke loose. In compiling Ohio's longest 1966-67 scholastic basketball season victory string at 26, Strasburg has displayed ability, both offensive and defensive. The Tigers showed an additional forte yesterday...the ability to come from behind, something they had to do seldom before this year. Until Rusk sank a free throw with 1:31 showing on the scoreboard in the final quarter, knotting the count at 49-49, Strasburg never was close to the lead. The Tigers, in fact, were virtually humiliated thoughout most of the contest. Patrons sat stunned at the inability of the highly-favored Bengals to show any of the wares used to humble 25 previous opponents. Strasburg started slowly and sluggishly. The crowd sat in disbelieing silence, feeling sure the Bengals would cut loose with their famous barrage of heavy artillery.
But they didn't. All-Ohioan John Studer netted only 4 foul shots in the 1st half. He was 0 for 4 from the field in the 1st quarter, but he wasn't alone in the "freezer" department. Charlie Jones and Rusk both took 5 shots without success and those failures were reflected in 18-8 and 32-16 deficits during the 1st half. Meanwhile, Southeastern's Doug Hill, a 5-10 Junior who excelled in dribbling, continuously twisted the Tigers' tail with 15 to 20-foot jumpers. He hit 7 straight from far out in the 1st period and his defensive play harassed the foes to no end. By halftime, the aggressive Ross County performer had 14 points.
There was no apparent change in the Strasburg fortunes early in the 2nd half. The Tigers just couldn't beg, borrow or even steal a basket. With half the 3rd period gone, the Bengals still trailed by 11 points. When the period came to a conclusion, Southeastern held the upper hand 40-31 and the Panthers quickly increased that advantage to 46-35 as Hill hit again twice on the jumper. The Tigers took a needed rest. Haswell opened the Bengals' resurgence with an 18-foot jumper and Head Coach Charles Huggins immediately gave the signal to press the foe all over the floor. Rusk made a clean steal, flipped it to Ed Yackey who drove in for a layup to trim the deficit to 46-39 with 3:55 left. Studer and Southeastern's Don Jordan exchanged "steals" before the Strasburg press forced another turnover...2 in fact. Yackey and Studer made good on the efforts and the score went to 46-43 with just 2:45 to go. Rusk fouled Roger Skaggs and the 6-2 Senior forward made good on one to put Southeastern back on top by 4. Jordon fouled Rusk, who connected and then Rusk fouled Hill on the press. The Panther ace caged 2 shots and it was 49-44 with 2:25 left.
Studer, almost perfect for the day with 8 of 9 at the foul line, brought Strasburg within 3 points by making both ends of a subsequent one-and-one, but then turned around and fouled Miller moments later. Miller missed the shot, Studer grabbed the rebound and drove the length of the floor to cut the margin to just a single point. Rusk then connected to knot the count. Hill and Studer exchanged baskets, then Jordan hit twice from the foul line and Southeastern clung to a 53-51 margin. Studer grabbed a rebound, put it in and the score was deadlocked again. With just 9 seconds to go, Jordan was fouled in action. He missed the 1st, dumped the 2nd and things again looked bleak for the Bengals. Strasburg took time out, set up a "pattern" and went to work. Phillips threw the ball in to Haswell and the targets were either Studer or Rusk. When Southeastern defenders "zeroed" in on Studer, the Bengal All-Ohioan tossed off to Rusk...and the rest is history. Hill took scoring honors with 24 points, topping Studer, who made a tremendous second-half comeback, by just 2. Ray Tackett and Jordan had 12 and 11, respectively, for Southeastern, while Yackey hit 12 for Strasburg.
Saturday, March 18, 1967
The Daily Reporter
Dover, Ohio
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